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I currently don't have any immediate availability for counselling sessions.  My usual working hours are Thursday afternoon and evening, all day Friday and Friday evening.  

Hello, I’m Cat (she/they), and I’m a humanistic counselling therapist.  Contacting a counsellor can be scary, I know, I’ve been there too.  I would like to offer a warm welcome to you, just as you are right now.

There are many reasons why people seek counselling.  Perhaps you are feeling different or disconnected from other people and the world around you.  Maybe you feel like you don’t fit in, you’re lonely, or you find relationships difficult or confusing.  Sometimes as humans we get stuck, anxious or depressed and need some support through difficult times.

How I work:

I work in a trauma-informed way, with kindness and compassion, and without judging you.  I believe we shouldn’t be asking "What’s wrong with you?", but instead, "What has happened to you?".  We learn to respond to experiences in ways which keep us as safe as possible at the time, but sometimes these strategies no longer help us.  Past, often traumatic, experiences can cause our brain to become overprotective and hyper-vigilant.  It’s doing its best to look after us, but sometimes these mechanisms can lead to what we now experience as symptoms such as anxiety and pain.  

I will seek to explore your past and current experiences with you, to help you make sense of your situation.   Gaining awareness can empower you to create changes in your life and live differently.

About me:

Alongside academic learning, I have a rich experience of being an imperfect human with my own life-challenges to navigate.  My counselling qualification is a Diploma in Humanistic, Creative Counselling.  I have experience working for a local community counselling centre, both as a counsellor, and subsequently as the service coordinator.  

I have a strong connection with animals too.  Prior to qualifying as a counsellor I cared for animals as a vet for over 20 years.  

• Particular areas I work with include supporting people experiencing conditions causing chronic pain or fatigue.  This includes diagnoses such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome / ME.  You may have experienced the life-altering impact that these and other health issues can have. 
•  Some of my work is with people who are autistic (including self-diagnosed), or exploring whether they may be neurodivergent.  Being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world is challenging and can feel overwhelming.  This also relates to having a hyper-vigilant brain, and consequences such as burn-out and exhaustion.  
• I am LGBTQIA+ affirmative and welcome people of all genders, sexuality and sexual orientation.  If you don’t know who you are or where you fit, therapy can help when you’re questioning these aspects of self-identity. 
  

The basis of my work is talking therapy, alongside the opportunity of creative work such as art, objects or visualisation.  Whatever we do, we will go at your pace.  I will listen carefully as I want to understand you and your experience.  

• When you get in touch, you can send me an email through the contact form, or send me a text message.  
  
• We can then arrange a 20 minute online chat which is free of charge.  This will be an opportunity for you to tell me a bit about why you are seeking counselling, and to get a feel for whether I may be the right counsellor for you.  If you prefer to do this in-person, I can offer a 50 minute session for the reduced fee of £35.  
  
• You’ll then be able to book-in for weekly sessions, or take some time to think about whether counselling with me is right for you.  
  
• Sessions last for 50 minutes.  We can decide on a fixed number of weeks, or work more open-ended.  
• My fee is £50 / session.  A number of concessionary slots are available for people on low-incomes.  Please let me know what you can afford on a weekly basis and we can go from there.