Helen Preston

Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

Read about verification

Taking those first steps towards the help you need and deserve can feel daunting, but so too is living with sadness, depression, anger, anxiety, relationship issues, bereavement and other problems that you may not feel safe or able to discuss with friends or family. Maybe you usual support system is not available to you at the moment.

The pandemic may have turned your world up side down and your trusted coping strategies are just not working or not available any more. Maybe the last 12 months have made you question your direction or your life choices.

You may have lost a loved one during the pandemic. The grief landscape has changed and what was a natural process before may need more professional help to navigate now.

I can offer counselling support face to face or remotely via secure video call or telephone.

About me

I was born in Wales and moved to Saffron Walden 12 years ago. I practice yoga, mindfulness and meditation. I enjoy travelling and socialising but I value my quiet time too, often taking long walks in nature. This has been one of my positive coping strategies during lock down. I have two sons 20 and 22.

Although I have a professional approach to counselling my manner is relaxed and down-to-earth. I am compassionate, caring, respectful and I can also be humorous. I see these as key ingredients of the therapeutic relationship, laughter can be a powerful healer.

I work from a ground floor treatment room at my home in Saffron Walden which is located in a quiet cul-de-sac. It is a peaceful space that lends itself perfectly to working face to face, on line or by phone. Confidentiality is assured.

You will find this a homely and welcoming space and free parking is always available directly outside.

How counselling can help

Counselling can help you to share your thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. Sometimes just saying things out loud or looking at issues in a different way can be all that's needed to effect change. If more is needed I can tailor you a flexible treatment plan so that you know what to expect from the therapy.

Covid-19 and dealing with lockdown has been a huge challenge for many people. The coping strategies that worked well before may not work now. This is a time like never before.  Seeking help with feelings of anxiety, loneliness, stress, depression or the many other overwhelming feelings is not weakness. Many of the clients I have worked with through this pandemic are strong individuals who's lives were working well before but have now been turned up side down. Feelings of loss and grief are often eased by the process of sharing and by exploring new and different coping and survival strategies. We can't change what's going on in the world but we have a choice about how we respond to it and counselling can help you access those inner resources.

I offer counselling on a short or long term basis.

I believe that the key to successful therapy is choosing the right therapist for you.


How I work

I encourage my clients to explore and develop their own self awareness. It then becomes possible for them to connect with their emotions and identify their needs. We then explore how those needs can be met.

As an integrative counsellor I draw on theories from the three main schools of thought: Humanistic, Analytic and Cognitive Behavioural (CBT). In layman's terms that means listening to you to fully understanding your present reality, exploring how the past has had an impact on your present and helping you to build strategies to move forward so that you feel empowered and more resilient.

My approach to therapy acknowledges the crucial inter-relationship of mind, body and spirit. I believe that you already have the wisdom to know what's right for you. You will know if I'm the right person to guide you towards that self-discovery.