Amie Charnley

I am a Level 2 trained IFS therapist and work with adults, couples, young people and children from my practice in Paignton.  I aim to offer a welcoming, affirming and inclusive space, especially for people who may feel marginalised or who move through the world differently. This includes those in the LGBTQ+ community and people who identify as neurodivergent, such as ADHD or Autism.

Making the decision to see a counsellor can feel really daunting and it's so important to find someone that feels right for you. It may be that you are certain that you are ready to start therapy or you may feel unsure and just want to get in touch to find out some more about the process. I welcome enquiries from everyone and I am happy to have chat and answer any questions you might have. At the end of our call you can take the time you need to decide whether or not you want to move forward. 

I offer therapy face to face or online. Our work may be shorter term (around 6 sessions) or longer term depending on what you need.  (Please note, I do not work online with people under 18 years old).

How does it work in the beginning?

When you first make contact with me, we will make a time together to speak on the phone or online for about 20 minutes just to see if I am the right person for you.  If you choose to move forward, we would then make an appointment for an assessment session.

**NB - I always respond to enquiries so if you haven't heard back from me then please check your spam file.**

How can Counselling help?

I believe counselling and therapy offer the time to take some space from all that we have going on in our lives with the support of someone else without an agenda. When we are busy in our minds or schedules it can be really challenging to find the room to get clarity, perspective or insight into what we need or where to go next. By taking the time for yourself to arrive just as you are you can create the opportunity to really understand yourself; any conflict, confusion or stuckness. We can often have good intentions to prioritise ourselves but that can be hard without support.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

Whilst my foundational training is integrative, I am a Level 2 IFS therapist and increasingly work in this way because I truly believe in the way it offers healing (Please see my website for more information).

It can look and feel very different to traditional talking therapy and can be transformative. It can offer new ways to understand the parts of you that carry trauma or that hold anxiety, anger or low self esteem. And by understanding why these parts of you are holding what they do, we can explore ways to lift that weight so that there is more choice about how to live. 

Change and Transition

We all have to navigate change and transition in our lives, and sometimes this can be particularly challenging. Whether it is trying to move forward after the loss of a person or relationship, becoming a parent, children leaving home, navigating illness, moving to a new place, taking on a new career, or dealing with changes in our bodies — from adolescence and postpartum through to perimenopause and menopause — these different ways in which life asks us to change and adapt can feel confronting and unsettling.

Finding the space to explore what these changes mean for us, and having support when things feel uncertain, can really help. It can give us a sense of grounding or an anchor when other things may feel unfamiliar or unsteady.

Relational/Couples Therapy

Relationships can feel hard! Trying to figure out ways to prioritise time for ourselves and our partner(s) can feel impossible when trying to navigate the day to day demands on our time such as work, parenting, supporting wider family members, running a house...Then when we are further challenged with an additional pressure like a bereavement, a stressful situation at work, or a health scare, we can feel completely overwhelmed and fearful that we don't have what it takes for the relationship to survive. Maybe the way that you cope is so different to how your partner does that it's hard to find some common ground or a way to connect. Having the support of someone who has some space to step back and look at your difficulty can be really helpful if you feel stuck or feel that your relationship is in a time of uncertainty. 

Online Therapy

Working online can be great for flexibility, particularly for those with caring responsibilities or those who may have to travel for their work. Combining face to face and online work can also be useful in these situations. I am happy to answer any queries you may have around this way of working, particularly if it is new to you.

Adults (18+) - £85 for 60 minutes

Under 18's - £85 for 45 minutes

Couples - £110 for 60 minutes 

(I also offer the option of longer, intensive sessions (90 minutes +) for individual adults and couples, charged in line with my hourly rate, to allow greater in depth exploration where appropriate and beneficial).

I work both face to face and online.

For those choosing to work face to face, I offer a safe and private space in Preston, Paignton. Parking outside is free and bus stops and the train station are only a short walk away.