What is counselling?
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Therapeutic counselling provides a safe and confidential space to discuss your issues and concerns with a trained professional. Your therapist will help you explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and others. A counsellor’s role is not to offer opinions, advice, diagnoses, or prescriptions. Instead, they will support you in finding your own solutions, whether that involves making positive changes in your life or learning how to cope with your problems and challenges.
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There are few opportunities where you have dedicated time and space to focus entirely on yourself as an individual.
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Therapy can help you uncover the root cause of your suffering, make sense of your emotions, and understand yourself on a deeper level. It equips you with better tools, resources, and strategies to improve your well-being.
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Why seek counselling?
Counselling Therapy is suited to anyone going through a difficult time or suffering with emotional problems. It is proven it be effective in the treatment of stress, anxiety, depression and other related issues. Seeking counselling is a proactive step towards improving your mental and emotional health.
What is integrated therapy?
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Integrative counselling draws on techniques from different types of therapy to tailor an approach specifically for you.
An integrative counsellor believes there isn’t just one therapeutic approach that can help a client in all situations. Instead, they take into account you as an individual and your circumstances, and use elements of different approaches to help you explore and cope with your problems.
Can we work well together?
Over the past few decades research and theory in the field of psychotherapy and counselling are providing increasing levels of support for the idea that it is the quality of the therapeutic relationship rather than the type of therapy that has the biggest influence on the outcome of therapy.
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“The therapy relationship. makes substantial and consistent contributions to psychotherapy outcome, independent of the specific type of treatment” (Cooper, M. (2005) ‘working at relational depth’, Therapy today, pp. 16–21.)
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What does a good therapeutic relationship look like?
An effective therapeutic relationship "can be characterized as a state of profound contact and engagement between therapist and client. Here, the therapist experiences high and consistent levels of both empathy and acceptance towards the client, and relates to them in a highly transparent way. (Mearns, D. and Cooper, M. (2017) Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy.)
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In order to test out whether we work well together, I offer a free 50 minute assessment session. If by the end of the session you would like to continue working with me then we can make a plan for future sessions. If you are not sure then I am happy to refer you to another counsellor.
Meet Hazel
Qualified Integrated Counsellor MBACP
I became a counsellor in much the same way many therapists do: by seeking therapy for myself and finding the process so life-changing that I wanted to be a part of it. After years of working in business, I experienced a period of high anxiety and low mood that significantly impacted my daily life, leading me to seek help. At that time, finding recommendations for good therapists was challenging, as therapy was not a topic openly discussed. Through a fortunate Google search, I stumbled upon a wonderful therapist who, with great kindness and patience, guided me through integrative therapy towards a happier, calmer, and more fulfilling life.
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In today’s world, we are often discouraged from connecting with our inner thoughts and feelings, instead being redirected towards endless distractions, comparisons, and the pursuit of success and money. This relentless pressure to succeed infiltrates every aspect of our lives, manifesting as anxiety, stress, and depression. We tend to avoid facing our feelings, choosing to distract ourselves until we can no longer function. For me, therapy helped reconnect my mind and body and taught me to show them both kindness. This process has profoundly improved my work, my ability to focus and study, my relationships, and my parenting.
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What I Specialize In
A.C.S
I have been seeing Hazel regularly for several months as I was in a really low place due to grief and depression. Hazel has been a huge part of the reason why I am now in a much better place mentally, her easy going demeanour has made it really easy for me to open up and discuss personal topics that I would never have had the confidence to mention before, for that I am very grateful.
B.L
Hazel has been invaluable in helping me to overcome my fears and anxiety’s, as well as learning to manage my PTSD from recent and past traumas. From the start she has been warm and welcoming, creating a space where I never feel any judgement, and am able to express my thoughts and feelings safely.
I have been able to implement, and stick with new habits that have helped me to progress and grow further than I ever thought I could have. I cannot thank Hazel enough.
KJ
Therapy has helped me massively, not only has it helped me to overcome my fears and deal with anxiety/panic attacks, it's also helped me to row as a person and I am thankful