Fran Jeffes

Are you experiencing a feeling you no longer want, or is there a situation you would like to change?   

I can help you to find better ways of living.  People see me for support with a range of issues affecting the way they think and feel about things in life, from stress, anxiety and depression, to negative thoughts and habits, as well as issues related to confidence and low self-esteem.  Although you may have been struggling with difficulties for some time, I can help you find ways to create a better life and figure out a way forward. Unravelling difficulties, anxieties, depression, low self-esteem, and more, will enable you to feel less isolated.  

  I offer a flexible, personalised approach to helping you, in the following ways:

. talking things through in order to make sense of what has happened, and to put things in perspective;

• · making sense of a specific problematic event that sticks in your mind;
• · problem-solving, planning and decision -making;
• · changing behaviour;
• · dealing with difficult feelings and emotions;
• · undoing self-criticism and enhancing self-care;
• · dealing with difficult or painful relationships;
• considering specific attachment styles and how to change them;

Often clients find it helpful to work on these issues in a step-by-step basis. One of the ways that therapy may help is that I can work with you to disentangle the various strands of the problem, and help you to decide what needs to be dealt with first. I can help you gain insight into the emotional problems and difficulties that might be preventing you from feeling better and having a greater sense of self.

I specialise in working with difficulties such as: anxiety, attachment issues, panic, depression, relationship difficulties, mid-life changes, addictions, low self-esteem, trauma, feeling sad, divorce, being stuck in adaptive patterns e.g. people-pleasing and avoidancy, procrastination, angry outbursts, frustration and co-dependency.

I have helped client's to feel more confident in their relationships by identifying the hurdles that are holding them back. I have supported my client's through their bereavement, to enable them to enjoy life again. I help my client's to find peace of mind by managing their anxiety and low mood.

Seeking professional help is not self-indulgent. Therapy can support you when you are struggling. I am an Integrative therapist which means I draw upon a variety approaches depending on which will effectively help you. These include

Transactional Analysis, Attachment Theory,  Gestalt, Schema Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy,  NLP,  Person-Centred, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT),  Existential Therapy and Psychodynamic practices.

What I am finding is that whatever clients bring to therapy initially, the issues often end up being around their attachment styles and relational patterns that lead to challenges when trying to form secure attachments and stable relationships, be it with friends, family, colleagues, neighbours or partners.  Let me explain a little more here.

In relationships there is a tendency to be drawn toward a similar attachment style.  So if you are securely attached you will be attracted to someone similarly secure, meaning that you both know your personal values and boundaries around what you think and feel and can communicate this clearly to the other.  Each is able to listen to their partner with interest and curiousity without feeling threatened or belittled.  Both recognise the differences between you without feeling fearful of the differences and embracing them as a challenge to understand more about the other person and raise your game in terms of helping to support their personal journey.  From this description you can see that this type of person will not fit well with an insecurely attached personality type who will fear emotional expressions, feel threatened by the differences between you and want to merge into the same personality.  The good news is that those who have learnt to become insecurely attached can also learn to become securely attached.  Later in life we are able to do the work needed in order to heal from our past patterns and embrace a new personality that suits us more in the adult environment we find ourselves in.

I offer support for a variety of life difficulties including anxiety, low self-esteem, family issues, depression, procrastination, feeling stuck, attachment styles and more.  I help clients from across Britain and now offer online or phone sessions.  Online therapy allows for a flexible, practical approach and results in therapeutic work at a level of depth.  Our work is confidential and non-judgemental.

Deciding to start counselling can bring forth questions and doubts.

Questions like 'What should I say?', 'Should I open up to my therapist straight away?', 'Will I feel comfortable speaking to my therapist?', 'What should I expect from my first session of therapy?' and so on may arise.

From a first session you may expect to start thinking about the reasons that brought you to counselling in the first place, along with your expectations and any goals.
But above all, our first session will give you interesting insight into the world of therapy as a way to provide you with a new perspective on and solutions to any particular issue.
Following our therapy together recent client's wrote the following:

P.M. wrote:

I have found my counselling with Fran to be illuminating and insightful.  It is one of the best personal investments I have ever made in my health and well-being - it's totally worth doing.  What I have found most encouraging is being heard.

A.B. wrote:

I had counselling with Fran for several months and found it to be a very positive experience. It was a good balance between dealing with my anxiety of that week and exploring how these feelings may have arisen in my past and why they kept recurring.

A.J. wrote:

Counselling helped me to process the unprocessed. To understand that behind my anxiety and low mood there were unacknowledged feelings and unprocessed experiences that needed attention. I learned to appreciate life and how each day is precious. I learnt to make the best use of my time and energy and discern what is relevant and irrelevant.

I offer short-term and open-ended therapy. Short-term is anything from 2-12 weeks whilst open ended can be for as long as you need my help and support. I welcome you to return for any top-up sessions they may require in the future.

I am an Integrative therapist which means I draw upon a variety approaches depending on which will effectively help you. These include Person-centred therapy, Transactional Analysis, Gestalt, Solution Focused, Existential and Psychodynamic practices.

Meeting online -

Meeting online is no longer a second-best solution. With its own merits, it is something that is different to, but not inferior to face-to-face therapy. Research has found that online therapy can be as effective as face-to-face. In fact, there are times when online therapy can bring out a level of depth and progress that in-person session cannot.

I am a member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) which is the largest professional body representing counselling and psychotherapy in the UK. I abide by their Code of Ethics.

Email : franjeffes@hotmail.com

Personal growth and wellbeing

• I also work to help with personal development, self-awareness, and emotional growth. Therapy can be a way to walk through life changes, facilitating an increase in personal resources, developing more resilience and gaining a deeper understanding of your personal identity.

• Finding the self-esteem needed to navigate life -  student life, career progression, family life changes and other life stages is vital to making the choices you need and want. Prioritising your values for how you wish to behave is vital to living life well.  Knowing how to represent yourself in relationships with dignity and respect enables you to embrace the vision you wish to have for your life, to relate authentically and to meet your needs in appropriate and life giving ways.

I offer short-term and open-ended therapy.

We can discuss what you feel you need during our first meeting.

Individual Counselling £60.00

Clients come to therapy for weekly sessions. I also offer appointments more spread out, once we have completed what it is you need initially - e.g. every other week for a further 2 or 3 sessions, depending on your needs.  Fees are paid bank transfer payments.  Cost: £60.00 per 50 minute session.

Double Super Session

This can be ideal if you don’t want ongoing therapy but would like some support with a specific issue, such as a significant event coming up that you are anxious about or a big decision to make.  This will include emailed information sheets on the work undertaken. Please text or email me.

If you are experiencing low self-esteem coupled with depression, anxiety, and/or panic or any other issues relating to how you are feeling  please contact me for counselling.

Please contact me for an immediate response via email.

Email : franjeffes@hotmail.com