Counselling gives you an opportunity to think and talk about what’s going on for you in confidence, to understand more about why you are feeling as you do, and to find your own ways of dealing more effectively with the situations that face you.
Counsellors provide a safe and supportive environment in which you can look at anything that is troubling you – whether in your current situation or from past memories and experiences – without the fear of judgement and without the intrusion of someone else’s opinions and needs.
Each person is unique and so the nature of counselling will differ from one person to the next. As integrative counsellors we use humanistic, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches, and combine these in ways which suit the individual needs of each client. The humanistic element describes a relationship between counsellor and client which is attentive, respectful and client-led. The psychodynamic aspect provides a way of understanding the complex dynamics of each and every relationship we have. The cognitive behavioural aspect provides simple tools for changing the ways in which you deal with current situations.
LINKS - some useful information and contacts
12 Steps www.12steps.co.uk
Links to some of the different fellowships offering meetings and support for people with addictions
Adfam www.adfam.org.uk
A national charity working with families affected by drugs and alcohol and is a leading agency in substance related family work
Alcoholics Anonymous www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
AA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism
Beat - Beating eating disorders www.b-eat.co.uk
Information and help on all aspects of eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, binge eating disorder and related eating disorders
Depression Alliance www.depressionalliance.org
Help & information about depression; depression symptoms and self help groups. Depression Alliance is a UK charity for people with depression
DrugScope www.drugscope.org.uk
A UK independent centre of expertise on drugs: our aim is to inform policy development and reduce drug-related risk
Eating Disorder Hope www.eatingdisorderhope.com
Eating Disorder Hope promotes ending eating disordered behavior, embracing life and pursuing recovery. Our mission is to foster appreciation of one's uniqueness and value in the world, unrelated to appearance, achievement or applause
Men Get Eating Disorders Too www.mengetedstoo.co.uk
'Men Get Eating Disorders Too' is a new website for men who are affected by anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive eating and/or exercise and 'Bigorexia'
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder www.ocduk.org
OCD-UK is the leading charity in the UK for people who are affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Parentline Plus www.parentlineplus.org.uk
Parentline Plus works to offer help and support parents and other family members through an innovative range of free, flexible, responsive services - shaped by parents for parents
Pink Therapy www.pinktherapy.com
The UK's leading private therapy organisation specialising in working with sexual minority clients
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder www.ptsduk.co.uk
This site contains information for anyone who has contact with, or has been diagnosed with PTSD no matter how the PTSD developed
Self Harm www.nshn.co.uk
The National Self Harm Network provide information, contacts and workshops on matters relating to self-harm and raise awareness among the general public, health services, hospitals and their staff, of the needs of people who self-harm
Sex and Love Addictions www.slaauk.org
A 12 step fellowship for people with issues around sex addiction and destructive relationships
The Survivors Trust www.thesurvivorstrust.org
The Survivors Trust is a national umbrella organisation supporting 130 agencies within the UK and Eire, working with male and female survivors of rape, sexual violence or sexual abuse
For further sources of help -
The BACP website www.bacp.co.uk/information/specialist_organisations.php where you will find contact sheets containing details for a variety of specialist charities and organisations.
UK Self Help Directory www.ukselfhelp.info
A website providing the phone numbers of over 760 UK self help groups and over 600 hyperlinks.
Mind website for particular conditions
www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions
and for treatments www.mind.org.uk/help/medical_and_alternative_care
Books - introductions to counselling
Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: The Essential Guide by Stephen Palmer (Sage)
All of the major schools of counselling and psychotherapy are covered, as well as many that are less well known. The book also features a substantial glossary of terms which is a useful source of reference.
An Introduction to Counselling by John McLeod (Oxford University Press)
Written in an accessible style this is nonetheless a book which covers the theoretical and technical aspects of counselling in some detail. It is a good introduction for counselling students and potential clients.
Counselling in a Nutshell by Windy Dryden (Sage)
A down-to-earth introduction to the theory and practice of counselling
Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure by Robert de Board (Routledge)
A light hearted and clear explanation of counselling based on the story of Toad from Wind in the Willows.
