Counselling in Stroud

I can provide you with a warm, supportive, safe space which can allow you to explore any difficult issues you may be experiencing in your life. This could be emotional turmoil due to a life situation, or perhaps a traumatic event that has happened to you, causing feelings of overwhelm. I will always listen and endeavour to understand you, free from any judgement. Allowing you to share your story at your own pace. I have an integrative approach which means I draw upon different modalities of counselling through my experience and training. This will help me meet your needs in the best way I can whilst working with you.

I aim to create a warm environment and a genuine therapeutic relationship for you to feel safe, supported and free to explore whatever difficulties you may be facing. I listen empathically so that I can understand you and what you are experiencing, without imposing my views on you or telling you what to do. I will encourage you to reconnect with yourself and your own resources. My role is to be with you as you make sense of your feelings, thoughts and behaviours and to support you in moving forward so that you can realise your full potential.

Hello, I am Amy, a qualified Person-Centred Counsellor working with Adults and Young People (ages 12-18), offering face to face or online therapy. I have experience working with anxiety, stress, depression, low self-esteem, trauma & childhood trauma, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. In a world that can sometimes feel confusing, stressful, anxiety-provoking and overwhelming, it is no wonder that things can feel challenging.​ Whatever is going on for you, no matter how you are feeling, I welcome you to come as you are. You will be met without judgement.

People take the step to seek counselling for many reasons. Perhaps you are experiencing feelings of anxiety, overwhelm or depression. You may be facing a dilemma, feeling stuck or lacking a sense of purpose or direction in life. Often people will come because they are struggling with relationship or family issues that feel hard to resolve. A traumatic event, loss or life-stage crisis might lead you to look for professional support.

At the heart of healing from trauma is the human relationship. I offer my clients a safe, consistent, honest and heart led space from within which you can explore all that you are and find integration. I am an experienced, BACP registered NARM therapist; specialising in Complex Trauma. Psychodynamically trained, with a particular interest in Relational and intersubjective approaches. My personal and clinical experience has led me to believe that we each have the capacity to heal from our early wounds; what ever they may be.

You may have a child struggling with being at school, or perhaps you find yourself constantly at loggerheads with them. Perhaps they can't sleep, or don't want to get up in the morning, they might feel lonely, or misunderstood, criticised, or attacked . You may have tried every strategy you can find, to persuade your child to eat, or listen, or simply follow instructions. We all believe that childhood should be a time of simple happiness, but in fact this is a time of enormous developmental challenge, and many things can make it hard for children and adolescents to tread the path towards a resilient, positive, independent adulthood.

Life can be very challenging at times and it can be difficult to make sense of things and find a way forwards on our own. Therapy aims towards increasing our self-knowledge and attaining clarity over our feelings, intentions and tendencies. By becoming more aware of the challenges we experience, and how we respond to these, we also become more able to identify alternative ways of looking at them and addressing them. I offer a safe space to facilitate this exploration and promote insight and personal growth. Everyone is unique and so everything that is brought into therapy is treated with care, respect and confidentiality.

If you are experiencing inner turmoil, challenges with relationships or dealing with loss, I can offer you a safe and supportive environment to help you understand the roots of your difficulties. We can try and make sense of the past and how it affects your life today. Gaining insights into the reasons for your issues will develop your capacity to cope with current and future difficulties; to gain the self care tools you need for lasting change.

I offer a reliable, confidential and non-judgmental space to help you explore your inner thoughts and feelings and support you in times of transition, distress and emotional need. We all have the right to be heard and seen, sometimes we can get stuck along the journey of life and encounter challenging thoughts and emotions. Counselling is a hard journey but there is freedom in living authentically and being your true self. I offer counselling sessions face-to-face, online and via telephone and there is no minimum or maximum limit on sessions, full autonomy is given.

For most people, caring for children and young people is a complex mix of high and lows. Sometimes we need help from outside the family to support mental health and wellbeing and help us find our way. If your family is struggling to navigate life, you have a child or young person in distress or you are experiencing difficulties with a new baby, psychotherapy can help make sense of thoughts, feelings and problematic behaviour, allowing a move towards better relationships, healthier behaviours and achieving potential.

My aim is to help you achieve insight into what makes you tick, and for us to work collaboratively to develop strategies that assist you in living a complete, fulfilling life. While you will have some immediate pressing issues that bring you to therapy, we can also explore any longer-term, underlying issues concerning you. It is important to me that you feel comfortable to talk about your problems, experiences and personal thoughts.

I have worked in a variety of settings in the field of mental health services: HMP Prison services in specialist addictions units & rehabilitation, Community drug services NHS Primary Care with IAPT and the Priory Hospital Bristol with inpatients and outpatient services.Each of these positions has built skills of understanding, therapeutic alliance, compassion and commitment to each of the people that trust me to support them. I believe in the ‘art and science’ of CBT and the therapeutic value and benefit of those coming together.This requires effort and personal investment, and it can feel hard, so let’s take a breath together .

Do you find yourself going around painful and frustrating circles in your life and relationships? Do you feel stuck, overwhelmed and uncertain how to move forward? Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we just need another person to help us find a new path. Therapy can help us make sense of our feelings, thoughts and actions. It can support us to work through difficult emotions and memories and enable us to find the courage and compassion needed to forge a better life for ourselves. Choosing a therapist can be daunting, but having an initial chat on the phone can help you decide if someone feels like a good fit for you.

Experienced Clinical Psychologist previously in a lead NHS adult therapies role, now a trauma lead within CAMHS (children and young people), offering CBT and EMDR within a holistic, person-centred and integrative approach.

Now more than ever we are living in a world where contact with others has become increasingly difficult, not just physically but also emotionally. It would be understandable for many people to be feeling isolated and cut of from the rest of humanity at this time, for some this may also trigger painful, old wounds of unmet needs and maybe even a sense of hopelessness. You may crave feeling really connected to someone who is fully present with you and is invested in really understanding you and your situation, someone who can help you to create a relationship that will help to heal relationships that have failed in the past.

You may be finding it difficult to cope, and feel alone? You may be struggling after a trauma or bereavement, separation, or with ill-health? Or maybe feel that your life is stuck, or lacking purpose? At times like these, counselling offers a space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings, with someone who will strive to understand without judgement, & help you make sense of your feelings, find clarity, or make decisions. I offer all my clients Empathy, Congruence, and Unconditional Positive Regard. I also offer play, sand-tray, art and creative therapies to my younger clients. Home visits are available for those with restrict

Systemic and Family Psychotherapy. MSC (distinction) from The Family Institute, University of South Wales. NHS employed (CAMHS), with small private practice. Working with individuals, couples, families and children. Currently completing the IAPT Systemic Supervision course with the University of Exeter. I usually meet with clients face to face at rooms in Stroud, and can also provide digital therapy.