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Availability: 

Thursdays:  9:00-13:00, 

In the near future: Wednesdays: 13:00 - 17:00 - please enquire. 

Session days/times are not flexible: sessions take place weekly at the same day and time once agreed with yourself. 

Hello,

I am Nicola, I am a qualified Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ registered psychodynamic counsellor who works in line with the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ code of ethics.

My interest in counselling and psychotherapy was sparked by going through my own personal therapy in my mid-twenties which has changed my course in life in many ways. It encouraged me to do a degree in psychology and to train as a counsellor after working for several years for Non-Government-Organisations (NGOs) and charities. In the last 14 years, I’ve worked in a range of mental health settings and counselling & psychotherapy services, such as Primary & Secondary NHS Mental Health Services, Employee Assistant Services and one Domestic Abuse Service. 

At the moment, I offer individual psychodynamic counselling. It is a type of open talking therapy which is based on ideas and techniques from psychoanalysis. I offer a confidential and containing space where we can understand in more depth sometimes quite complex emotional and relational problems. These can be based on both conscious and unconscious patterns of thinking, feeling and relating which we aim to understand in more depth in our sessions and allows for a huge relief effect. 

I also trained in relationship counselling (Relate, accredited by CECAB) and in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy (intermediate/postgraduate level by Plymouth University). Unfortunately I do not offer at this point in time relationship/couple counselling, but this may change in the future and a notice will be given here. 

What is psychodynamic counselling?

People come to counselling  because they feel overwhelmed and distressed, sometimes by quite complex emotional and relational problems. These can be based on both conscious and unconscious patterns of thinking, feeling and relating - sometimes noticeable by repeating unhelpful patterns of relationships or behaviours/actions. 

I can work in a problem-centred way, but I will use the presenting problem as a way to become more aware and understand in more depth the underlying emotional problem. I might explore with you your childhood/early experiences and how they may have also influenced your later life experiences. I aim to help you to gain some insights by exploring those experiences: for example, what you’ve learned about yourself and the world around you at that time, and what impact it had on how you relate to yourself and others today.

Putting your experiences into words can give a sense of being understood and relief effect which may allow for better emotional coping and more deep-seated changes in time. Conversations about your past and present may perhaps encourage you to live in line with a sense of ‘true’ self – this might show itself by an increased ability to make choices in line with your felt experiences, needs or wishes. It may help to break complex relationship patterns which you somehow repeated in the past despite finding them unhelpful and better connections. 

I attend regularly additional trainings/CPDs on a range of themes – e.g. Safeguarding Adults and Children, Trauma, Narcissism, Fertility issues (BICA training), Pregnancy and Infant Loss (I am a Certified Rainbow Baby Specialist by the Infant Loss Foundation).

I’d be so pleased to hear from you if you are interested in a first (trial) session for 50 minutes. It gives you a chance to meet me and to discuss what your current difficulties and reasons are to seek counselling. It involves an assessment, in order to get a chance to hear more details of your current situation and your history, for example of your problem. 

You can get a sense of how psychodynamic sessions might work and if there is a good therapeutic fit, especially since a therapeutic relationship is vital in psychodynamic counselling.

If you wish to continue, our sessions will be 50 minutes long on a weekly basis at the same day and time, either short-term (between 6 - 20 sessions) or open ended. Missed or cancelled sessions are chargeable.

I work face-to-face in Bude or online via Microsoft Teams or Skype.