What is Talk Therapy and who is it for?
Talk therapy (Counselling and Psychotherapy) involves talking to a trained professional to explore thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It provides a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space to help individuals understand their emotions, process trauma, manage mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, and develop coping strategies for life challenges.
Talk therapy is designed for anyone experiencing mental or emotional distress, including:
- Mental health conditions: depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders.
- Life stressors: grief, bereavement, divorce, job loss, or relationship problems.
- Emotional difficulties: persistent feelings of anger, loneliness, low self-esteem, or overwhelm.
- Long-term physical health conditions: coping with chronic pain or illnesses.
Can a therapist be truly non-judgemental?
Staying non-judgemental in the face of opposing values takes a strong commitment to empathy and a genuine wish to understand another person's lived experience. Fear of judgement often prevents people from reaching out, or from sharing openly once they do. Therapy offers a place to explore difficult experiences safely and constructively, without shame.
I have worked with people who experience extreme shame for many reasons. Shame can damage self-worth, physical and mental health, relationships, and growth. By offering a steady, non-shaming space, we can explore what has happened and begin moving forward.
My approach, training, and experience
I have Levels 2, 3 and 4 in Person-Centred Counselling and am working towards a Level 5 in Psychotherapy and a Level 5 in CBT, both due to finish in June 2026.
I have worked in clinical placements supporting people who self-referred independently and on the advice of their GPs. I have also volunteered for a number of years for a crisis support charity.
I have worked with an extremely diverse field of challenges, including:
- Mental health and emotional wellbeing.
- Relationship struggles and self-development.
- Neurodivergence and addiction.
- Health conditions, including end-of-life contexts.
- Abuse, trauma, and bereavement.
What does Person Centred mean?
The Person-Centred approach places your unique needs, preferences, and values at the heart of therapy. It supports dignity, respect, and partnership, treating you as an active expert in your own life while we work with compassion and clarity.
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a type of treatment that can help individuals experiencing a wide array of mental health conditions and emotional challenges. Psychotherapy can help not only alleviate symptoms, but also can help to identify the psychological root causes of conditions, so a person can function better and have enhanced emotional well-being and healing.
Conditions that can be helped by psychotherapy include coping with stressful life events, the impact of trauma, medical illness or loss such as the death of a loved one; and specific mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety.
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a structured, goal-oriented talking therapy that helps individuals manage problems by changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours. It focuses on current challenges and practical solutions, and sessions often include agreed tasks to practise skills in daily life.