Can I help?
Counselling is helpful for all sorts of problems and some of the most common are-
Bereavement
Depression
Family or relationship issues
Stress or anxiety
Bullying at work or school
Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
A crisis in your life
Low self esteem or lacking confidence
Wanting to make changes but not knowing where to start
Dealing with change
Financial issues
Weight/food issues
Obsessive thinking
Trauma
Phobias
Obsessions
All issues that are causing you unhappiness, however large or small they seem to you are important and Counselling can help, see 'What is counselling'
Children also benefit from counselling when they are suffering and it can give them the confidence to enter new situations and deal with current ones.
Young people often find it helpful to talk to someone who is not a teacher or parent and whom they know will keep their confidence and will not judge them. Working with young people both privately and at a local secondary school I see many with difficulties. Sometimes helping them discover new ways of looking at a situation can make all the difference to how they feel.
As well as counselling mentoring is also helpful is some circumstances. Mentoring is a relationship which gives people the opportunity to share their professional and personal skills and experiences. this is very useful for personal development.
Some clients start working with me within a counselling relationship and as we near the end of our work together we begin to move to a mentoring role. As a mentor I use a variety of approaches to challenge assumptions and encourage people to try new ideas, options and different ways of thinking. Working with a mentor will increase confidence, self esteem, personal competence and increase skills and knowledge.
As an ex Bank Manager I often mentor people who wish to understand their attitudes and abilities with regard to finance. For example this is useful with money management, how you handle money, financial issues within a relationship or budgeting. Few people consider their different attitudes to money when embarking on a new relationship and this can often lead to conflict. Looking at this with a third party early on and discussing it can prove very helpful.