I work with couples on a long and short term basis at any stage of their relationship to improve communication, negotiation and compromise, to develop intimacy, throughout separation and divorce, recovery from affairs and betrayals, sexual differences and difficulties. I also work with couples to understand and resolve the impact on the relationship of bereavement, trauma, childhood related issues, addiction, depression, work related stress, infertility, family related issues and cultural differences. I see couples of every sexual and gender orientation.

If your relationship issue is with your partner, it can be helpful for you to attend couple counselling together. However, sometimes it maybe that the issues are due to conflict or other difficulties in relation to friends or family, work colleagues or your boss, or with your children. You might be feeling lonely, or find it hard to make or keep friends, or perhaps you are single, and don’t wish to be. If you would like support and understanding to help address the issue, feel free to contact me.

Symptoms can vary and include feeling low, difficulty with sleeping, irritability, negative thoughts, a sense of hopelessness and, sometimes, thoughts about not wanting to live any more. The causes can vary and can arise out of a situation of ongoing and unmanageable stress, perhaps at work, or maybe as a result of a series of rapid personal changes and/or losses, for instance, the end of a relationship, or as a result of a bereavement. The roots of depression can also reside in a person’s early years. Your GP can prescribe medication to alleviate the worst of the symptoms, if you wish. Therapy can also help alleviate symptoms, and can help understand and address underlying causes, as well as offer an opportunity to make changes in order to avoid relapse in the future.

Perhaps you are feeling constantly nervous or on edge, irritable, with physical symptoms of a dry mouth, sweatiness, or maybe you are having panic attacks. Your GP can prescribe medication to alleviate the worst of the symptoms, if you wish, whilst therapy can help understand and address the underlying causes, as well as make changes to avoid relapse in the future.

Do you find yourself holding a low opinion of yourself, constantly comparing yourself to others, with a tendency to self-criticism, and a belief that nothing you do is ever good enough? Perhaps you find yourself frequently attempting to please others, finding it hard to say ‘No’, and too often ending up feeling worthless and resentful.

You may be suffering painful and confusing feelings of loss due to a recent bereavement, or it may be that the loss was years ago, and you nevertheless struggle to move on. Other losses may not be due to bereavement, but may involve loss through divorce, or the ending of a relationship, financial loss, redundancy or ill health

Trauma involves experiencing an extremely difficult, potentially overwhelming, or life-threatening event, or series of events. If you are struggling to cope, and are feeling affected by what has happened, whether it is in the recent or more distant past, I can help.

Perhaps you are concerned about the amount of alcohol you are using, or would like to feel more in control of what you drink, or drink less often. Feel free to contact me if you would like to talk to me about this,