Counselling and psychotherapy

At the heart of Person-Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy also known as Client-Centred Counselling is the confidential, trusting therapeutic relationship we build together, centred around you as the client. By creating a safe, non-judgemental, compassionate space where you can feel genuinely heard, understood, accepted and emotionally supported allows you the opportunity to open up and explore the thoughts and emotions surrounding your experiences and difficulties. 

This connection can help develop self-awareness to rebuild trust and value in the relationship you have with yourself.  It can also allow you to consider different perspectives that can help regulate to meet your emotional needs and harness the confidence in your ability to self-heal and make meaningful lasting changes. 

I offer Person-Centred Counselling on its own or integrated with other therapeutic practices depending on your individual needs. This approach can be effective for a range of difficulties, including Stress, Anxiety and Depression, Relationships and Interpersonal Conflict, Trauma and Life Transitions , Self-Esteem, Personal Growth and Loss and Grief.

Relationships can be a deeply rewarding and connecting experience but they can also  bring some of our deepest vulnerabilities to the surface.

Couple Counselling provides a collaborative, confidential space for couples experiencing challenges in their relationship and looking to understand the recurring, unresolved relational experiences, patterns, behaviours, conflict cycles and emotional disconnection that can feel difficult to change. 

My integrated approach centres around the dynamics between partners, does not take sides or focus on who is right or wrong. Instead, I help couples recognise their contribution to the relationship cycle, take accountability and express their individual needs so both partners feel heard and understood. Together we can develop relational skills to help you both reconnect to rebuild trust, intimacy, connection and healthier communication with each other .This can help couples make informed decisions about their relationship going forward. 

Couples Counselling can be helpful with relationship breakdown, communication, life transitions , loss of emotional or physical intimacy, infidelity and betrayal, addiction within relationships, parenthood Issues or when considering separation or divorce.

Karen's experience lies in collaboratively supporting people affected by Trauma, PTSD, or CPTSD from a Trauma-Informed approach.. 

Past traumatic experiences can leave you feeling disconnected from how you experience yourself, your emotions, relationships and your sense of safety in the world today. There is no single way that trauma is experienced or expressed. Sometimes, when we don't experience or feel the pain of the trauma at the time, we can avoid or suppress it, and it  continues to exist and exert negative effects on your life as it continues to resurface.

Trauma/PTSD/CPTSD can show up through your body, thoughts and behaviours, including Anxiety, Intense emotional and physical responses to triggers. Hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts and memories, disconnection, emotional distress, avoidance and difficulties within relationships and trust. 

Karen draws on Person-Centred, Trauma-Informed practice to help you feel safe, heard and understood which builds the foundations of relational trust from which you can begin to explore your experiences. Karen integrates Somatic Body-Based, Relationship-Focused, Mindfulness-Based practices to help you gently process difficult experiences to help reduce the emotional charge associated with  past trauma. This can support you to move out of the protective survival responses within the nervous system, towards restoring emotional regulation, connection and safety and trust within yourself.

Karen is also experienced in Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR), a structured method that aims to reduce traumatic distress from emotionally and/or physically painful past life events. 

TIR involves confronting past traumas in a structured and safe environment, with an aim of reducing the emotional impact of the initial trauma.

Coaching also known as Life Coaching  can be helpful when you feel stuck, are overthinking, lacking motivation, self-belief, confidence or direction or experiencing negative thought patterns that may be holding you back from moving forward. Coaching can focus on a particular area of your life that you want to change,  that doesn't necessarily need therapy Coaching can help you gain clarity around what matters to you, understand what may be preventing you from making changes and work towards achieving your personal goals

I aim to develop a trusting relationship to support you in achieving these goals, helping you understand and develop new ways of thinking, build self-awareness and recognise your strengths. Together we can turn what you want into realistic, achievable steps to allow you greater clarity, direction and choice to take action towards  obtaining your personal goals and potential. 

Coaching can also support you in navigating life transitions including  changes in work or career, work-life balance, relationships, identity and purpose while developing healthier patterns to promote personal growth.

I can offer Coaching on its own or integrate it into the Counselling sessions depending on your individual needs.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy (MBSR)  is an evidence-based approach to help manage your physical and emotional  experiences and can be effective for a range of difficulties, especially reducing Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Overwhelm and Pain. It can also help with Sleep problems, Burnout, Long-Term Health Conditions or the  emotional and identity changes that can accompany  Menopause.

Mindfulness-Based practices allow you to cultivate a greater awareness of the present moment, helping you to separate yourself from negative thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations that you may be experiencing, with an attitude of acceptance before they become too overwhelming.

I aim to help you understand how Mindfulness can allow you slow down by noticing what is happening in your mind-body connection by focusing on being in the here and now, so as you can remain connected to yourself. 

Practising Mindfulness can reduce stress, anxiety and emotional reactivity and allows you to  live more from a a place of calm within your mind, allowing you to  feel safer in yourself and  the world around you.

I can offer Mindfulness (MBSR) by integrating it into the Counselling sessions. 

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) also known as Tapping is a technique used to help reduce and manage difficult emotions, unhelpful thought patterns and emotional and physical distress and pain. 

EFT can be helpful for a range of difficulties, including Trauma, PTSD and beneficial for managing Stress, Anxiety, Depression. Fear and Self Doubt. It is particularly helpful for anyone experiencing Burnout, living with long-term health conditions or navigating Menopause.

EFT combines gentle tapping on specific points on your face and body with focused attention on thoughts, emotions or physical sensations. By bringing awareness to what you are experiencing while tapping, EFT may help calm the body's stress response and reduce the intensity of difficult emotions. It can create a greater sense of safety, helping you feel more able to process and respond to your experiences rather than feeling overwhelmed by them. EFT stimulates energy points in the body from the idea that the cause of negative emotions can be a disruption in the body’s energy system. 

Research shows that EFT calms the body's stress system to regulate our nervous system. 

Karen offers EFT on its own or integrates it into the Counselling sessions.