Relational Counselling in Bristol

I offer online and some face to face consultations to individuals, couples and families for communication difficulties associated with relationships and life-changes, when the usual ways of coping and support are insufficient or when the challenges involved are too much in some way. With over 30 years professional experience as a systemic practitioner, I have worked with people from a range of cultures and backgrounds in the independent, voluntary, private and public sectors. Single consultations, short-term and longer work are all available.

We can all feel overwhelmed, stuck or struggle to make changes to relieve our distress or difficulties. As your therapist I will work alongside you to explore your story, providing opportunities to see yourself separate from your difficulty. By gaining a better understanding of the self and our habitual patterns of thinking and behaviour you can bring an alternative story out of the shadows, which could empower you to make changes, improve your relationships and benefit from improved mental and physical wellbeing. I am registered with the BACP and BABCP.

I am a Chartered Psychologist and Clinical Psychotherapist (Oxon) with over 2 decades of experience in adult mental health. I undertook my psychotherapy training in Psychodynamic Practice at Oxford University and have formal training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy (PAT) having trained with MAPS America under Marcela Ot'alora and Bruce Poulter. My work has been published in leading mental health journals, and I bring this knowledge to my private practice. Alongside my clinical training, I have a PhD in Medicine (Bris) and many years of experience as a Senior Researcher and Lecturer.

I'm Sophie, and I'm a humanistic psychotherapist. This means that my approach to therapy is based on the idea that being true to yourself can help you lead a more fulfilling life. I will endeavour to create a space in which you can express yourself fully and authentically, in which you can be heard and seen; an authentic therapeutic relationship in which any thought or feeling can be expressed.

Counselling is a place to explore our thoughts, feelings and emotions. A chance to explore our life direction. An opportunity to pause and understand where we are and what is happening in our lives right now. It is a place to explore past and present events or traumas and a space to speak out loud thoughts that had previously been unspeakable.

I am senior trainee in Core Process Psychotherapy with 20 years of working in mental health. We all have times in our life when we suffer. This takes many forms such as depression, anxiety, grief, negative patterns of behaviour or lack of meaning. At times we cannot see a way out and need help. Psychotherapy creates a safe and compassionate space to explore our experience. By listening and empathising at a deep level I allow you to fully engage with your difficulties, at a pace that is right for you. This is a collaborative journey that ultimately leads to more freedom and contentment.All you need to bring is curiosity and openness.

Hello! My name is Sophie and I specialise in counselling adolescents and young people (ages 13-30). I believe in, and practice from, a holistic, humanistic approach. Your experience is unique and valid, and there is no one-size-fits-all definition of what is "normal" when it comes to mental health. As we are all unique people, therapy is also not a one-size-fits-all relationship. I will work in a way specifically tailored to you.

I offer one-to-one counselling for clients who are going through difficult circumstances & feel ready to make a change in their life. I'll work with you to develop understanding of your behaviours, which I believe is important if we want to make progress. I prefer not to focus my work on specialisms, though I have a particular interest in clients struggling with their identity, relationships and anxiety.

Welcome. During the 23 years I've been in therapy practice I've come think of my way of working with individuals or couples as creating a unique space that is facilitating for recovery or growth. I draw on a wide range of techniques and approaches to fulfil this way of working (including the use of CBT tools). Psychotherapy and counselling with me is a confidential and non-judgemental process. I won’t tell you what to do but we will talk about whatever you need to talk about and we will work on ways of developing a useful route through your issues, however difficult. (My practice is neurodiverse informed and kink friendly).

My life experiences and learning journey have influenced and shaped my passion for counselling. I feel privileged having the opportunity to walk alongside those who seek support. Indeed we are all different and each of our life stories are unique. Working with the pluralistic approach offers flexibility across every session but our work together will always be defined by you! My role is not to 'fix' you, my role is to listen to you, to learn about you and to understand you. I firmly believe the answers we may seek are held within us and the counselling journey provides a pathway leading to transformation and positive change.

People come to counselling for many different reasons. It’s a brave first step to make; to decide that you might need or want help processing your thoughts and feelings with another person. Counselling can often help us to understand ourselves better; reframe the way we experience ourselves and help us to open up to the possibility of change. As a counsellor, my focus is on the relationship that is co-created in a safe, non-judgemental space with clients. I believe that once we feel that we are being listened to and heard by another we can express our authentic self; the parts of us that may be hidden in everyday life.

If life feels like its falling apart and you feel lost, I can help you find your way back home reconnecting you to your mind, body and soul. Turning toward our suffering is not easy and you have already taking a very brave step by seeking help. I offer you a warm, open and peaceful space to gently explore the places in your life that feel disconnected and investigate the impact of this on your emotional, mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Welcome. I believe that every person is unique, and I help you face your challenges in the way that is right for you. I invite you to meet me for a FREE first session, explore your goals and talk about expectations.

I offer support for the difficult, deeper feelings of children, teenagers, young adults, parents & infants and expectant parents. My aim is to provide a space where you feel safe to bring and explore what is bothering you and where you are heard and understood. When we are listened to from the heart and met with curiosity and compassion it is amazing what can change in our lives. We can begin to understand ourselves better, find self acceptance and our own wisdom This can help us feel more self loving and better able to navigate the ups and downs of life. I offer sessions in Nature and/or Indoors (see more info below).

Are you looking for change? Do you want to move beyond the pain of your current situation or past traumas? Are you experiencing relationship difficulties and don't know how to go beyond the current situation? Whatever the issues you are facing, I will work with you to help you move towards the place you (both) want to be. I have extensive knowledge of working with clients with a range of mental health difficulties, including people in emotional crisis. I believe that every person has the potential for recovery and growth, with as an individual or within relationship with another person. Transformation is always possible.

What brings you to counselling could be any number of reasons: You may have experienced the loss of a loved one; perhaps your life is in such chaos you can no longer see the forest for the trees; or, you may simply wish to look at yourself and your patterns of behaviour in a clearer light. What I offer is a space for you to come to terms with your life, free of judgement, so that you can live it to the fullest.

Therapy is your time to be curious about how you feel and who you are. Part of the therapeutic experience is enquiring into how things are between us, working in present time to illuminate what happens in relationship. Together we create a space where your own wisdom and understanding can emerge using compassion and kindness. With the intention of bringing a new understanding and capacity around key issues we look at your reactions to situations. Working together we seek to use the present moment to integrate and metabolise difficult experience. I find using humour in therapy can be a useful instrument for change.

You may be here because you want to feel better. It could be that you are struggling with an immediate life problem such as a specific anxiety, depression or life situation that you need someone to help you with. Or it may be a general feeling that something in life doesn't seem right and you want to explore it. Making sense of it can be difficult on your own. Through counselling, I can help you make sense of what is happening so that you can start to feel more like the person that you want to be.

Are you feeling anxious, depressed, lost, lonely, or disconnected from others? Have you lost a loved one and are feeling overwhelmed with grief? Maybe you’re experiencing unhelpful thoughts around “not being good enough” or “feeling unable to cope”? Or are using work, shopping, exercise, food, drugs and/or alcohol as a way of coping? If any of these resonate with you, you are not alone. I can offer you a warm, empathic, safe space where you can feel comfortable to talk to me about anything, whether it is your current situation that is troubling you or something that happened to you in your past.