“Out of your

vulnerabilities

will come your strength“

Sigmund Freud

Welcome

My name is Nicola and I am a qualified Integrative Counsellor, registered with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Taking that first step into the counselling room can sometimes feel daunting, so it is my aim to walk alongside you as we explore your lived experience together. Maybe past experiences are still influencing how you live your life today or you may have suppressed or numbed emotions through fear of being overwhelmed? These are quite normal thoughts which can be explored in counselling in a safe, confidential environment.

What Can I Help With?

It is my aim to help you recover from the emotional, psychological, physical, and sometimes mental pain of trauma. Recovery is a personal journey and takes time to find the right direction for you. I offer a safe, caring, confidential environment to enable you to explore and process past experiences and to help facilitate your journey to recovery.

  • Panic Attacks
  • Self – Harming
  • stress
  • Low Self Esteem
  • Bereavement
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Trauma
  • Childhood Sexual Abuse
  • Rape

    • feeling & emotions

    Feelings are meant to be felt, both the good and the bad. Suppressing feelings can lead to negative coping strategies which numb the underlying cause; the more we hide the bigger they get. When we learn to recognise our feelings, we can start to listen to their message. Where does this feeling come from or what am I scared of? The fear of being overwhelmed is a perfectly normal reaction but feelings will change if we allow them to take their natural course.

    the mask

    Sometimes when we feel anxious, sad or scared, we may hide our true feelings from others behind a mask. The mask may serve as a way of avoiding a painful situation or experiencing the full force of our emotions. We can laugh and smile and appear happy on the outside but the person underneath is feeling something very different. We may put on a brave face but sometimes the bravest thing we can do is to remove the mask. It may feel scary at first but finding your true authentic self can feel empowering and help you move forward on a new path of self-discovery.

    counselling

    Counselling is a ‘talking therapy’ which provides a safe, confidential environment to explore problems and difficult feelings. It may be that you do not know why you feel like you do and talking it through may give some insight. You may identify the root cause and any unhelpful behaviours with the aim of finding ways to overcome them. Becoming more self aware may bring clarity and a new perspective on what you’re currently experiencing.
    Giving yourself time each week to process how you feel with a counsellor can give you a greater understanding and new self-awareness. The role of the counsellor is not to give you the answers but to listen and work with you and maybe suggest new strategies to help support you as you continue your journey.

    Through the course of therapy there may be times when things feel difficult and you may cry, feel angry or upset. There may be times when there are no words and you want to take time to reflect on parts of your life. Counselling requires engagement and hard work, so learning to be kind to yourself and recognise what you need is part of your journey too.

    Give yourself time.