Anna-Maria Anderson

I have a varied career history prior to becoming a counsellor, from warehouse work to  PA within an International company and an equestrian career, before I found myself becoming a single parent and made the decision to enter higher education, to retrain as a counsellor.  I find there is a part of my personality which seems to enable people from all walks of life and backgrounds to feel comfortable and connected when working with me.

My modality is Transactional Analysis (TA), developed by Eric Berne.  TA has been written to be understood by all, and I have received a lot of positive feedback from client's who tell me that the learning of TA concepts has really helped them to understand themselves and others better. I may also use techniques from other modalities such as CBT, psychoeducation, Gestalt, or through creativity. My approach is tailored to each individual client based on their preferences and way of processing. 

If you have found yourself in a difficult place and need some support to get to somewhere better then I hope you feel able to get in touch.  Having a safe space away from the pressures of day-to-day life, to talk without judgement and concentrate fully on yourself, can be a profound experience.   Often life can lead us to feel overwhelmed, anxious or lost.  You might be questioning whether a relationship is right and need some professional support to enable you to explore and make better sense of your thoughts and feelings.  Conflict could be becoming the main form of interaction within a relationship and you may benefit from better understanding the dynamics and working on facilitating much needed change. 

Affairs happen, relationships end, and families split up.   These events can leave us with grief, unanswered questions and a lack of hope and clarity around what the future may hold.  I can provide support and a place to talk freely and work through emotions such as pain, guilt, confusion and hopelessness, and overwhelm.

Anxiety is a common form of suffering I am asked to help with on a regular basis.  I work using a range of techniques to help reduce symptoms and to help increase a sense of calm.  Once someone is experiencing greater stability and ability to function, it is often possible to then look at where the anxiety is coming from and work at a deeper level to change internal processes.

Education and work stresses can be another valid reason to seek support.  Together we can look at ways to help manage and reduce stress, explore available resources and manage situations as they arise.  

I offer support to those struggling with gambling and substance misuse and their families.  Addiction can lead to pain, feelings of shame, confusion and disbelief.  I can offer acceptance, empathy and a space to talk freely.

Initially, I will ask you to provide me with some insight of what has led you to seek counselling. If you can provide some information on your initial email, this would be helpful.  I do advise all clients who contact me that there are unfortunately a couple of areas I have chosen not to work with, as I feel these require specialist training. These are adoption and food limiting eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Initially, I will ask you to provide me with some insight of what has led you to seek counselling. If you can provide some information on your initial email, this would be helpful. It may also be helpful to have a chat via Zoom.

During our first session, I will complete an assessment with you. This will help me to get to know you better and provide me with important information to aid our work together. 

I see clients on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and currently have limited availability.

From September 2023 I will be available Wednesday mornings to see clients.