Ben Garner

Hi, I'm Ben, I’m an accredited counsellor specialising in bereavement, loss and grief. I also work with a range of other difficulties, including anxiety, stress, anger, depression, trauma and drug and alcohol dependency.

Whatever has brought you to counselling, my aim is to provide a safe and supportive space where you can make sense of what you are experiencing, explore difficult thoughts and emotions, and begin to find a way forward.

My role is not to judge, tell you what to do, or expect you to have everything figured out. Instead, I will work alongside you, offering compassion, empathy and honest support as we explore what is happening in your life.

I’m an open and approachable person with a genuine passion for this work. Building trust is particularly important to me, because I believe that feeling safe and understood is essential when discussing things that may be difficult, painful or uncomfortable.

What can you expect from counselling?

Counselling is a collaborative process. There is no fixed formula for how many sessions you will need or what every session should look like. We will work together at a pace that feels appropriate for you, with the focus adapting according to your needs.

I draw on a range of therapeutic approaches and techniques, allowing me to tailor our work to you rather than expecting you to fit into a particular way of working.

Above all, I want you to feel comfortable being yourself. Taking the time to understand your experiences, relationships, thoughts, emotions and the things that have shaped you is an important part of the process.

My aim is for counselling to give you more than simply a place to talk. I want you to develop a greater understanding of yourself and the things you are experiencing, while finding ways of coping and moving forward that feel meaningful and sustainable beyond our sessions.

Bereavement, loss and grief

Throughout my practice, I have worked with many different forms of loss and bereavement. These can include:

• The death of a family member or friend
• A life-changing illness or injury
• The breakdown of a relationship
• The loss of a job or career
• The death or loss of a pet
• The loss of an anticipated future or way of life

Loss can have a profound effect on our lives. It can leave us trying to adjust to a reality that we never expected or wanted, while attempting to make sense of a wide range of thoughts and emotions.

There is no single way to grieve. Your experience can be influenced by the circumstances surrounding the loss, your personal circumstances, your beliefs, your upbringing, your relationships and your own understanding of what has happened. This means that your grief will be unique to you.

You may experience feelings you expected, such as sadness, anxiety or stress. But grief can also bring emotions that feel more difficult or unexpected, including anger, fear, guilt, helplessness or even relief. These feelings can sometimes be confusing, particularly when they don't fit with how you believe you should be feeling.

You may also experience intrusive thoughts, distressing images, memories or flashbacks, particularly when a loss has been sudden, traumatic or difficult to process. These experiences can be incredibly unsettling, but they are things that can be explored safely within counselling.

Sometimes, what we have lost is not only the person, relationship, job or life we once had. We may also be grieving the future we had imagined for ourselves.

The loss of our expectations, hopes and plans can be deeply painful in its own right. It can change the way we see ourselves, our relationships and even our understanding of what life means to us.

Bereavement can also bring practical responsibilities and complications that make it difficult to have the time and space to grieve. Sometimes grief can feel as though it has been put on hold, only to resurface months or even years later.

All of these experiences can be part of grief. But knowing that something is understandable does not necessarily make it easy to live with. Together, we can take the time to understand your experience, explore the thoughts and emotions you are carrying, and work towards finding a way of living with your loss while gradually moving forward.

Getting in touch

Thank you for taking the time to read my profile. I appreciate that finding a counsellor can feel daunting. There are many options available, and it can be difficult to know who will be the right person for you or what counselling might actually offer.

You don't need to know exactly what you need from counselling before getting in touch. If you feel that I may be able to help, please feel free to contact me for an initial conversation.

You can contact me by email at bengarner.counselling@gmail.com or by phone on 07463 644230.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sessions are priced at £55, with each running for 60 minutes.

I do also offer a free 20 minute phone consultation to discuss your situation before you attend your first session and for you to ask any questions you might have.

I currently have slots available between 12pm and 8.30pm from Monday to Thursday and between 12pm and 6pm on Friday.