Counselling in Hereford

I am an art psychotherapist with additional trainings in relational trauma therapy and applied Buddhist psychology. I am also a qualified clinical supervisor. As a therapist with nearly two decades of experience I have worked with children and adults, within family services, hospices, acute mental health and inpatient services, in children's centres and more recently in private practice. I have also as, a socially engaged Buddhist practitioner, worked on overseas projects including in Delhi, Assam and Nepal and in Europe.

A common question asked by those seeking therapy is, " I need help, but I don't know why?". There is no easy answer - humans are complex. But it is my belief that the true expert on you is yourself - you just might not know it. You may be questioning why you feel like you don't belong, why your relationships seem to fail, why you can't be honest with others or yourself, or what might happen if you say no - or yes - to people. Being able to understand how and why we've taken our particular journey through life is key to accepting ourselves and living the life we truly want.

Are you reaching a breaking point in your life or relationship and need support? Are you exhausted from feeling anxious, stuck, depressed or disconnected? Or does your brain go a million miles an hour, making you feel like ‘life is too much’? Do you need a break but can’t see a way forward? I create the correct conditions for therapeutic change using active listening to hear what you are “really” saying. I use my deep comprehension, advanced empathy, emotional intuition, and elevated awareness to allow us to deeply explore the real core of the issues you are experiencing.

Hi, I offer a safe, friendly, and relaxed space for healing and change. Emotional struggle can happen at any time in life, to anyone, and for many reasons which are not always clear. During these times feeling lost, empty, lonely, stuck or despairing, can be overwhelming, I am here to offer support. As feelings are unique to each of us, I work openly with clients, to understand their individual experience and needs. I aim to create a supportive relationship where clients feel heard, understood, and accepted; where emotions can be openly spoken, explored, and valued.

Welcome, you may have arrived here feeling somewhat overwhelmed as you look for the support you need. Specialist psychological therapy may offer you helpful and meaningful ways of understanding your difficulties as well as resources and ways of coping to support you to move towards your valued direction for your mental health and wellbeing. Many people experience trauma reactions following highly stressful and distressing experiences in their life. You may be struggling to make sense of and cope with what has happened to you and the ways that this affects how you think, feel, behave and your relationships.

I am a Relate-trained couple counsellor and have also trained to work for Rape Crisis and in NHS psychology department counselling older people. For the last 14 years I was a lecturer training students in Person-Centered counselling from Basic to degree level.

Hello, my name is Lou and I am passionate about helping people find themselves again. If you are going through a difficult time, don't be alone, we can face whatever you are struggling with together. I listen with an empathic approach offering reflection and support when needed. I understand how challenging life can become and will support you in finding the power to achieve a more satisfying life. I believe everyone deserves to explore their feelings in a safe space feeling heard, understood and respected because I think each individual has their own answers. Enquiring about therapy is the first step to recovery.

I'm Martin, a mental health expert with over 25 years of experience. My expertise lies in general mental health and sports psychology. I use methods like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing, and Brain Spotting to help those struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. I prioritise creating a safe space where your voice leads the way. My role will be a support to help you thrive by understanding your unique and individual story and experiences, supporting you to increase personal insight and developing useful skills to tackle life's challenges.

The experience of counselling is different for different people depending on your issues and where you are currently in your life. It may be that you need a few sessions to help with a current situation or problem or it may be a longer journey of self discovery and uncovering past hurts so that you can make sense of them and move on. Every client I have worked with has been different and rather than looking at labels I tend to focus on problems and solutions. I am experienced in working with a wide variety of issues both short term and long term.

Dr Keren Smith worked for the NHS at South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust from 2009 until 2022 where she and her colleagues set up the pioneering National and Specialist Dialectical Behaviour Therapy service for adolescents. Keren has seen clients independently since 2012, working with both adults and adolescents with a range of difficulties. She has a particular interest in working with people with a history of trauma and symptoms associated with PTSD and CPTSD; she has completed further training in specialist trauma focused models including EMDR and DBT-PE.

You might be struggling to make sense of your feelings, wondering how you can possibly get unstuck and fearful of addressing some past issues. I aim to offer a safe therapeutic relationship and can offer specific ways of working with what needs attention.

I wonder what it feels like to find yourself here, looking for some kind of support? Maybe you are struggling to 'make sense' of what you've been experiencing in your life recently? Many of my clients inhabit a crowded yet empty world, in which they cannot easily 'hear' themselves, or feel that they are not 'understood' by those around them. Perhaps you feel a little like this too? My first hope as a counsellor is that working collaboratively you will feel both heard and understood - maybe for the first time. When this happens, we begin to develop the inner resources needed to discover and engage with who we truly are.

Are you worried about your child's behaviour and don't know what to do? Are you fed up of getting calls from school or of arguing all the time at home? Do you feel like you're letting your child down and just wish you could help them be their best self instead?

I’m an experienced counsellor working in a Person-Centred way, using Narrative Therapy alongside other creative ways of working. I have over 16 years experience of working with adults, children, young people and families. I have found that working with compassion and empathy, to support a deeper more embodied understanding of our responses to difficult situations is a powerful and healing way of working for many people and can lead to deep change. I believe that we all have potential for becoming unstuck and that there is always a possibility of listening to ourselves with greater compassion and self-acceptance.

Sometimes, words aren’t enough to work through what’s troubling us. Art Therapy is a powerful, effective method of exploring and processing our more difficult thoughts and experiences, and can be used to address a range of mental health issues such as anxiety, low mood, interpersonal difficulties and issues related to identity and self-esteem.

I know that you may be entering unchartered territory by taking the first step of entering into therapy and many individuals can feel quite anxious when faced with this situation. My aim is therefore to make sure that the first session with me is as warm and welcoming as possible for you so that you can gain a good understanding of what it might be like to work with me. I aim to provide a safe, professional, respectful and confidential service to adults and young people. I am accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Is your life constantly filled with worry, perhaps you're not even sure why? Do you have a fear of something that is getting in the way of you living your life? Does the thought of going out leave you feeling sick? Perhaps this happens with socialising, shopping, new people or perhaps even talking on the phone? Have you been told that you "won't get anything on the NHS"? Have you been on a waiting list for a really long time? Has all the 'self help' you've tried not been that helpful?

Life is full of challenges, and we can all struggle to cope with the impact of difficult events or circumstances. Therapy can be a useful support in navigating tricky periods and can help people deal with distress in a way that minimises its impact on quality of life. I work with individuals in a collaborative way, using a process of formulation to develop a shared understanding of psychological difficulties. The direction and content of our work will depend on an individual’s personal goals for the future and can range from exploratory work to a more structured approach focusing on the development of self-management skills.

Life can be overwhelming and sometimes even exhausting, but I’m here to guide you through any obstacles you may face. I offer compassionate, non-judgmental and confidential counselling in a private setting in both Gloucester and Monmouth.