Debra Henderson

Are you trying to work out what is going on in your life? Do you feel you're not sure quite who you really are? Do you want to change how you are living but don't know how? Are you hurting every day and don't know how to feel better?

Perhaps you have lived with hurt for many years because of things that happened to you a long time ago, or maybe you have just experienced something that has turned your world upside down. Perhaps you just hurt and don't really know why.

Counselling can help you understand yourself and your life better and enable you to move forward.

I have worked with clients on a wide range of issues and I specialize in working with those who have experienced trauma.

Trauma covers a wide range of experiences. It can be described as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience; or an incident that causes physical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological harm. To give just a few examples, it includes experiences such as car accidents or other accidents, physical attack, bullying, rape, childhood sexual or physical abuse or neglect, some bereavements, a traumatic birth experience. Anything that you have experienced yourself or witnessed happening to another person that has felt traumatic and perhaps where you have been in fear of being hurt or even killed.

It may have been a single event, or it may be that at some time in your life, or currently, you have lived, or are living with ongoing trauma. Perhaps you were subjected to sexual abuse as a child, or have lived in a situation of domestic abuse. You may have been given a diagnosis of PTSD or complex PTSD and experience flashbacks and nightmares. You may dissociate and find it hard to stay present. You may experience depression and anxiety. Trauma can express itself in a whole range of physical and emotional symptoms.

It can sometimes feel difficult to find adequate help to deal with the consequences of trauma. I can offer a safe and supportive relationship where you can begin to build trust and share, at your own pace, the painful things that may feel too hard to talk about with family or friends.

Shame is often a part of what we feel and we can want to hide our thoughts and our feelings. I offer a place where you can say anything that you want to knowing I will not judge you or reject you.

We will build a relationship of trust, getting to know each other, so you feel safe to talk. We may work with grounding techniques, relaxation and mindfulness. We will explore what helps you cope with emotions that may feel frightening and overwhelming so you feel more in control.

If you have experienced trauma we may look at processing the trauma itself. There are a number of ways to do this and we would look at how we wanted to proceed.

We can explore what is causing you difficulty day to day and work on those issues, with the aim of you reshaping your life to be, as much as possible, what you would like it to be.

It may feel hopeless right now and I can't undo what has happened to you as if it had never happened, but I can work with you to find greater wholeness. If hope is too hard to find I can hold it for you until you are able to hold hope for yourself.

My fee is £40 per 60 min session. (Payment is by BACS or cash).

Sessions will normally take place at the same time and day weekly with flexibility for shift workers.

Counselling is not restricted to a minimum or maximum number of sessions.

Concessions are available for a range of circumstances. (Please contact me for further details).

The first session is 40mins and is free.

My counselling room is quiet and private and is situated in Bridgwater town centre next to Costa Coffee. It is easy to find and a short walk from Bridgwater Bus Station.

When you contact me I will give you further details about accessing my room.

Public parking is available nearby in several locations.

What to do next:

If you would like to come for an initial free session phone, text or email me. I will reply as soon as I am able to do so. Please let me know whether you prefer me to reply by phone, text or email.

We will arrange a time that suits us both, usually within a week of you contacting me, and I will give you information about how to get to my counselling room.

During our time we can discuss why you would like counselling and I can tell you a little about how I work. You can ask me any questions that you might have.

If you decide to work with me we will arrange our first counselling session which will usually be within a week of our initial meeting. This will be at a time that you are able to come each week.

I know contacting a counsellor can feel very scary, especially if you have never done it before, but it could be the first step to finding someone safe to talk to with the skills to help you. So I invite you to gather your courage and contact me.