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.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, low or unsure why life feels so difficult right now, you are not alone. Many people come to counselling when relationships feel strained, the stress in your life feels relentless or the way forward is unclear. My role is to offer you a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space where you can talk openly, be truly heard, and start to make sense of what's happening for you.
In our sessions, I offer warmth, honesty, respect and support at your own pace. Together we can explore your concerns, helping you discover where you have choices and how to build the inner resources to meet life's challenges.
Our first session is a chance for you to see if you feel comfortable with me, and for us to talk about what you might need. If you decide to continue, we can explore your reasons for coming, and if you wish, identify some goals to guide our work together. With a warm and personal approach, I draw on a range of therapeutic styles so I can work in the way that best suits you.
During my 4-year training, I studied a variety of therapeutic approaches, including person-centred, gestalt, CBT and solution-focused; which enables me to be flexible, depending on your goals. I also studied Stress Management, and for the last 25 years I have been teaching individuals and organisations how to deal with stress. Before counselling, I completed study in deep tissue massage, which taught me how much people hold stress and trauma in their bodies. This insight led me to combine emotional & physical awareness in my work, helping clients find more ease and balance in both. One of my specialties now is teaching my clients strategies to release stress, tension and trauma held within the body; including how to switch off the stress response. I have a particular interest in the mind-body connection, and I'm passionate about helping people apply practical stress management skills in their everyday life.
Training, qualifications & experience
About me
My journey into counselling began with a 4-year Advanced Counselling Diploma with the College of Holistic Medicine. Initially I enrolled simply to understand myself better. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with the process of self-discovery and the growing awareness it brings - and I now feel immensely grateful to share this with others.
Before counselling, I completed a year-long course in deep tissue therapeutic massage, which taught me how much trauma and stress we can hold in our bodies. This insight led me to combine emotional and physical awareness in my work, helping clients find more ease and balance in both.
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.
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:
"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
