Counselling Services
My Approach
Counselling in Hoole, Chester
Integrative counselling draws on techniques from different types of therapy to tailor an approach specifically for you. The integrative approach includes elements of Person-Centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This focuses on you rather than the counsellor being the expert on yourself and aims to help you reach your full potential. I will help you achieve that by accepting and valuing you, being honest and transparent with you and offering you unconditional positive regard.
How Integrative Counselling Works
Therapy gives you a safe space, without judgment, to help you explore your thoughts and feelings. You’ll go through a journey of self-discovery and increased self-awareness, then acceptance which leads to change. It will help you to gain more insight and clarity enabling you to make better choices. Throughout this process, we review our work together to identify what has been working for you and highlight the progress made.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The idea behind CBT is that our thoughts and behaviours influence each other. By changing the way, we think or behave in a situation, we can change the way we feel about life. The therapy examines learnt behaviours, habits and negative thought patterns with the view of adapting and turning them into a positive. Unlike some other therapies, CBT is rooted in the present and looks to the future. While past events and experiences are considered during the sessions, the focus is more on current issues. CBT helps you to understand any negative thought patterns you may have. You may learn how they affect you and most importantly, what can be done to change them. CBT looks at how both cognitive and behavioural processes affect one another and aims to help you get out of negative cycles. The emphasis on behavioural or cognitive approaches will depend on the issue you are facing.
Psychodynamic Therapy
The aim of psychodynamic therapy is to bring the unconscious mind into consciousness – helping individuals to unravel, experience and understand their true, deep-rooted feelings to resolve them. It takes the view that our unconscious holds onto painful feelings and memories, which are too difficult for the conscious mind to process. To ensure these memories and experiences do not surface, many people will develop defence mechanisms, such as denial and projections, which often do more harm than good.
Person-Centred Therapy
A person-centred approach focusses on self-development, growth and responsibilities. They seek to help individuals recognise their strengths, creativity and choice in the ‘here and now’. Person-centred therapy aim’s to focus on an individual’s self-worth and values. Being valued as a person, without being judged, can help you accept who you are, and reconnect with themselves. This approach empowers individuals to tap into their innate capacity for positive change, self-awareness, and self-acceptance, ultimately fostering greater psychological well-being and fulfilment.
Issues I Work With
Integrative therapy can help with a range of short and long-term issues, including
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma, relationships
Bereavement
Low self-esteem
Guilt and shame
Isolation
Family issues
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or to arrange a free introductory call
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential.
Frequently asked questions
There is no hard and fast rule. For some people it is a matter of a few sessions, for others it can be much longer. We will discuss your progress and ultimately you will know when you feel better and when you will no longer need counselling.
Integrative counselling allows counsellors to tailor their therapy, to switch approaches when one approach isn’t working and to ensure that the therapy sessions you are offered meet your specific needs. Integrative counselling is a flexible approach which looks holistically at your needs, and considers behavioural, affective, cognitive and physiological levels of functioning.
When you are looking for a therapist, it is important that you find someone with whom you feel comfortable and can build a trusting relationship. The attitude and presence of an integrative counsellor is another crucial element of integrative therapy. This meaningful connection is thought to empower clients - helping them to explore and recognise patterns of behaviour that need to be addressed through change and the setting of new goals.
At your first appointment I will ask a few questions, discuss some of the circumstances that have brought you to therapy and look at how therapy might be useful to you. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions you have about counselling or psychotherapy. At the end of this initial consultation, you will be able to decide whether you would like to work with me and if I feel able to help, we book your first session.
Yes. Everything you discuss in therapy is confidential. There are certain legal exceptions to this, which we explain at your first ongoing appointment.
The first consultation is referred to as an Assessment Session during this session we will agree the terms and conditions of our work. This involves establishing the limits of that confidentiality in our meetings; identifying the problems you are experiencing at present; signing a counselling contract which sets out the costs of counselling, the times of our appointments, the termination and the cancellation policy for counselling.