About me
Hello and welcome, I’m Catherine 👋
I am a qualified and accredited counsellor offering a safe, comfortable and confidential space where you can explore any feelings or difficulties you may be experiencing. I believe the relationship between client and counsellor is central to effective therapy. Feeling safe, heard and understood forms the foundation for meaningful change, and creating a space that feels right for you is always my priority.
People seek counselling for many reasons, including depression, anxiety, relationship or family difficulties (past or present), low self-esteem, grief and bereavement. Others may simply feel that something isn’t quite right, even if they can’t identify a specific issue — and that is okay too.
Who I Work With
I work with adults (18+) from a variety of backgrounds and a range of presenting issues. I have a particular interest in supporting:
- Autistic clients and those with ADHD
- Parents of neurodivergent children
- Clients who have experienced baby loss
My personal experience in these areas has deepened my empathy and understanding. I work in a way that feels safe and respectful, with sensitivity to sensory needs where appropriate.
How I Work
I am an integrative counsellor, drawing on a range of therapeutic approaches to meet each client’s individual needs. I believe clients are the experts in themselves, and my role is to support you in gaining insight, clarity and confidence to find your own answers. Counselling is a collaborative process, and the therapeutic relationship sits at the heart of our work together.
Alongside traditional talking therapy, I also offer:
- Walk and talk therapy
- Animal-assisted interventions (see below)
- Sand tray work
Meet Fudge 🐾
I have a co-therapist, Fudge, a chocolate Labrador who may join sessions if requested. He welcomes clients with a waggy tail (and often a squeaky toy!). For some, having a calm and friendly dog present can help sessions feel more relaxed and grounding. Whether you choose to work with me alone or with Fudge present, you will always be offered a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space.
Session Options
I offer face-to-face sessions in a private garden office with discreet side-gate access, as well as online and telephone sessions. This flexibility allows me to support clients both locally and further afield.
If you feel that talking things through and gaining clarity could be helpful, please do get in touch. I’m here when you’re ready, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Catherine 🌸
Training, qualifications & experience
- Postgraduate diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP accredited course)
- BSc Social sciences (Hons) with Psychological Studies (Open)
- The Samaritans initial training
- SCAS Companion animal interventions in therapeutic practice.
- I am accredited member of the BACP and adhere to their code of ethics and principles. I also carry out regular Continual Professional Development.
- Currently working towards certificate in Couples counselling.
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.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 per session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
⏰️Each counselling session lasts for 50 minutes at a cost of £50 per session.
💰Payment is required before each session in the form of cash or bank transfer. Sessions take place in my confidential and comfortable garden office.
📖 If you would like to book an information session then please get in touch by phone, email or by using the contact form on my website.
Further information
‘Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no question, they pass no criticisms’ – George Elliot.
🐾 Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) in counselling incorporates an animal into the counselling session in order to maximise the therapeutic benefits for the client. Animals offer so many benefits to us as humans, one of these being unconditional acceptance. They don't mind who we are, what we may have done or what we look like, they really are completely non-judgemental.
Therefore having an animal present during a therapy session can contribute to the safe and non-judgemental environment provided by the counsellor.
Working alongside an animal, for some clients, makes it easier to express difficult feelings and experiences. This has been shown in the work of child Psychologist Boris Levinson who was the first to record the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy in counselling. His dog Jingles became his co-therapist and the children he worked with made significant progress. Boris found that animals are completely genuine which helped the children to form non-threatening relationships with them 🐾
⛱️Within my counselling sessions I also offer sandtray therapy. Sandtray work can be really useful when its difficult to find the words, whether that’s because the content is traumatic or the words just aren’t there. Within sandtray work, clients are are encouraged to create a picture/story in the sandtray using a collection of minature objects and figurines, i.e people, animals, buildings, as well as other objects. During this work clients will be gentle encouraged to describe their sandtray scene, encouraging them to explore and express their feelings and emotions. Working with a sandtray can feel a safe way of working through difficult feelings and emotions ⛱️
