Counselling in Totnes

Everyone can use a little extra support from time to time. Sometimes specific things happen to throw us off balance and sometimes we find ourselves stuck in unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour. Research has shown that verbalising your feelings has a significant therapeutic effect on the brain. Taking care of your brain is as important as taking care of your body and talking about the challenges you face will improve your overall wellbeing.

It may well be that you are reading this because life has become overwhelming and exhausting. You may be having a hard time feeling good about who you are, or you may feel that life is passing you by. Perhaps you are in a relationship and feel alone or "stuck". Do you need someone to listen and really hear what you say; someone who feels safe and non- judgemental, but who also has the professional knowledge, and skills to enable you to achieve a sense of well being. If so, I can work with you on your therapeutic goals so that you develop personal insight and feel a sense of progress.

My name is Talya. At the heart of how I work is the belief that everyone's choices and experiences are understandable if we give the time and attention to understanding them. When we are supported it becomes more possible to gain insight into the ways we feel limited, to acknowledge and release the feelings that can keep us stuck and to find new ways of being. Therapy can provide a chance to heal from the hurts that accumulate within us and help us find the resources to meet life fully. Through our time together, you may find that new ways of relating to yourself and the world around you become possible.

I have over 20 years of experience working in the NHS, specialising in child and adolescent mental health. This has allowed me to gain extensive experience in working with children, adolescents, young people, siblings and parents to overcome a wide range of psychological, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

I have been working with children, young people and their families all my professional life, and have 30 years experience. I work collaboratively with my clients to build a safe and trusting relationship, with which we can explore the range of difficulties we experience in life. Distress can take many forms and children and young people often express this in their behaviour. Many of us can experience different types of trauma, from the road traffic accidents, bullying at school, divorce and separation, non typical development to more complex traumas such as abuse, bereavement and going into care.

Feelings of being misunderstood, resulting in isolation, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety? Do you excel in creative-arts/engineering/sport, yet underachieve in other subjects? It could be that your learning style is at odds with mainstream education. Trying to fit into a society that favours viewing the world through an analytical lens where hard facts, certainty, and passing exams are the primary goal, can severely disadvantage creative thinkers. Creative people are often highly intelligent and talented yet find it hard for their voice to be heard, finding themselves falling by the wayside. I'd love to hear from you...

Welcome Welcome Welcome! I imagine if you are reading this you are looking for someone who can help with whats troubling you and help you find some answers and relief. I have over 20 years experience helping clients with a wide variety of issues and vulnerabilities and offer a warm, safe, confidential and supportive space.

Are you looking for an individual or couples therapist? Does your life feel out of control? Are you struggling in your relationships? I believe everyone can benefit from psychotherapy. Talking to a professional is the best first step to take if you're struggling. As a certified Couples & Trauma therapist I can support you to make sense of your concerns, thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Starting therapy is a big step so please get in touch for a free consultation where we can talk things through and ensure you get the right support you need. If I don't think I'm the right person for you then I'll signpost you to someone who is.

I offer open and honest counselling face-to-face, online or outdoors. If you need someone to listen and understand, to help you work out what to do, how you feel, to explore your world, then I can provide responsive support in a counselling room, online or in an outdoors setting walking or just enjoying the beautiful countryside that Devon has to offer.

You may come to therapy feeling stuck, overwhelmed, grieving or just struggling with the stuff life throws at you. Counselling can both ease emotional distress and empower you to move forward with your life. As a Counsellor I will be with you as you explore your thoughts and feelings, present in the moment and able to be with you in what may come. I can use humour in the sessions, acknowledging the absurdity of life and as way to break from intense thought cycles. I believe that taking joy in the moments and in all that life can bring has great value in difficult times.

If you struggle with being in the world, with accepting yourself, or with a particular historical issue, I am here to support you journey towards recovery. I am especially interested in gender work - I particularly welcome men who wish to explore masculinity, and women who want to explore their relationship with men. Healthier relationship with ourselves, and others, is an achievable goal, and relies on empathy, compassion and challenge - I notice, and encourage attention on what is revealed in the moment. I understand struggle - I experienced, and have healed from mental health issues in my past, following an unsettled childhood.

I am a registered psychologist and doctor of counselling psychology offering psychotherapy underpinned by a contemporary reading of the most relevant literature. I work from an attachment, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural perspective, integrating these to offer tailored ways of understanding and working with issues that will be unique to each person and set of circumstances. Most of the work happens in the room, though sometimes we might also set things outside of it, where appropriate.

My approach to counselling is guided by care and compassion. I offer a safe space, where you can bring your challenges and talk about what’s happening to you. Sessions are relaxed and open. They are a time for you to pause and reflect upon personal events and digest emotions and thoughts. Empathy and recognition are balanced by reflection, questioning, exploration of different perspectives, and gentle challenge. We will look for strategies for change, in habits, patterns of living, and ways of connecting with yourself and others. These can be translated into re-energised approaches and practices in daily life.

Do you feel your potential in life is thwarted by past or present difficulties or trauma? Has your equilibrium, confidence and self esteem been undermined by this? Do you feel disempowered and unable to move forward? Sometimes, life's difficulties can prevent us from forming healthy relationships with ourselves and others, and prevent us thriving. I am a UKCP Psychotherapist in training, working to support people suffering with mental and emotional distress find more ease, balance, meaning and health in their lives.

With nearly twenty years experience I offer highly skilled and evidence-based psychotherapy to individuals and groups in my private practice. I also work as principal psychotherapist within a specialist NHS psychology service for adults with severe, complex and enduring mental health problems. Within the NHS I supervise other mental health professionals as well as seeing patients for one-to-one and group psychotherapy. In my private practice, I work with a wider spectrum of people experiencing everything from mental and emotional distress to major life changes as well as those who are seeking to make more meaning in their lives.

I am a fully insured and qualified Counsellor registered with the BACP, working with ages 13+ through to seniors, coming from different backgrounds and life experiences both face to face or online. Sessions are ran entirely at your individual pace and specific to your needs and ways of working. They are also open ended, meaning you are not bound to a set amount of sessions. I work with a whole multitude of areas, not just what is set out on this profile, and you’re always welcome to enquire if you are unsure.

If you have experienced something very upsetting or traumatic, your mind/body might still be reeling in the aftermath. Your wonderfully clever autonomic nervous system works hard to keep you safe: to fight, or to flee, or to numb everything out, before your conscious brain has even noticed what’s happening. These unconscious responses may not always serve you, however. When traumatic charge is held in our bodies long after the threat has passed, we can experience all sorts of debilitating symptoms, from anxiety, to depression, insomnia, self-hatred, comfort eating, self-harming, or relating to others in ways that we later regret.

As a psychotherapist working with all age groups, I use my professional skills and experience to provide a safe, judgement-free space for children, young people and adults to explore what might be underlying their difficulties. I support clients with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, anger, isolation, identity, sexuality, low self-esteem, school difficulties, friendship issues, loss, grief, bullying, abuse, neglect, parental separation and other issues. I also provide parent work sessions for parents who have concerns about their relationship with their child/children and family dynamics.

I have a down to earth therapeutic approach, based on over 20 years experience. I will encourage you to be compassionate towards yourself in the difficulties you face, help you identify and express what you’re feeling, challenge stuck thinking patterns and create room to see things differently and respond freshly.