About me
Anxiety can take over your life without anyone else even noticing.
You might look as though you're coping, while inside you're overthinking everything, doubting yourself, replaying conversations, worrying about what might happen next or struggling with something from the past that just won't leave you alone.
I'm Keri, a counsellor and trauma therapist in Henley-on-Thames, working in person on Hart Street and online.
I specialise in anxiety, trauma and PTSD, low self-esteem, Mobile phone addiction, ADHD-related overwhelm and the increasingly common feeling that your brain simply won't switch off.
My approach is warm, practical and very human. No jargon, no judgement and no sitting silently while you wonder what you're supposed to say.
We'll talk, understand what's happening and, importantly, do something with it.
We can talk seriously when things are serious. We can use humour when it helps. And we can work practically when you're tired of simply understanding why you feel something and want to know what you can actually do about it.
Clients often tell me that they feel safe and understood very quickly and are able to talk about things they haven't previously said out loud.
My aim isn't to turn you into a completely different person. It's often about helping you feel more like yourself again — calmer, more confident, more resilient and less controlled by anxiety or experiences from your past.
Therapy tailored to you
I'm a Pluralistic Counsellor, which means I don't believe one type of therapy works for every person or every problem.
Instead, we work collaboratively and decide what is most useful for you.
Sometimes that means talking.
Sometimes it means understanding patterns that have followed you through your life.
Sometimes we might use practical CBT-based strategies to interrupt anxiety or overthinking.
And sometimes, particularly with trauma or deeply ingrained emotional responses, talking alone doesn't feel enough.
You don't need to know which approach you need before you come. That's my job to help you work out.
PTSD / Trauma
Sometimes, particularly with trauma or deeply ingrained emotional responses, talking alone doesn't feel enough.
Sometimes an experience is technically "over", yet your nervous system doesn't seem to have received the message.
You may still experience flashbacks, anxiety, physical reactions, intrusive memories or find yourself avoiding situations connected with what happened.
Alongside counselling, I am trained in IEMT (Integral Eye Movement Technique) and EMDR, approaches that can be used to work with distressing memories and emotional responses without requiring you to repeatedly retell every detail of an experience.
People sometimes describe feeling as though something that once had a powerful emotional grip on them begins to feel more distant or manageable.
Anxiety and overthinking
Anxiety can be incredibly convincing.
It tells you that if you think about something for long enough, check one more time or prepare for every possible outcome, you'll eventually feel safe.
Usually, the opposite happens.
Together we can look at what's maintaining that cycle and help you develop ways of responding differently — so anxiety doesn't get to make quite so many decisions for you.
My clients often become much better at recognising anxiety for what it is rather than automatically believing everything it tells them.
Or, as I sometimes put it, you become the boss of your anxiety rather than anxiety being the boss of you.
ADHD and overwhelm
I also work with adults experiencing ADHD-related difficulties, whether formally diagnosed, awaiting assessment or simply beginning to recognise ADHD traits in themselves.
This might include overwhelm, procrastination, emotional intensity, difficulties with organisation, low self-esteem or years of wondering why apparently simple things seem so much harder than they "should".
My interest in ADHD is both professional and personal, having a son with ADHD, and I've undertaken additional training in working therapeutically with ADHD.
Phone and digital addiction
I'm particularly interested in our relationship with technology and phones. Perhaps you automatically reach for your phone without even thinking, struggle to concentrate, lose hours scrolling or feel that your attention is permanently being pulled in ten different directions.
This isn't about telling you to throw your phone away or lecturing you about screen time.
It's about helping you understand the habits underneath it and regain some control over your attention.
What are sessions with me like?
Clients have described our work as warm, down-to-earth and practical.
There is space for depth, honesty and difficult conversations, but also humour and normal human conversation.
You don't have to perform therapy "properly".
You can arrive unsure what to say.
You can swear.
You can laugh.
You can change your mind about what you want to work on.
We start where you are.
And then, together, we work towards where you'd rather be.
I offer counselling and trauma therapy in person in Henley-on-Thames and online.
If you're wondering whether we'd work well together, you're welcome to get in touch and arrange an initial conversation. Contact me on keri@keripowelltherapy.co.uk to book an initial call, as with most therapists this is complimentary.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Ad.Dip.Psy.C).
- Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, IEMT/EMDR Practitioner and Clinical Hypnotherapist
- Prof.Dip.Psyc, ,
- Cert.Hyp.cs, & IEMT/EMDR Practitioner NCPS(Acc)
- Professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Prof.Dip.Psy.C).
- Kings Trust Level 5 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling Practice (603/6873/1)
- Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Ad.Dip.Psy.C).
- Diploma in Counselling Skills and Practice (Dip.CSP).
- Certificate in Hypnotherapy and Counselling Skills (Cert.Hyp.CS).
- Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (National Hypnotherapy Society)
- Changes4Life Working with Clients with ADHD
- Parts Therapy
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
£65.00 - £85.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My fee is £85 per session and £65 for students and for those on low income.
This reflects the depth of the work, the level of training , experience, and the personalised, collaborative approach I offer
