Alison Fraser

I will work alongside you, what matters is what’s important to you.. you are the expert on your life.

I have 30 years experience giving counselling, I’ve been a Specialist NHS eating disorders therapist, Addictions therapist, CAMHS therapist, Adult mental health clinician and counselling manager. I’m neurodivergent informed and have supported people with anxiety, low mood, intrusive thoughts, past addiction issues, complex family relationships, childhood trauma, eating disorders and many more issues which can occur in life. 

It can be daunting to ask for support, I understand this, I grew up in a family with complex needs and this experience is the compassionate basis for my work, bringing a deep understanding and insight into how we may begin our journey to healing. I am deeply committed to being there for you which is why I hold a small caseload.  Clients have returned to me years later when life raised challenges and recommended me to others.  I will work with you, and I offer a warm, trusting relationship based on respect and understanding.

I have been the CEO of my own registered charity for young people with mental health problems voted charity of the year. I am also a trained and experienced trauma informed therapist, I have worked with multiple family members and helped people navigate complex relationship issues. I have completed all the Edinburgh Rape Crisis training and supported people through traumatic relationships. 

I will adapt therapy to meet your needs; drawing on a vast array of approaches including psychodynamic insights, solution focussed strategies, cognitive behavioural understanding and psychoeducational strategies. What is found in clinical studies to be the most important factor in counselling, is the counselling relationship. I bring a lifetime of understanding and compassion derived from helping family, which then led to being asked to give counselling to the wider community while still a child, to being invited to go on and work as a qualified professional mental health therapist within many organisations. I have been continuously headhunted since I began, and developed mental health services for the NHS and government counselling services which I have done nationally.

This experience contributes to offering therapeutic work which has a proven evidence based of helping people make significant positive change and recovery. My counselling work has been published nationally as examples of excellence in practice. Counselling offers you the space, confidentiality and time you need to make positive changes in how you feel, act and navigate the world. What matters is you, together we can find ways to make life feel better, for you to feel empowered and to make choices from a place of awareness. I offer a warm, safe space, with no judgement to support you gain new perspectives and insights.

Approach

I draw on a range of psychological approaches with a 1st Class (Hons) as a therapist based on the person centred approach, and a Masters in pluralistic counselling which is 4 years studying a range of psychotherapeutic approaches. I put you at the heart of our work together, and draw upon decades of work as a therapist to tailor therapy to meet your needs. For young people, this includes training in development stages and may include the use of art, music and your interests in our work. For adults, sessions are based on your specific needs; informed by decades of working as a therapist with people from all backgrounds, from businessmen, artists, health professionals and people of all ages, from all backgrounds.  I understand the wide ranging challenges which life can bring, and how we do what we can to survive those as best we can, till we gain insight and make conscious choices.  I offer a warm, non-judgmental, empathic and caring approach. My work as a therapist has been classed as outstanding and is used as examples of clinical excellence across different NHS regions and national counselling organisations.

I charge £55 - £65 for 50 minutes. I have availability for online or telephone sessions, with a few sessions available for face to face work. 

It takes courage to share our struggles, but through this we derive clarity, empowerment and insight. I have successfully helped people with long standing issues including anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, eating disorders, addictions, relationship problems, childhood abuse, domestic abuse, bereavement, and many other issues including neurodiversity/sensory issues, and trauma. I offer a safe, confidential space for you to be heard and given the time you need. I offer mainly online and telephone sessions, with a limited number of face to face sessions available.