Caroline O'Brien
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a warm-hearted and relational counsellor. I work integratively, meaning that I draw on a range of counselling approaches. For me, working this way honours human individuality and difference. It also ensures that our sessions are as accessible and meaningful to you as possible.
Why counselling?
Each and every one of us has a unique story to tell. Counselling provides an opportunity to share that story in all its complexity: to navigate the impact of our family or cultural history, to explore our identity and issues we experience in our relationships or in the workplace, and to process different life stages and the difficult events that inevitably punctuate our journey.
The counselling relationship
The counselling relationship is like no other. It's a chance to embrace all the different aspects or 'parts' of ourselves, and to feel at ease in sharing these with a trusted other, knowing that we will not be judged or shamed. No matter how confused, challenged, or unsure we might feel, working with someone who accepts us unconditionally and is willing to listen and to hold all that we bring, can enable us to connect more deeply with ourselves and hopefully find the answers we are looking for.
How I work
As an integrative counsellor I draw on Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems, and CBT approaches, guided by you and by what you want to achieve in the time frame available to us. We might look at events that are confronting you currently or visit early experiences that have informed how you think, feel, and respond today. Together we can identify thoughts and ideas that are holding you back or causing you to repeat self-defeating patterns in the way you relate to yourself and others. Issues we might explore include identity and sense of self, family and partner relationships, parenting, difficulties in the workplace, bereavement, loss, health difficulties, health crises, and ageing.
I am creative and can work with a range of media to help you express your ideas or connect with less conscious parts of yourself. If 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. If you prefer to simply talk, then let's talk. What matters most is that you feel comfortable and fully able to be yourself.
I am trauma and anxiety informed. I understand how our bodies respond to stress and the impact of difficult events on our nervous system. I know how the trauma of early experiences can be stored in the body, manifesting in later life as anxiety, chronic fatigue, and other physical and mental health diagnoses that keep us from processing the past and finding freedom within ourselves. If you are manging trauma or anxiety, I will work with you at your pace, supporting you with grounding techniques, and helping you identify and work through difficult memories and emotions.
Who I work with
I work with young people (13 years+) and adults. I am gender, race, and faith affirming, open minded, willing to learn, and welcoming of every kind of difference.
- Young people (aged 13 yrs +): I am experienced in supporting children and young people at every stage of education from playgroup through to GCSE, BTEC, and A Level. I worked with young people online throughout Covid and continue to help them to manage its impact today. I understand the pressures they face within education and their families; the struggles they experience in establishing their identity; and the challenges they encounter in finding community and their pIace in the world. This enables me to build a strong connection and a level of trust that makes it possible for them to voice their concerns and feel heard.
- Adults: I work with adults at every age and stage of life. Whether you are new to counselling or have travelled this road before, I welcome you and offer you support as you consider the things that are challenging you and try to find your way forward.
- Neurodivergent young people and adults: I have worked with young people and adults with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism, for many years, helping them manage challenges around self-esteem, family and peer relationships, gender identity, work performance, and career progression. I am confident in supporting neurodivergence within a counselling setting and will work with you to ensure our sessions are accessible and meet your individual needs. If you are someone who is wondering whether you might be dyslexic, autistic or have ADHD, I will gladly 'walk' with you as you explore the questions you have and any barriers you are facing.
- Adult children of alcohol-dependent parents: Growing up in a family where a parent is alcohol-dependent is invariably challenging, and the legacy can be long-lasting. With support, it is possible to find healing, to make sense of early experiences, and to learn how to understand and manage your responses as well as those of family members. I have both personal and professional experience in this area and have worked on a voluntary basis for the National Association for the Children of Alcoholics, Bristol.
- Adults working in the creative industries: Having worked with students and professionals within the creative industries for many years, I am familiar with the challenges synonymous with this sector including the need for self-promotion; the experience of imposter syndrome; networking and competition for contracts; managing self-employment and freelancing; and negotiating racial, gender, and mental health discrimination. Whatever your industry or your challenge, I welcome you.
- Adults studying and working in education: I started my working life as a teacher and continued working in the Education sector until very recently. I know the pressures experienced by students and staff across this sector and am able to support those in training and post-qualification, as they strive to manage the pressures of work alongside their own life challenges.
Getting in touch
Making a start can feel daunting but it can also be the first step towards radical and positive change. The next step is to find a counsellor or therapist you feel comfortable with. With this in mind, I offer a 30 minute telephone call without charge 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 both in person and online from the Practice Rooms in Westbury on Trym (BS9 3ED) and Stokes Croft (BS2 8QF).
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.
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 or Westbury on Trym and we can work from there.
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
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
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
Free initial telephone 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
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
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.
