Gillian Atkinson


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
"People start to heal the moment they feel heard"
We live in a world where we can lose ourselves in the constant overload to human turmoil, which saturates our minds and emotions daily. Whether in the same room or thousands of miles away, we become impacted, often causing vicarious stress, fear, and powerlessness.
Consequently, our own life experiences may feel insignificant, and we just soldier on, gradually dissociating from our own needs until life becomes unmanageable.
You MATTER! So, please feel free to contact me.
“This is the time to put yourself first”
If preferred I can offer Walk and Talk counselling, Home Visits as well as at my practice. In addition to counselling I can also offer Reiki Healing (in combination with counselling or as an independent therapy). Feel free to check out my new website link above for further details.
In times of difficulty I have sought counselling and reiki healing myself and can acknowledge the importance of utilising impartial, professional, and thought-provoking support. My experience inspired me to want to empower others with positivity, care, and confidence. I am a warm friendly and approachable counsellor who would listen to your concerns and support you to manage the difficulty you are experiencing. I treat others as I would want to be treated - with respect, equality, and care.
How Can Counselling Help
Counselling offers a safe space within a friendly, confidential, and unconditional environment for you to explore your life and the issues that are concerning you. This would be your time to discuss your physical, emotional and psychological concerns whilst evaluating your thoughts, feelings and behaviours around your life and life issues. In time this process can provide clarity, strength and motivation for you to acknowledge patterns of behaviour, coping strategies and new thinking methods. Ultimately the process is to empower you to lead the life that you would want to lead and to find self-fulfilment, strength and happiness.
I have a holistic approach which can be useful for people who find it difficult or awkward to express themselves. I can offer practical, visual and sensory alternatives to help you to find answers and solutions. My practice is both personalised and interactive allowing natural discussions to flourish. If desired and appropriate self-learning homework sheets can be given at the end of a session in preparation for the following session. I am passionate about my work and welcome the privileged position to be able to support others at their time of need.
Emotions and feelings are the body's way of speaking to you - No emotion or situation is too small if it is causing you concern. Possible emotional / psychological concerns - Fear, Anxiety, Isolation, Depression, Relational, Loneliness, Suicidal thoughts, Self-harming, Confusion, Bereavement, Sadness, Jealousy, Paranoia, Worry and Stress. Any of these emotions could leave you feeling dis-empowered and emotionally stuck, stumped or immobilised. Exploring, evaluating and reflecting on your thoughts, feelings and behaviours will help you to build a brighter, happier future. There are many ways of supporting ourselves back to health.
Why not try Reiki healing.
This can help you discover where you are holding stress or body memories and can help you explore the emotional and psychological affects on your physical, mental and emotional self which in turn can help pain relief, fatigue, and anxiety. This in turn helps self discovery and healing. As a complimentary approach alongside my counselling service Reiki Healing is a gentle way of stepping into counselling if you find the thought of counselling daunting.
I keep myself enthused and current by adhering to the BACP’s standards of continual professional development (CPD).
Please see below for my fees and do not hesitate to contact me for further details.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications and Experience
- Individual member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists BACP
- BSc (Honours) Counselling
- Certificate: Integration of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy with Mindfulness Interventions
- FdSc Person Centred Counselling
- Grief and Loss Theory and Practice
- Reiki Master
- Private practice
- Group Addiction Therapy
- Solution Focussed
Service includes:
- Person-centred Counselling integrating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Individual Adult Clients
- Private Practice - Face to Face
- Home visits* - negotiable covering in and near BS22 postcode
- Walking Outdoors Counselling* - negotiable
- Reiki Healing + Third Eye Activation (based at my private practice)
- Holistical Approach
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Testimonials
"I contacted Gill after I had experienced a few life challenges which were making me feel anxious. I have since received 4 Reiki treatments to help me emotionally and physically. Reiki has been a perfect way to relax and rebalance. I would highly recommend Gill’s Reiki treatments." Kate - 2024
I first contacted Gill when I was at a low ebb following the Covid lockdowns, and ended up having regular sessions with her for over two years. I really can't exaggerate how much Gill has helped me in that time. She has helped me to overcome many difficult feelings that go all the way back to my childhood. She has taught me emotional skills that have transformed my whole outlook on life and how I relate to other people, and she helped me to look towards the future with optimism. Gill herself is a wonderful person - kind, incredibly supportive, and never judgemental - and she has a lovely down-to-earth sense of humour. I really can't recommend her highly enough. Alistair 2024
"I was recommended Gill by a friend, when life was really getting on top of me. I have previously been to counsellors before, often with little success, so was a little anxious. From the moment I met Gill, she made me feel at ease. She is very gentle, calming and open and at no time did I feel I was being judged or made to feel uncomfortable. I felt safe, understood and gently nurtured. Gill helped me to find my own way, providing the tools and support and helped me to better understand behaviour patterns, which enabled me to be kinder to myself. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Gill and in fact already have to several people. I now feel equipped to move forward in my life, but should things get on top of me again, Gill will be my first port of call.' Many thanks Gill for your genuine kindness and support" Mrs Davies 2020
"Thank you Gill for all the help, support and guidance you have given me. I truly learnt a great deal from you in such a short time. You have given me the foundations to move on in my life" Linda 2021
"Your support and counselling Gill has been priceless. I am becoming more confident in my own skin, More accepting of the decisions I make and stronger in developing boundaries. Thank you for all your support, encouragement and care - I have grown into a happier and healthier Me; The coping strategies and life skills that you have given me; have changed my life - Thank you."
A Brown 2019
Therapies offered
Fees
£45.00 per session
Additional information
STANDARD FEES
Counselling 60 minute Fees £45
Reiki Healing 60 minute £35
All enquiries welcomed.
I thank you for looking at my page.
Look after yourself and stay safe.
Best wishes Gill x
Be courageous and call me today
When I work
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Further information
Flexible appointments including evenings - weekends negotiable
Based in Worle with available free parking
Off M5 Junction 21
On the number 5 and 7 local bus routes (Weston-super-Mare/Worle)
If you would like any further unobligated information, please do not hesitate to get in contact - via phone or email.