Heidi Mercer

Life can be so tough. 

Uncertainties can leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, confused, out of control.

We can struggle on our own to make sense of our world.

Perhaps difficult past experiences are affecting the here and now.

Perhaps a traumatic life event has knocked you off balance.

Perhaps you feel stuck in unhelpful patterns of behaving, thinking, or feeling.

The pace of life can feel relentless. 

No time to pause and think.

I aim to provide a safe, warm and confidential environment for you to talk about whatever you are struggling with. A space for you to be who you are and say what you think. I will listen to you, with curiosity and patience, without judgement Together we can try and untangle your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. I want to empower you to bring about the change you want to see, to be the best you can be.

No problem or worry is too big or too small.

I love working as a counsellor and believe that the relationship between counsellor and client is key to a successful therapeutic process. The initial consultation offers the opportunity to discuss your hopes and expectations, the counselling process, and my way of working - to give you the chance to get a feel for me as a therapist and to decide if you would like to work together going forwards. 

I have particular experience of working with young people, aged 11 upwards. I work part-time as a school counsellor as well as seeing young people in my private practice. I am finding that some well-timed mental health support often makes a huge difference to a teenager. 

I enjoy the fast-paced way young people’s lives evolve, their flexibility and capacity to learn. I want to empower young people to build and develop resilience, self-confidence, and self-awareness, and to offer compassion to themselves and to others as they embark on adulthood.

I want to equip them with tools to respond to the adversities and triumphs that life brings, rather than having to react to whatever life throws at them in the moment and trying to deal with the consequences afterwards.

I work at the Summertown Clinic in North Oxford, a long established wellbeing centre with a range of practitioners offering a variety of therapies. Please get in touch with any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.

I work mainly with young people aged 11+ who are experiencing or have experienced a wide range of difficulties from anxiety to sexual abuse, from eating disorders to self harm, from relationship issues to exam stress, from school refusal to behavioural struggles. I provide a warm and confidential space for them to be exactly who they are and how they want to be. I listen and I hear. Together we build a relationship which encourages the young person to feel able to express themselves freely, without fear of judgement. 

Counselling can help young people understand and express their emotions. We work on strategies to manage struggles, we feel overwhelming feelings together and stay afloat. We explore alternative perspectives and different ways of communicating. Counselling can help young people navigate the tricky teenage years and appreciate the value of looking after their mental health as they go forwards into adulthood.

I look forward to hearing from you. If I don't think I have the experience in your particular area, I will help you find someone who can. 

£60 per 50 minutes.

A limited number of concession appointments are available on request.

Contact me to arrange an initial 20 minute phone conversation to discuss what you are looking for and how I may be able to help.