John Walter BEd. Dip.Couns MBACP

Hi, I am John Walter, and I work with adults, children and young people. I am qualified as a Therapeutic Counsellor and a member of the BACP. This builds on my experience working therapeutically in education since 1985.

Congratulations on taking the first step to forming a relationship with a counsellor or therapist. I expect you want to know whether we will get on, whether I will understand you and whether I am strong enough to take what you want to share. Maybe you want to know whether I am an expert on your particular problem. Have I got the right experience? Whatever doubts or concerns you may have, we can address them in the first session.

In my experience, most people feel a lightness just by taking the first step of making contact with a therapist. It is the first step of a journey, and I look forward to sharing part of that journey with you. I am happy to give you a free half-hour phone call to set things up for the first session.

I started my therapeutic journey in 1985. I have sought out counsellors along the way to help me with bereavement, workplace bullying, financial meltdown, and life-threatening illness. I have got far more from it than a simple solution to a problem in every case. It has transformed the way I see my life and helped me set out on new pathways.

We all experience ups and downs in life, and seeking a counsellor is a positive way of navigating our way through it. Once I asked a 12 yr old why he felt he had got so much from our sessions.

“Well, you are the only person that actually listens to me.”

My commitment is to work with you as an individual. I will not diagnose you, categorise you or try to fix you. I will not give you medication, homework, or advice on living your life, but I can signpost you to those services.

I will meet with you regularly in person or online for as many sessions as you feel you need. I will listen to anything you want to share with me. Speaking something out loud to someone who accepts you unconditionally can be a significant step in healing.

I will be warm and genuine with you. I share my own struggles elsewhere on this website as a writer. You are welcome to read those and ask me anything about my life you feel may help you in yours.

My intention is to collaborate with you in sorting through things that you find difficult or distressing and the things that give you joy.

We may look for patterns, explore traumas or celebrate successes. We may focus on your present circumstances, or we can explore all aspects of your past that may be affecting your future. You take the lead. You are the expert in your life. I can help you untangle knots and tease out threads.

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