Florence Gray

"Florence is a 'rolls the sleeves up' counsellor with a fantastic sense of humour, which helped especially in the really tough moments. We arrived at Florence, sceptical of counselling, really struggling to communicate with each other and on the verge of (reluctantly) separating. Florence’s frankness and compassionate holistic approach helped us consider the whole relationship and unpick the origin of the problem. We are now able to healthily argue and are, we believe, on the road to a more intimate lifelong relationship."

ABOUT ME

With over 20 year experience I am a leading authority in marriage, couple and relationship counselling, I have had the pleasure and privilege of helping countless couples resolve their differences and re-establish an emotional connection. I am passionate about my work and the changes I help to facilitate.

I was originally trained by Glasgow Marriage Counselling Service, the sister company of RELATE where I was selected to train with them in 1999 over a three-year period. I am an integrative couple counsellor which means I draw on many disciplines and methodologies of therapy such as Psychodynamic, Person-Centred, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Transactional Analysis and Coaching techniques. I also use directed reading, worksheets and homework to increase self-awareness and capture the changes you make in your couple relationship.

Prior to counselling, I had a long and successful career working in Glasgow and London in a variety of large corporate organisations, both as an internal and external consultant. During this time I gained expertise in coaching, training, NLP, consultancy and business development. With this wealth of experience, I’m able to work with individuals, couples, business owners and those in senior management positions in counselling, personal development, coaching and consultancy.

COUPLE COUNSELLING

If anger, resentment and bitterness have become the hallmarks of your relationship, it can feel like it’s already too late. When communication has broken down and you’re entrenched in unhealthy patterns of behaviour, you may feel like you’ve failed.

The good news? It isn’t too late and you certainly haven’t failed.

How do we know?

It isn’t too late because you’re here. You haven’t failed because you’ve already proven your determination to improve your relationship and overcome the problems you’re facing.

The Beauty of Couples Counselling

When you’re having relationship or marital problems, it’s natural to want to talk about it. Unfortunately, turning to those around you isn’t always possible or the best option. What you really need is an independent ear — someone who can view your relationship without bias and who won’t take sides. You need an outlet to discuss the things that are difficult to talk about, and the things that you wouldn’t dream of saying to anyone else.

Although, couples therapy goes beyond having an unbiased shoulder to cry on. It’s about finding those light bulb moments that allow you to turn blame, rage, anger, sadness and tears into reconnection, relief, laughter, acceptance and love. It’s about helping you find renewed hope for the future.

After six weekly sessions, we will review the work so far and decide if any further work is required. At this stage, you may have reached the end of your counselling experience or you may want to have further sessions with a longer time frame in between. Nightingale assures all clients that there is always the option to resume counselling sessions in the future, or have a few sessions now and again to ensure that you are staying on track.

When engaging the services of a Marriage / Relationship / Couple Counsellor, it is vitally important to feel secure in the knowledge that the Couple Counsellor has their roots and expertise in Couple Counselling. Engaging in Couple Counselling with an unqualified Couple Counsellor can be counterproductive and can often leave clients feeling disillusioned, frustrated and confused.

INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING

Relationship counselling is not just about marriage and couple work. All our other relationships can be challenging at times.

We often base our sense of identity and self-worth on the strength of the relationships that we have with those closest to us. We are always quick to blame, however, with every relationship dynamic we all need to take responsibility for the part we played in the state of the relationship.

Relationship counselling can also be beneficial for individuals recovering from the break-up of a close couple relationship, allowing for a better understanding of why the relationship ended. Having a third party perspective can sometimes help you see recurring patterns in failed relationships and help prompt a personal change.

The way we relate to others in all of our relationships is learned at a young age from our family of origin. We can become stuck with unhealthy, unhelpful attitudes and habits that restrict us from having healthy, nourishing relationships with partners, relations or work colleagues and others we have relationships with.

"I am sitting writing this testimonial at the kitchen table, my husband sitting across from me.  Three years ago I would never have believed that we would still be together, never mind find the happiness that we have after such an awful time.  This is all thanks to the help and guidance we received from Florence at Nightingale Counselling Consultancy.

Our counselling sessions with Florence were gruelling.  She is tough, kind, candid and funny.  She made us think, she made us work at us and she made us cry and she made us laugh. Florence kept us together.  We had attended counselling sessions at other widely advertised places and quite honestly I think they were more interested in helping us split up amicably.  Thank goodness a friend recommended Florence to us.

We are celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary next month and we are truly grateful to Florence for helping us reach this milestone."

*More testimonials available on request*

Online Counselling Session = £95

Face-to-Face Counselling Session = £110

During the first session I will:

• Assess your presenting problems
• Provide an opportunity for you to ask any questions or raise any concerns you may have before committing to a counselling process
• Discuss the number and timing of sessions
• Arrange payment plans

Location

We’re conveniently located, facing Kelvingrove Park at 5 La Belle Place, Glasgow, G3 7LH. Parking is available directly outside the building. We know that you may not feel like shouting about seeking our services, so privacy and confidentiality are the cornerstones of what we do, right down to offering clients a private entrance. There is a ground level entrance to the building to accommodate wheelchairs and anyone who needs to avoid stairs.

We appreciate that you may be nervous when you come along for the first time, which is why we’ve designed our consulting rooms to feel like the interior design equivalent of a great big hug! Here you’ll feel comfortable, calm and secure in the ideal environment to begin your journey.

Contact

When you contact me. I will get back to you within a few hours. When you leave your contact details with the receptionist please provide us with a mobile number, as I want to ensure I speak only to the person who has made contact with me. Your confidentiality will be protected at all times.

There are many reasons why couples come into Couple Counselling and below are a few examples:-

• Infidelity
• Internet and Mobile Infidelity
• Arguing  and Bickering
• Controlling Behaviours
• Communication  Break Down
• Compromise Resolution
• Money
• Falling out of Love
• Sexual Issues
• Anxiety / Stress
• Work and Career
• Bereavement
• Depression
• Partner coming out
• Same Sex Couples
• Divorce
• Personal Development
• Step and Blended Families
• Parenting
• Stepchildren
• Adoption, Fostering and IVF
• Baby Shock
• Anxiety / Stress
• Work and Career