Caroline Stanford

People of every age and background come to see me when they are facing some kind of difficulty, challenge or transition. Sometimes we need the support of someone separate to our friends and family. Being able to talk to someone who is impartial, whom we trust and feel safe with, can be of enormous benefit.

I aim to provide a thoughtful, warm and containing space in which to explore your worries and concerns about what is happening right now, the future, or the impact of past events that are preventing you from enjoying life. Working and supporting you in a non judgemental way and with a depth of understanding needed to throw light on deeper issues. 

I help you explore your problems and difficulties and decide what you wish to change and consider how to cope with what you can’t change. Ultimately supporting you in discovering different ways of thinking, feeling, relating, and enhancing the quality of your life, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing. 

I believe that each client is unique and has differing needs, and my approach is not a 'one size' fits all. People seek therapy for many different reasons. You may be facing one of life’s big transitions, feeling stuck in life or career, struggling to come to terms with a life crisis, event or illness. You may be dealing with feelings of anxiety, grief, anger or depression, or longing for better relationships with colleagues, children, teenagers,  'adult' children, loved ones, friends and relatives. As we go through our lives, we may experience shock or traumas that we feel unable to deal with. You may only know that you want something to be different. Whatever your reasons I do hope that you will get in touch.

I work compassionately with clients with Autism, ADHD and neurodiversity, whether that’s following a formal diagnosis or a curiosity about ‘is this is part of me’.  I’m passionate about the safe exploration of how our lives are impacted by difference, and lack of understanding by others, and how we learn to cope, our defences, strengths and unique capabilities. 

Typically clients work in person, in my Private Consulting Room in Stratford upon Avon with free parking. In addition, I also  work online (Teams/VSee/Zoom) for local, national and international clients or for those sessions where travelling to a session is not possible due to work and or personal reasons. 

My approach is based on Relational Transactional Analysis (TA). TA provides ways of looking and exploring people’s history, beliefs about ourselves and others, psychological makeup, the unhelpful patterns we repeat in our lives and the ways we communicate with and relate to others. 

It is suited to both short- term goal focused counselling and longer term more exploratory psychotherapy. I see most clients weekly to build up the trust to allow even the most difficult subjects to come out and be worked with.

If you are interested, please do contact me by phone or email to make an initial appointment. The aim of this session is for us to ‘get to know each other,’  to see how we feel about working together, and to let you decide whether you wish to continue working with me.

Couples and Relationship Counselling can help couples or other significant relationships who are going through difficulties to gain a better understanding, resolve conflicts and improve their relationship. My approach helps gives couples tools and techniques to improve communication, negotiate differences, and cope more positively and effectively with the changes that work, family and life demands.

Why counselling, psychotherapy or personal development?
There are many situations or circumstances that can lead people to feel the need to seek additional support that goes beyond friends and family.

Issues that clients commonly bring to me include:

• Family and Relationship issues
• Separation and Divorce
• Moving towards retirement, and retiring
• Anxiety
• Life transitions and life crises
• Building resilience, the capacity to cope and bounce back.
• Overeating and obesity
• Depression and low mood
• Low self esteem and self doubt
• Self and personal identity
• Desire to understand who you really are
• Issues around anger
• Bereavement, grief and loss
• Empty nest syndrome
• Work related difficulties
• Career transitions
• Redundancy
• Low mood and mood swings
• Lack or loss of confidence
• Lack of motivation
• Abuse: physical and emotional

I usually suggest that clients have an initial appointment. In this session we can begin to explore what problems or difficulties you are experiencing. We will discuss what you want from counselling or psychotherapy and agree when we will meet. There is no obligation to continue past the first meeting. If you decide to continue with therapy we may decide to meet for a couple of weeks and take it from there.

Individual Therapy £70.00 per 50 minute session before 17.00 after
£75.00 for evenings 

Couples £90.00 per session

Employee Assistance Programmes - can be arranged

Concessions are available

Some people are apprehensive about becoming dependent on counselling and psychotherapy. Be reassured therapy is a process with a beginning, middle and an end with the ultimate aim of creating independency.

Career Counselling - £110.00 per session

Throughout my life I have experienced a number of big transitions, leaving education, operating hotels, growing a career, having and bringing up two children, coping with the teenage years and ultimately the ‘empty nest’ syndrome, grief and loss of loved ones whilst holding down a demanding job ( working nationally and internationally) coping with role changes, taking voluntary redundancy and I’ve done a ‘BIG’ Birthday. I have a background in business and significant understanding of work related issues and provide short term solution focused therapy for Employee Assistance Programs. I have experience of supporting individuals seeking to explore their 'own' neuro diversity and what this means for them now and in the future. 

Life has helped me understand that everyone has different needs from the therapy process and all therapy is unique to each individual.

Please contact me direct to discuss your options further 07879654119 or email me here.