Counselling is unique to each person. The idea is to build a trusting relationship together with your counsellor in a safe space. From this point you are able to look at your behaviour your responses and reactions to every day scenarios.
You can look together at the relationships you are involved in or perhaps how you parent your own children if that's an area you wish to explore. We look at how you connect with others as well as how you react and respond in life situations.
During this process we may look back at life events and family dynamics, such as how you yourself were parented. You may look at your childhood and significant events that have impacted your behaviour, thoughts and feelings. We look together at life events such as trauma in a sensitive and gentle way.
Throughout this process and with guidance you are able to start making sense of why you are you and your actions and behaviours. During this process and time of reflection you may choose to change certain patterns of behaviour. Your counsellor can support this change by looking with you at new coping mechanisms and together you can implement change.
I initially trained as an integrative counsellor then went on to train in family Therapy. I have added lots of different therapeutic models over the years. So I integrate all of these when offering therapy. Some clients will need a more psychodynamic approach where we look deep into childhood.
Other clients want more focus on CBT and coping strategies for anxiety and stress. By combining all models I am able to work with you in a way that supports you from a holistic approach. My team specialise in particular areas and ways of working and if I am pairing a client with a team member I will always look for an appropriate fit.
I work holistically and bring myself completely to the counselling room. I look at a clients family history as well as their current lifestyle. I believe in the body mind connection and work closely with my clients to help inform them on how the body can retain muscle memory.
This is where trauma can reside within the body. The body often talks to us in many ways and together we look at how you can connect to yourself and start to listen to what your body is telling you. I offer psychoeducation, this is where we look together at how the brain functions. This governs thoughts feelings and fight flight or freeze responses. Understanding the connection between body and mind can help clients to make sense of themselves and how they react to the world around them.
I work with teens, young adults and adults.
I also work with families who may be struggling with communication issues or ruptures to family dynamics or possibly facing a crisis. I offer parent support sessions to parents struggling with issues surrounding areas such as conflict with a child. Often parents simply need support and guidance whilst navigating teen years or younger years.
I offer this support from the training I have gathered over the years along with my own parenting experience of raising 4 children who are now adults. There is no set rule book to parenting and we work together to look at the best way forwards for you and your child.
I come to this field with over 30 years of experience. Starting out as a children's nanny to working in schools and nurseries then into working in hospitals with children before counselling children. Throughout this journey I had my own four children who now range in age from 20 to 28 years old.
It's important to not bombard your child with questions after their Therapy session. A great way to support a child is to simply say: I hope it went well, I'm here if you want to chat anything through.
As a parent or carer its difficult to not question. Parents can often feel out of the loop and on the outside when their child enters Therapy. But it's important to trust your child to navigate their Therapy journey in their own way at their own pace. Just as it takes courage to enter Therapy it equally takes courage and trust, to pass your child over to another adult to hold them emotionally.
Counselling is Confidential to the client and therapist. When a child is under 18 years old the Assessment is carried out with the parents only. This is your opportunity to share important information with the therapist. Such as medical history, family history and areas of concern.
After this the sessions are between the counsellor and child .At Willow we offer a parent review session after 6 to 8 weeks. This is an opportunity for your child's counsellor to feedback any concerns and ask if there have been significant changes at home or school. We will always be happy to discuss the context of how we work, for example creatively or using CBT or a
approach. We will not discuss the content without your child's permission.
The content is Confidential to your child and their counsellor.
There are certain areas where Confidentiality is broken when working with children. This is listed under Safeguarding.
If a child discloses information that is deemed as safeguarding or cause for concern the relevant agencies will be contacted. This is discussed in full at the initial Assessment. Parents will always be informed of any areas of safeguarding and we will always aim to work with parents and agencies to keep the child at the centre.
Counselling is different for each individual.
Some clients come to work on a specific issue. This may take 6 to 8 weeks. Other clients enter Therapy with no set time frame but want to look deeper into their past and childhood to uncover patterns of behaviour. Your therapist will guide you and support you and indicate when you are coming to an ending.
In order to keep a client safe endings are discussed and worked towards together.
At Willow I have a policy that : The Door Is Always Open.
This means that once a client has ended they can always return if needed. Often clients will ring and book in an adhoc session. This may be if there is an issue or unexpected life event that means they need additional emotional support. Sometimes it can be that a client needs a session to revisit coping mechanisms or a gentle reminder that they do have the tools and can manage going forwards.
Some clients choose to continue having sessions monthly. However you choose to move forwards its important to remember you always have choice.