What brings people to individual counselling
Often it’s hard to put a name to. You’re worn down, or stuck, or carrying something you can’t quite set down. Maybe a loss or a change has left you unsteady, or a feeling that’s been there a long time has started to weigh more. You don’t need it worked out before you come. Bringing it into the room, with someone alongside you, is where it starts.
How I work
I work with what happens between us. Not your difficulty held up and examined like a fault to be fixed, but the felt sense of it, here, with another person in the room. A lot of what shapes us was formed in relationship, and it’s in relationship that it shifts. So the work isn’t me handing you techniques. It’s the two of us paying attention to what’s really going on, and what it’s like to be you, in a way that’s hard to do on your own.
What people come with
The usual range of being human: low mood, anxiety, grief, the aftermath of a change you didn’t choose, or a sense that something isn’t right you can’t yet explain. I hold a particular interest in men’s mental health and male socialisation, in what men are taught to carry alone and what happens when they don’t have to. Whatever brings you, you don’t have to arrive with it tidied up.
In person in Bude, or online across the UK
I see people in person at Neetside Community Centre in Bude, and online for anyone further afield. I have clients across the UK and beyond, some I’ve never sat in a room with, and the work goes just as deep either way. Whichever suits your life, that’s the one to choose.
Fees – In person, Bude
- Individuals £60
- Couples £95
- Children and young people £40
My fees for working in person in Bude are lower than my online fees, and that’s on purpose. Cornwall is one of the lower-income parts of the country, and I don’t want the cost to be the thing that stops a local person from sitting in the room with me.
Fees – Online, UK
- Individuals £75
- Couples £120
Common questions
Do you see individuals in person or online?
Both. I see people in my room in Bude, and online across the UK. Which one suits you often comes down to what feels easier to start with; there’s no right way in.
What happens in a first session?
We’ll talk about what’s brought you here and what’s going on for you at the moment. I’m listening for the patterns in how you relate, to yourself and to others, not taking a case history or reaching for a diagnosis.
How is this different from other kinds of therapy?
I work relationally. That means paying attention to what happens between us in the room, and to the patterns that show up in your closest relationships, rather than treating what you’re feeling as a fault to be fixed or managed.
How long does this take, and how often do we meet?
Weekly to start is usual, so we can build some momentum. There’s no fixed length; some people come for a few months, others longer. We’ll keep checking in on whether it’s still the right pace and the right work.
I’m not in crisis, just stuck. Is that still a reason to come?
Yes. Most people I see aren’t in crisis, they’re carrying something, a loss of direction, low mood, anxiety, or a sense of being more than they can say out loud. That’s exactly the kind of thing this work is for.
Not sure if it’s right for you? Let’s talk first.
The best way to find out whether we’re a good fit is with a free phone call. No cost, no pressure, just a chance to tell me what’s going on and ask anything you want before you decide. If it feels right, we book a first session from there.