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Outdoor Sessions take place on Mondays and Fridays at Eastville Park and on Tuesdays at the Downs.  

Why therapy outdoors?  For some working in a room feels too hemmed in and intense, for others working online doesn't suit them and for others there will be desire to be in/with nature.  

I find being outdoors in a  green space can help me feel calmer and more connected to the world around me, so why not bring the therapy room outdoors?  Observing and  being in nature can a source of comfort and inspiration, it can bring another layer to the counselling work as we encounter obstacles, notice change around us or find our attention drawn to a particular feature.  Being able to move as you talk is often grounding and calming, helping us to self-regulate which is particularly useful when we may experience anxiety or dysregulation.  For some of those with ADD/ADHD working outdoors can make it easier to focus.

I find Eco-therapy a good way of working with Climate Anxiety/Distress.

 We will meet in a park (I currently meet at the Downs and Eastville Park)   You can choose the route, or if you prefer, I can guide us.  Some people like to do the same route each week, but others enjoy the freedom to go in a different direction, and explore off the path.  Some sessions may be spent sat down. 

These sessions would also be suitable for those with babies or young children, please get in touch to discuss this if you think it would be a useful option for you.  

These sessions are accessible, both venues have accessible toilets and step-free footpaths.  Sessions may be spent on the move, or you may prefer to find a quiet spot to talk.  If you have any questions, or would like a brief preliminary chat beforehand please get in touch.

We will have an initial session to try it out, explore what has brought you to counselling and what you would like to gain.  If you decide that it is not the right fit or the right time for you, there is no obligation to continue. 

There are many reasons why we seek counselling, it may be an immediate, urgent need or it may be a long-standing issue that has come to a point where you need help to navigate through it.  I am an experienced Counsellor, I have been working as a therapist for 12 years and in that time I have supported clients with a wide range of issues including anxiety and panic, generalised anxiety disorder, depression, ADHD/ADD, family and relationship issues, Climate Distress, eating disorders/disordered eating, issues around identity including gender, sexuality and race, coming to terms with a big life change.  I am passionate about the difference counselling can make and have seen countless clients finish our work together in a better place than they started.

Counselling, at its heart, is a relationship.  The relationship acts as a space for you to be listened to - really listened to.  It is an unusual relationship, there aren't many times when the focus is solely on you!  This focus and space creates the opportunity for growth, support, new insights.  You might be struggling with anxiety, feeling uneasy in social situations and unable to stop worrying about the worst happening.  The therapeutic relationship gives you space and support to talk about how you experience the world, what is difficult and, most importantly, what else is going on.  What might be the really big fears which lie under the surface of the everyday worries?  But also, how can we work towards a different way of thinking?  

As part of the work I may sometimes suggest tasks or areas for reflection between sessions, this might be a idea for therapeutic writing or a creative task.  It can be bring greater depth to the work and create opportunities for insights into our thoughts, feelings and ways of behaving.

I offer an introductory session, this is 50 minutes long and is charged at £60.  This is an opportunity for me to understand what brings you to counselling, what you would like to focus on or work towards changing and explore how we might work together.  It is also a chance for you to get to know me, decide if you think it would be a good fit.  We would do this while being in your chosen venue. 

Doing therapy outdoors might be new to you, so having a full-length session provides the opportunity to experience what it is like doing it in this way.  

 If you decide not to proceed, that is absolutely fine, there is no obligation to continue.  I also offer a short, 15 minutes phone call to discuss your needs beforehand, there is no charge for this.

I currently have online daytime availability.

Are you struggling with anxiety?  Finding your mood is low, or depressed?  I can provide a supportive, therapeutic space to explore what is going on for you, understand your feelings and reactions, and most importantly, work towards change.  This might be in adjusting unhelpful thought patterns, voicing what your needs are and exploring together how your needs can be better met or using psychoeducation to better understand what is going on for you when your anxiety spikes.  

I have experience working with a broad range of people and conditions.  I am an Integrative Counsellor so make use of a range of models and theories.  I am primarily Person-centred, so the process and relationship are central to how I work.  I also draw from CBT, Transactional Analysis and I find thinking about our systems and the people/ society around us to be very useful.  Depending on you I may suggest some creative tools, for example, creative writing or sketching.  I have found writing creatively and therapeutically useful and have seen many clients use it effectively between sessions and after our counselling work has come to an end. 

I also work Outdoors offering Eco-therapy.

I have been a Counsellor for 12 years, prior to that I was a youthworker and worked in a range of charities.  As a Counsellor I have worked with a wide age range, as well as continuing to work with young people and students.  I have experience with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, disordered eating, relationship difficulties, Climate Distress, fertility issues, parenting challegnes, low self-worth, body image, sexuality and gender.  I am alert to the impact of privilege and the complexity within this, and seek to work in an anti-discriminatory way.  

I work from a Body Positive perspective and within an Intuitive Eating model.  So if eating/food/body was an issue for you, I would be interested to understand what messages you were carrying around food/weight, how you might find your way through that to self-acceptance, and be able to tune in to your body's needs more accurately.  

I offer online sessions (I primarily use Whereby) and in-room sessions.  I don't currently have any in-room slots available.  

I offer an initial assessment session which is an opportunity to understand you, what has brought you here and what you would like to gain through counselling. It is also a chance for you to get to know me a bit and ask any questions you may have. This is a full session charged at my normal rate to ensure that there is sufficient time and holding. There is no obligation to continue after this if you do not think it is a good fit for you.  This could be online or in-person.

I also offer a short, 15 minute phone call before meeting to discuss your needs and how we might work together.