Counselling
Simon Town is a BACP accredited counsellor with 10 years’ experience in providing counselling and support.
Types of issues covered include:
- Relationship problems, including breakdown, separation, divorce
- Family issues
- Attachment
- Personal and professional problems
- Personal development
- Bereavement
- Loss associated with retirement, redundancy, surgery, accident
- Depression
- Stress and anxiety
- Work problems including bullying and harassment
- Health related problems
- Trauma
- Sexual issues
Do I need counselling?
We are all confronted by problems which can disrupt our lives at various times and, for the most part, we get over them: we have developed ways of dealing with our problems.
However, sometimes we are confronted by something so large or so difficult that our old coping strategies no longer seem to work. We may feel stuck in negative ways of thinking, feeling or behaving.
But we can change the way we think, feel and behave. Counselling can provide support to do this. Counselling can help people to consider how and why they think feel or behave in certain ways. It can also support people to take new approaches to grow and develop, and, if motivated, to make changes to achieve a different and hopefully better future.
Can’t I discuss my problems with friends?
Friends can help with lots of things – advice, support, a shoulder to cry on, listening ears…. But the difference with a counsellor is that there is no ‘history’ and you won’t get ‘advice’ – advice being one person’s view based on their experience and history of what they would do in similar circumstances.
Humanistic counsellors will accept your feelings and thoughts but not judge you and through the developing relationship, process and sharing of theory may help you to gain insight, awareness and to discover options that maybe you didn’t know you had.
Considering counselling?
If you’ve read this far you may be interested in discovering a little more about yourself, your thoughts, feeling and behaviours and in learning about some interesting new paradigms, perceptions and theories which may have real practical application for your everyday life.
Is something troubling you or causing you emotional difficulty? Is there something you just can’t get your head around? If so, counselling may provide some help.
As a humanistic counsellor, I will agree a clear contract with you in the first session based on what you want to achieve. We will then agree a number of regular sessions together (generally weekly). If I don’t think I can help, I’ll offer you some alternative suggestions or a referral.
Where are you based?
I work at discreet and confidential premises in central York. I also work occasionally at premises in Harrogate.
Why choose me?
There are many counsellors out there, so why choose me?
I’m professional
- I’m BACP accredited – I’ve achieved a recognised standard of practice, approved by the leading national body for counselling
- I use an integrated approach based on Transactional Analysis and Gestalt theories.
I’m ethical
- I adhere to the BACP code of ethics
- Everything we do together will be agreed, such as the number of sessions, what you hope to achieve and whether I feel I may be able to help you with that.
I’m experienced
- I have 10 years counselling experience in GP surgeries and private practice
- I have professional experience in management, training and development and across all work sectors – public, private, voluntary and community.
You won’t be judged
- Being non-judgemental is a key part of my philosophy – you won’t be judged by me whatever you say, think or feel.
You can ask questions
- At any time you can ask why? Why is this important? Why are we discussing this? How am I doing? All questions are fine – nothing is hidden.
And it’s confidential
- Sessions are confidential, with just three important exceptions: if I believe you are in danger of hurting yourself or others; if you want to talk about things that are illegal; if I’m ordered to release information by a court of law.
And finally
If you come, you’ll learn about some theoretical frameworks that may help you to see things in a new and different way.
Counselling may sometimes be challenging – but it can also bring you new insights in dealing with the trials and tribulations of life.
You may learn a lot about yourself and about how to deal with things that have troubled you in the past, that are concerning you in the present or that you may find testing in the future.
Contact us if you have any questions or if you would like to book an initial session, during which you can decide if counselling is for you.