Counselling Services Chester
At Chester Counselling we offer private face to face counselling services for Chester and the Wirral.
I am trained in the Person Centred approach to counselling and my sessions provide you with a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment where you can work at your own pace, helping you explore, clarify and understand your problems and issues.
Where I can help
Bereavement- Loss
- Trauma
- Anxiety
- Addiction
- Identity
About Counselling
Person Centred
Person Centred Therapy is a talking therapy that deals with a client’s perception of themselves. It assumes the client has an understanding of their own path (however deeply that understanding may be hidden) and aims to facilitate the client’s exploration of this understanding. This basis allows for compassionate, empathetic and non-judgemental therapy where the empowerment of the client is very literally at the core of the process.
Bereavement and Loss
Grief is a natural response to losing someone significant in your life. Grief can be complex and at times overwhelming. It can bring feelings of helplessness or hopelessness. There is no universally ‘right way’ to grieve and counselling can help you find a way that is ‘right’ for you. Loss can also have a similar impact. Loss of job, loss of relationship, loss of status, can all have a similar impact to a bereavement, and it can help to approach the loss in the same way we approach a bereavement.
Trauma
Trauma is the emotional, psychological and often physical response to elevated levels of stress or fear. It could be a single event like a car crash, or extended exposure such as continued abuse in childhood. In extreme cases this can lead to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Trauma usually turns to coping mechanisms to deal with the symptoms which can include alcohol and drugs. Trauma counselling can provide a safe space for the survivor to explore their trauma without fear and provides grounding techniques and awareness exercises to provide tools for coping that are more beneficial to the client.
Anxiety
We need a small amount of anxiety in our lives, butterflies on a first date, shaky legs on a fairground ride, etc. But too much anxiety can be crippling, some clients may struggle to meet people, drive, hold down a job because of anxiety. Much like trauma counselling, counselling for high levels of anxiety can provide tools for coping on a day-to-day basis and can also provide a safe space to explore any underlying issues that are causing the anxiety.
Post-Addiction Therapy
Detox is the start of any successful addiction therapy, but it is only the start. Gabor Mate said, ‘addiction starts with trauma and ends in trauma’. It is exploring that trauma and managing the anxiety it generates that is key to avoiding a relapse. Addiction is not just a physical dependence, it is a psychological coping strategy and therapy can help client’s find less destructive strategies whilst bolstering confidence and self esteem to reduce the risk of relapse.
Identity
Who am I? We all think we know who we are but sometimes in life things happen that shake that belief and leave us feeling lost and unsure. Losing a job, divorce, moving town, becoming (or recovering from) serious illness can all shake us to the point of asking this question. Then there is our sexual or gender identity, this insecurity can be frightening and confusing. Counselling can help you discover your true self by meeting you where you are, with compassion and empathy. It can give you the space to explore these questions in safety and without judgement to empower you to a better understanding of that question.