About me
Finding your way forward starts with being heard.
Perhaps you’re tired of feeling like you’re carrying everything on your own.
Maybe you’re anxious, overwhelmed, stuck in your own head, struggling with relationships, or finding yourself repeating patterns you don’t understand. Perhaps something happened a long time ago that still affects how you feel today, or you simply know that something needs to change but aren’t sure where to begin.
I’m Lara, founder of Arrow of Hope Counselling, offering counselling to adults face-to-face in Chelmsford and online or across the UK.
I offer a warm, genuine and down-to-earth space where you can be yourself without having to pretend you’re okay. I’ll listen to what you’re experiencing, help you make sense of it and, when it feels right, ask the questions that may help you see things differently.
Together, we can explore what’s happening beneath the surface, understand the patterns that may be keeping you stuck and work towards the changes you want to make.
I work integratively, drawing on Person-Centred, CBT and Psychodynamic approaches, but most importantly, I work with you. I don’t believe there’s a formula for being human, or that you need to be “fixed”. You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what you need from counselling. We can start with where you are and, together, explore where you would like to go.
I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, OCD, relationship difficulties, bereavement, life changes, addiction and recovery.
You don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin.
Training, qualifications & experience
- MBACP Registered Member
- CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- Training in Children and Young People’s Counselling
I’m a qualified Level 4 Therapeutic Counsellor with professional experience across counselling, mental health, addiction recovery and residential settings.
I have supported people through anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, emotional distress, relationship difficulties, loss, life changes and addiction.
Addiction and recovery are particular areas of experience for me. Alongside my professional experience, I have a deep personal understanding of recovery, which has given me a genuine appreciation of how difficult change can be and how much courage it can take to begin.
I continue to develop my practice through ongoing training, supervision and reflective practice. I believe in staying curious, open and willing to learn, because every person and their experience is different.
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
Fees
£60.00 - £70.00
Additional information
A Free 15-minute telephone consultation is available before starting counselling.
Face-to-face counselling: £70
Online counselling: £60
All sessions are 50 minutes.
Further information
You may have been thinking about counselling for a while, wondering whether now is the right time, or perhaps you’ve reached a point where you know you can’t keep carrying things in the same way.
You don’t need to find the right words or know exactly what to say. We can simply start with a conversation about what’s been happening for you.
I offer a free 15-minute telephone conversation before you decide whether to book. It’s an opportunity to ask any questions, get a feel for me and decide whether you would feel comfortable working together. There’s no pressure to commit to anything.
I offer both short- and longer-term counselling, depending on what feels appropriate for you, with flexible appointments available Monday–Friday, including evenings, early online sessions from 8am where needed, and Saturdays until 3pm.
If you feel ready to explore counselling, please get in touch. You don’t need to know exactly what you need before you reach out, sometimes starting the conversation is enough.
