L. McGinlay

PLEASE BE ADVISED MY PRACTICE IS ONLINE ONLY - FOR AVAILABLE APPOINTMENTS PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

Couples & Relationship Counselling

I do know how difficult it can be to talk to anyone about your innermost thoughts and feelings or about an intimate relationship. The really hard part is taking that first step and making contact with somebody who may be able to support you or you and your partner as you move towards change. I approach the delicate issues of relating, intimacy and sexuality with understanding and sensitivity, always holding them in an atmosphere of integrity and safety.

Couples counselling helps you to make the most of your relationship with your partner, or others that are important to you. I provide a safe and supportive environment away from daily life to talk, listen, express feelings and reflect to better understand how you feel and how you interact in your relationships.

All relationships have high and low points, great times and not so great times. There are occasions when couples may benefit from being together in an impartial place with another person to help them through their current difficulties.

Relationships can become "gridlocked", repeating destructive patterns. Some of the difficulties I work with include:

• Arguments and Conflict
• Jealousy and Anger
• Separation and Divorce
• Extra Marital Affairs
• Commitment Issues
• Health or Money Worries
• Life Changes
• Domestic Abuse
• Pre-marital Counselling
• Sexual Problems

Benefits from couples counselling may include:

• Improved communication
• Heightened awareness and understanding of your own and your partner`s needs
• Increased trust and tolerance of each other
• Rebuilding of connection in your relationship

Psychosexual Issues

As a  BACP & COSRT Accredited Psychosexual Therapist I provide a professional and confidential environment for identifying and resolving sexual difficulties. I am trained and abide by the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) codes of ethics and principles of good practice. I work with all sexual issues and welcome clients whether individuals, couples, married, unmarried or same sex relationships.

Sex can be fun, exciting and a time of intimate closeness. However, if you are troubled by a sexual issue it can be a time of high anxiety and stress. Psychosexual counselling works on the underlying causes of sexual difficulties, which are often based on stress, performance anxiety, intimacy issues, depression, long term health conditions and disability, boredom or problems in the relationship. Psychosexual counselling will help to uncover the sources of the problem, gain insight and develop techniques for overcoming the difficulty.

Some of the difficulties clients may bring include:

• erectile dysfunction
• premature or delayed ejaculation
• loss of sexual desire
• orgasm difficulties
• painful intercourse
• lack of intimacy
• sex avoidance
• sex addiction/fetishes
• infertility
• menopause/andropause
• sexual orientation/coming out

Psychosexual counselling addresses both the symptom and underlying cause.

Benefits from psychosexual counselling may include:

• Greater understanding of the underlying causes of the presenting issue
• Increase in intimacy

I work with both adult individuals and couples of any sexual orientation on a long or short term basis. It may be that certain clients find personal results within a short space of time while others find that counselling continues much longer, the journey for everyone is always very different.

As well as private practice, I work as part of the team that provides Couples/Relationship & Psychosexual Therapy at the Local Counselling Centre, Letchworth and am part of the Counselling Team at the Herts Womens Centre in Stevenage.

In addition to my core counselling qualifications, I undertake a considerable amount of training to continually expand my understanding and to support my counselling work.

I am an Accredited Member of the BACP, listed under certificate number 045469 on the BACP Register, which is approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care.

I am an accredited member of COSRT, listed under certificate number 2500/576 and a Trustee of the Board for COSRT. I work within their code of ethics.

I am also a member of Pink Therapy.

I carry professional liability insurance and have an up to date Enhanced DBS Certificate.

Communication difficulties
Relationship conflict
Affairs and Betrayal
Body image issues
Gender confusion
Sexual problems male and female
Sexual addiction
Lack of desire/libido
Lack of intimacy
Fear of sex and intimacy
Disabilty & Long Term Ilness/Health Issues

Please be aware that when offering work with couples or individuals on any sexually related matter this is purely talking therapy only.

Some feedback from my Clients:

"I am emailing to say a big thank you for the help and guidance you have given me. Your non-judgemental approach and ability to encourage me to understand my feelings of guilt has given me the confidence to come to terms with my previous uncertainty, overcome it and start to be myself once again. I now see a clearer path to my life, at last feeling more in control and getting to grips with the things that were making me so unhappy"

"I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful support you provided during a difficult time for me and my family. I always looked forward to seeing you and the guidance you gave to help me understand and deal with the issues in my life. I could not think how I would of carried on without your professional support"

“Counselling helped me to accept my feelings and believe that they were valid – this helped to gain self awareness and acceptance.”