Welcome to The Talking Corner
Are you feeling, anxious, depressed, overwhelmed or are general life events impacting you? I am a qualified therapist, offering a welcoming, confidential and safe space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. I will support you to reach a greater understanding of yourself, working towards healing.
I believe that everybody is unique and, whilst our experiences shape us, we all have the potential to work through uncomfortable emotions through personal growth and awareness. Building a collaborative and trusting therapeutic relationship is paramount to allowing you to talk openly and focus on what is important to you.
Finding a therapist you’re comfortable with can feel daunting, so I offer a no-obligation, free, initial session of up to 30 minutes, (phone or online) to give you the opportunity to discuss your requirements, ask questions and decide if you feel happy for us to work together. It’s also an opportunity for me to get to know you a little bit and confirm I feel able to help you.
About Me
Having spent 15 years working in Learning & Development, I became fascinated with 'what makes us tick', and how each of our unique experiences shape our thoughts and behaviours in different ways. This is one of the reasons I came across counselling and became passionate about helping people process their emotions and work towards healing.
In addition to my private practice, I have volunteered for over a year as a Counsellor at a Women’s Support Centre in Surrey. This has allowed me to provide support for women who have experienced various traumas and abuse throughout their lives. Witnessing people’s growth and improvement in their mental health has cemented my passion for counselling work.
I am a qualified, Trauma-Informed Counsellor, using a well-established relationship model as a base for my practice. As an Integrative therapist, I draw on a variety of therapeutic modalities which help me to tailor the right approach for you. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), using their ethical framework to ensure we work safely together and stay focused on your goals.
Qualifications
Counselling Qualifications:
• Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
• Level 3 Diploma in Counselling
• Level 2 Certificate in Counselling
Further training:
I regularly engage in continual professional development which has recently included -
• Understanding Personality Disorder and Working with Risk
• Using IFS to Heal Traumatic Wounds
• Suicide risk
• Understanding Stigma
• Understanding and Managing Loneliness
What Issues Can Counselling Help With?
Here are a few of the more common conditions that can be supported through counselling:
Feelings of stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Problems with addiction
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Abuse
Depression
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger management
Issues relating to sexuality
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07858 309431 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
Fees & Location
I offer counselling in person and/or online in the Basingstoke area from my home garden office.
I work with adults over 18 years and offer both short-term and open-ended counselling.
Fees
• Initial consultation - free
• 50 minute counselling session in person or online - £50
I work flexibly to accommodate client’s requirements and circumstances. This may include a mix of in-person and online working.
Please ask regarding concessionary rate if you're on a low income, a student, or work for a charity.
Frequently asked questions
Everything that is said within the counselling room is private - this is one of the main ways counselling and therapy differ from talking to a friend or relative. Once you are comfortable with the format of weekly sessions and the safe space they provide, you will find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value.
Note that there are some situations where you may be a risk to yourself or others, and there the law requires that I notify an authority; in these cases I may not be able to keep total confidentiality. Breaking confidentiality is very rare though, and only happens after the person concerned has been informed.
Usually I am asked this question by people who are nervous about entering into counselling, or when they are looking for support in coming to see a therapist. This anxiety is understandable, but a key aspect of therapy is that you should feel free to talk about any issues you feel are important to you. Having someone else with you who can be connected those issues makes this opening-up more difficult, so for this reason I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family.
How long a period of counselling lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. For some people a couple of sessions helps to bring their problems into focus, and they feel ready to move forward; other problems may require more of an open-ended approach.
Before we begin any work we will agree on the number of sessions we’ll undertake, and at the end of that number review our progress. As long as we both agree further therapy will be of benefit to you, sessions can continue.
My aim is to offer a first appointment - known as an initial assessment - within 1-2 weeks. Then we would arrange a set number of counselling sessions to take place at the same time every week, that is convenient for you and where I have availabity. How quickly these sessions can begin will depend on the availabity of that free ‘slot’.