About me
Hi, my name is Karen Cromwell and I am a qualified counsellor and supervisor, with 32 years experience, including 13 years in the NHS in GP practice. I am a registered member of the BACP. I have also offered counselling with Hope House Children's Hospice and at times, helped to co-facilitate a bereaved parents group.
I know how much courage it can take to reach out for support, and I know that beginning counselling can feel daunting. We can take things at your pace, making room for whatever you need to bring.
Life can sometimes feel overwhelming. You might be struggling with anxiety, feeling low, finding relationships difficult, or simply sensing that something isn't quite right without fully understanding why. Perhaps you've been holding things together for a long time, or you've reached a point where you're not sure what to do next.
Whatever has brought you here, you don't have to work it all out on your own.
I offer a warm, confidential and supportive space where you can talk openly, feel heard and begin to make sense of what's happening for you. You don't need to have all the answers, or even know exactly what you want to talk about... we can start wherever you are.
With a warm and very personal approach, I believe that being listened to without judgement can make a real difference, particularly when life feels difficult or you’re struggling to understand your own feelings. I'll work alongside you with kindness and respect, helping you explore what's going on, develop a deeper understanding of yourself, and discover ways of managing the challenges you face.
I also believe that, even when circumstances feel beyond our control, there are often choices and possibilities we may not yet have considered. My hope is to help you reconnect with your own strengths and inner resources, so that you can feel more confident in finding your way forward.
Training, qualifications & experience
About me
During my four-year training, I studied a range of therapeutic approaches, allowing me to tailor the counselling to your needs & goals. There is no single way to approach counselling, and I believe it's important that our work feels right for you.
My experience also includes working with Hope House Children's Hospice, where I sometimes co-facilitated a bereaved parents' group. This work deepened my appreciation of the importance of compassion, sensitivity and having space for feelings that can be difficult to put into words.
My work is shaped by years of experience understanding the relationship between our emotional and physical wellbeing. Before training as a counsellor, I studied deep tissue massage, which gave me an insight into how stress can affect the body, as well as our thoughts and feelings. I particularly enjoy helping people understand their stress responses & learn practical ways to manage tension, recognise when they are becoming overwhelmed, & develop skills to help their mind and body settle.
How I work
The first session is an opportunity to find out what you need and to see if you feel comfortable talking to me. If you decide to continue, we can explore your reasons for coming, and perhaps identify some goals which helps to set the focus for our time together.
Feedback from recent clients:
"Karen's support has made the world of difference to me. Her holistic approach has supported both my physical and mental health and has helped me to understand and appreciate my place in the universe. She has provided me with the tools and techniques that I need to maintain my well-being on a daily basis. When I needed it she provided a safe and comforting space to release pent-up emotion. I couldn't recommend her highly enough."
Ruth, Shropshire
"From the moment we met, I knew I was in safe hands. Karen held me through my darkest days, guided me through my healing journey, and rejoiced in my growth. We've built one of the strongest relationships I have in my life; I know she wants what's best for me, I've never felt judged, and I can finally be my true self. I will be grateful for Karen's kind and loving presence in my life forever."
JR Shrewsbury
"I worked with Karen for just over 3 years, during which she provided an exceptional therapeutic experience. Karen is warm, kind, and funny, and she brings a wonderful combination of compassion and skill to her practice. She creates an environment that feels safe, grounded, and deeply supportive, yet I also was able to experience challenge in a way that felt constructive and empowering.
Throughout our work together, I felt able to explore difficult emotions and long-standing patterns with honesty. During our time together I experienced burnout at work, a breakdown – or “breakthrough” as Karen helped me to reframe it – she supported me in stepping back from work and understanding the difference between what was mine and what was rooted in my professional environment. We worked through deep-seated drivers and early childhood experiences that had shaped my responses to stress, relationships, and life more broadly.
The impact of our work has been profound. I now have much stronger work-life boundaries, a greater sense of peace, improved self-esteem, and a richer, more present life. I feel better equipped to meet challenges and navigate both personal and professional pressures. Much of this growth is directly attributable to the thoughtful, skilled and compassionate support Karen provided. I recommend her wholeheartedly."
Jenny, Shrewsbury
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
- Please feel free to call me for an initial short phone call at no cost, to find out more about who I am and how I work.
- Counselling sessions last one hour and cost £60.00
- In cases of financial hardship, reduced rates are available if necessary.
When I work
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Further information
I offer counselling in 3 different ways:
- Face to face in 2 locations in Shrewsbury
- Online
- Outdoors in nature - walk and talk (weather permitting)
Feedback from recent counselling clients:
I worked with Karen for just over 3 years, during which she provided an exceptional therapeutic experience. Karen is warm, kind, and funny, and she brings a wonderful combination of compassion and skill to her practice. She creates an environment that feels safe, grounded, and deeply supportive, yet I also was able to experience challenge in a way that felt constructive and empowering.
Throughout our work together, I felt able to explore difficult emotions and long-standing patterns with honesty. During our time together I experienced burnout at work, a breakdown – or “breakthrough” as Karen helped me to reframe it – she supported me in stepping back from work and understanding the difference between what was mine and what was rooted in my professional environment. We worked through deep-seated drivers and early childhood experiences that had shaped my responses to stress, relationships, and life more broadly.
The impact of our work has been profound. I now have much stronger work-life boundaries, a greater sense of peace, improved self-esteem, and a richer, more present life. I feel better equipped to meet challenges and navigate both personal and professional pressures. Much of this growth is directly attributable to the thoughtful, skilled and compassionate support Karen provided. I recommend her wholeheartedly. Jenny, Shropshire
"From the moment we met, I knew I was in safe hands. Karen held me through my darkest days, guided me through my healing journey, and rejoiced in my growth. We've built one of the strongest relationships I have in my life; I know she wants the very best for me, I've never felt judged, and I can finally be my true self. I will be grateful for Karen's kind and loving presence in my life forever." JR Shrewsbury
”Karen’s support has made the world of difference to me. Her holistic approach has supported both my physical and mental health & has helped me to understand and appreciate my place in the universe. She has provided me with the tools and techniques that I need to maintain my well-being on a daily basis. When I needed it she provided a safe and comforting space to release pent-up emotion. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough.” Ruth, Shropshire
