About me
Hi. I am a warm-hearted integrative counsellor working face to face in Bristol (BS1, BS2 & BS9) and online. I am NCPS Accredited, qualified to Masters level (MA Counselling & Psychotherapy), DBS checked, ICO registered and fully insured.
I offer support for a wide range of issues including anxiety, low mood, self-esteem, relationship difficulties, separation, divorce, ageing, health issues and loss . I also specialise in supporting neurodivergent adults (17+ years) and adults impacted by a parent's mental health or addiction. I am trauma-informed and work creatively and somatically, mindful that so much of what we experience is held in our bodies and can be key to our healing and recovery.
My approach: My approach is relational and rooted in my belief that warm, supportive human connection is essential to our wellbeing and growth. As a counsellor this is exactly what I offer you, along with an invitation to come just as you are. No pretence or airs and graces required. Be yourself, laugh, cry, whatever it is you need to do, and together let’s discover what helps.
I work integratively, meaning I combine elements of different therapeutic approaches. Working this way invites flexibility and hopefully makes my sessions accessible to all. Human difference inspires me and it is important to me that whoever and however you are, you feel at home and able to connect with me meaningfully.
My practice is very much informed by my own life experience and several decades of working in a supportive capacity. It is also grounded in extensive and ongoing training. I love to learn and to expand my understanding of what it is to be human. The beauty of counselling is that by working together we both learn, and through our connection you get to grow stronger and feel more solid in yourself and in the world.
Our sessions: I will take time to get to know you and work with you to understand what you need. Our lives are like stories with interwoven parts and it can take a while to explore these and see how they thread together. We might weave between the present and the past, visiting things that are challenging you currently and reflecting on earlier experiences that have shaped how you think and feel today. Together we can identify things that are holding you back or keeping you from feeling whole and acheiving your potential. If time is limited we can work with a short-term focus, identifying goals and one or two areas you would like to make progress in.
Anxiety and Trauma: I will work with you at your pace, supporting you with grounding and breathwork techniques which will help centre you and build your confidence in managing your own responses. I understand how our bodies respond to stress and how this can manifest as anxiety, chronic fatigue, and other health conditions. I introduce psychoeducation where helpful and encourage clients to get to know their nervous system. Recognising its different states can be a powerful tool in learning to self-regulate and heal. I will be alongside you in this process and will help you to recognise your autonomy in overcoming past experiences and managing life in the present.
Working creatively: I enjoy working creatively and can use a range of media to help you express your ideas or connect with your thoughts and feelings. If talking feels tricky and you find it easier to write things down, use mind maps, metaphors, drawing, or other creative techniques to explore what you are feeling, we can do this. What matters most is that you feel comfortable and fully able to express yourself.
Making a start: Reaching out can feel daunting but it can also be the first step towards positive change. With this in mind, I offer a free 30 minute telephone call or online meeting as a chance for us to get to know each other and for you to ask any questions you may have. If you prefer to meet in person for a trial session we can arrange this at a reduced rate. During this first conversation we can discuss any goals you might want to set and agree a time-frame for working together.
Cost: Sessions last 50 minutes and cost £60 in person and online.
Where I work: I am based in Bristol and work from the Practice Rooms in Westbury on Trym (BS9) and Stokes Croft (BS2), and at Orchard Street Business Centre near College Green (BS1).
More information about the Practice Rooms is available at:
Westbury on Trym: https://thepracticerooms.co.uk/room-rental/centres/bristol-westbury-on-trym. Free parking available locally.
Stokes Croft: https://thepracticerooms.co.uk/room-rental/centres/bristol-stokes-croft. Parking is metred but free spaces become available locally after 6pm.
For more information about Orchard Street, contact me directly.
How to contact me: You can contact me here via the Counselling Directory or by using any of the contact details below.
Let me know know your availability (days/times) and whether you are looking for sessions in Stokes Croft, Westbury on Trym, or Orchard Street and I will be in touch to tell you what spaces I have and to see if you would like to set up a time to speak on the phone. Initial phone calls are free (30 mins).
I check my messages daily (Monday-Friday) and intermittently on weekends and bank holidays. I will always respond to enquiries and aim to do so as swiftly as possible. If you message me and do not hear from me, do check your spam folder in case your server has directed my message there.
Email: reach.cobrien@gmail.com
Mobile: 07470379464
Website: https://www.carolineobriencounsellingandpsychotherapy.com
Training, qualifications & experience
Experience
I originally trained as a teacher and later as a Specialist Mentor to Higher Education students with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Alongside my private practice as a counsellor, I worked until recently as a Wellbeing Mentor to Art, Performing Arts, Film, Media, Business, and Education students in Further and Higher Education. I enjoy working with creatives and understand the particular challenges of entering and sustaining a career in the creative industries. I also understand the demands of employment, training, and study at all levels of the education sector.
I have worked in a voluntary capacity throughout my life including work in pre-school settings, residential care homes, hospices, church community groups, and most recently as a helpline volunteer for the Bristol-based charity, Nacoa (https://nacoa.org.uk/). I continue to support their work with young people and adults affected by a parents drinking.
Qualifications and training
MA Counselling & Psychotherapy (University of the West of England)
Level 4 Certificate in Counselling Skills (University of the West of England)
PGCE Secondary Education (University of Nottingham)
Advanced Inter-Agency Safeguarding L3 (South Gloucestershire Council)
Bereavement Support Foundation Course (CRUSE, Bristol)
LGBTQ+ and Trans Awareness Training (The Diversity Trust)
Understanding Autism (National Autistic Society)
Autism and the SPELL Framework (National Autistic Society)
Supporting Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties in Adults and Young People (Dyslexia Action)
ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Training (Living Works, South Gloucestershire Council).
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA, Cheltenham)
DNA-V (Enable Trust)
Introduction to CBT for Anxiety & Depression for Young People. (Off the Record, Bristol)
Resilience Lab Training (Off the Record, Bristol)
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
Fees are £60 per session in person and online, payable by bank transfer on or before the day of meeting.
When I work
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Further information
I am based in Bristol and work both in person and online from the Practice Rooms in Westbury on Trym (BS9 3ED) and Stokes Croft (BS2 8QF). Both Practice Rooms are calm therapeutic spaces and clients regularly tell me that they enjoy meeting there.
Accessibility is important to me and I very much regret that at present, neither of the premises I use is able to offer wheelchair access. The Practice Rooms in Westbury on Trym however, have ground floor meeting rooms suitable for people with restricted mobility. Where mobility or accessibility issues cannot be overcome, I can offer counselling support online.
More information about the Practice Rooms is available at:
Westbury on Trym: https://thepracticerooms.co.uk/room-rental/centres/bristol-westbury-on-trym. Parking is available locally for free.
Stokes Croft: https://thepracticerooms.co.uk/room-rental/centres/bristol-stokes-croft. Parking is mostly metered but free parking spaces become available on some local streets after 6pm.
