Emma Reed

Seeking counselling.

If you're reading this, you may have started to question the ways you manage life and your reactions to it. Perhaps you are struggling with a specific issue, or just have a general sense that things aren't working as well as they could. Maybe you already know that more is possible, that there must be a better way to live, but don't quite know where to start.

Using counselling to help you explore your life and the way you think and feel about your experiences is a powerful first step. By getting to know how your thoughts and beliefs inform your choices, looking clearly at the consequences of your decisions and how they may impact you down the road, as well as identifying your typical emotional reactions to life, you can truly be empowered to shape your life in the way you really want.

Working with me.

I offer counselling in a safe and understanding therapeutic relationship. You will find me warm and personable, open and non-judgemental, and my intention is to understand what is happening in your life from your point of view. As I share with you my professional understanding of your struggles, you will have the chance to make new internal connections and gain new insights about yourself and the challenges you face.

My approach is Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling that draws mainly on the following therapeutic models. Person-Centred therapy is based on the principle that you already have the capacity to self-heal. Psychodynamic principles examine how your past experiences have shaped your personal outlook. Somatic therapy explores the relationship between mind and body, and how working with your body can help to process unresolved emotions and traumas.

As a trained online counsellor, I am fully aware of and complicit with GDPR regulations, am proactive about digital confidentiality and protecting your online security, and can use a variety of digital tools to help you get the best out of your online counselling experience. 

Having faced significant trials in my early years, I fought hard to regain my confidence and sense of self-worth. Through personal growth work, meditation, years of therapy and relational healing, I discovered an inner strength and appreciation for the healing process and the life that can emerge from this inner work. As a result of my personal experience, training and ten years working as a therapist, I bring a deep compassion to my work as well as a keen insight into the beliefs and fears that can hold us all back. I will help you to gently face the difficulties within and support you to celebrate everything that makes you the unique individual you are. Contact me to find out more about how I can support you.

Accessing counselling after the pandemic.

I offer both in-person and online/telephone counselling to suit your lifestyle and preferences, as well as in-person hypnotherapy (see The Hypnotherapy Directory link below). My in-person practice is based in Ledbury, Herefordshire, where I maintain a hygienic and well-ventilated space, and I am sensitive to the continued impact and worries that may people still struggle with. For those who prefer to meet online, I am also an ACTO trained online counsellor.  If you are not experienced with online counselling, I can guide you through the process and explore with you how to get the best out of it. 

What is counselling like?

As I share with you my professional understanding of your struggles, you will have the chance to make new internal connections and gain new insights about yourself and the challenges you face. Not only that, but I'll encourage you to become softer in your relationship with yourself. You've got very good reasons for doing things the way you do, and accepting those reasons allows you to feel more comfortable with who you are.

For many of us, learning to accept ourselves in this way makes the challenges we face more bearable. We make better choices, we become more tolerant of ourselves and of others, our relationships improve, and we are better able to get our needs properly met.

I'm passionate about providing a safe and supportive space where you can feel you really matter. My focus is on accepting you just as you are, appreciating how you came to your current situation and encouraging you to be true to yourself. In this therapeutic relationship it's possible for you to discover what you really want and need, to work through whatever it is that holds you back and to make the choices that are right for you.

How do I start?

If you want to find out if counselling is right for you, just call or email me and I will offer you an initial appointment. Please note that if you contact me on a weekend I will reply by the next working day.

In our first session you will have a chance to meet me, find out how I work and assess whether you will feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings with me. We will explore how counselling may help you over time and together we can decide whether counselling is suitable for you at this time.

My in-person practice is based in Ledbury, Herefordshire, and I also offer secure online counselling. I run a family-focused emotional well-being project, contribute to the Herefordshire Talk Community, volunteer with Anxiety UK and am a member of a charitable counselling agency in Malvern.

I am also an experienced hypnotherapist and offer progressive therapeutic hypnotherapy on request.

Dealing with transition. Life changes. Defining a career. Personal identity. Family responsibilities. Caring for others. Exploring ASD diagnosis. Personal illness and recovery. Trauma recovery. Menopause. Empty nest. Career redevelopment. Retirement.

Standard counselling: £60 per session.

NHS and frontline care workers: £50 per session.

Low income concessionary rate: £45-£55 per session. 

Hypnotherapy: £85 per session.

The fee covers a 50 minute session + 10 minutes admin.  24 hr minimum cancellation policy applies.

If you wish to commit to longer term work, sessions may be invoiced monthly upon discussion of terms. 5% discount is available for advance monthly payments.

I specialise in working with people in transition.

Whether life is changing around you, or changes are occurring within, sometimes it can be hard to keep balanced and focused.

Dealing with transition:
Our roles change throughout our lives, but it's not always easy to adjust to the new expectations each stage brings. Whether you need help to cope with the sudden limitations of a new family or sick relative, or with the daunting freedom of retirement or children leaving home, counselling will help you to maintain balance and perspective. In a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship you can discover what it is you really want and need, working through whatever it is that holds you back and finding the strength to make choices that are true to you.