Lesley Barratt MBACP MA BA(Hons) UAD

About me

About me.
I have an MA in Relationship Therapy and have worked with Relate since 2008 supporting couples, families, individuals and Young People. I also work as a counsellor in a secondary school. My work involves both long term and short term work.

I am passionate about counselling and the benefits it can bring. My main academic qualifications are listed below; I am also a wife, and a mother of two grown children. I have worked in the City and have lived abroad for a year.

About counselling

Having practised for nearly a decade I continue to rejoice in the positive effect clients find counselling has on their lives. The support and clarity it can bring at moments of great stress, anxiety, or depression is a source of strength for clients.

I provide a safe, empathic, supportive space where you can talk things through without being judged, and be listened to with understanding and compassion. My clients tell me they find me easy to talk to and that they feel understood and respected in our sessions.

Life has many anxieties and stresses. These can range from relationship issues within couples and families, to feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation. Together we can work out what you want to achieve, and develop strategies to help you move forward in your life with confidence and conviction.

I will always respect your confidentiality and I aspire to work with integrity and respect.

I work with couples, families, individuals, and children aged 11 - 18 in Brenchley, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood and Horsmonden.

How to choose a counsellor

Many ask, there is no prescribed way to do it but here are some tips.
Does the counsellor cover the issue you want to discuss?
Are they well qualified, are they experienced?
Are they a member of a professional organisation?
Are they easy to get to, is there parking?


Good Luck, there is someone out there who can help each of us!

What is counselling and how does it help?

Counselling is about a supportive and safe space in which you can talk about your life, and share troubles or worries that you may not feel able to share with others.

This is your time, it is entirely up to you what you share and we will work together according to your individual needs.

Counselling is a process that by its nature will be different for everyone, with a pace that works for you. It can empower you to make choices and decisions which could lead to changes that you want in your life.

Below are just a few examples of the types of issues Counselling can help with

• Communication issues
• Affairs
• Seperation and divorce
• Sexual problems
• Depression
• Anxiety/Panic
• Low self esteem
• Stress
• Anger
• Breakdown of trust
• Family tensions
• Young People's counselling
• Abortion or miscarriage
• Redundancy
• Family relocation

I offer counselling services in Five Oak Green, Matfield, Lamberhurst, and Tonbridge.

Relationship Issues

Family, Individual, Young People's counselling, and Couples Counselling are my core areas of work.

Family Issues

Family counselling can help improve communication and understanding of each other by bringing people together in a safe and supportive environment.

Counselling a family unit means giving time to both the group and individuals, allowing people to speak freely about issues or anxieties in a space free from criticism and rejection. The key to positive change as a family is this open communication, so everyone is able to understand how others are feeling and how this affects the dynamics of the group as a whole.

Seeing different members of the family at different times can often help the work with families. Sometimes it can help to have a few Couple Counselling sessions as part of the work.

When the real issues are uncovered and understood we can develop a strategy to cope with them, the family can then move forward positively, with renewed respect for each other.

My counselling room is close to Matfield, Five Oak Green, Pembury, and Collier Street.

Individual Counselling

Individual counselling with me is not about 'being alone', it is about helping you feel safe, heard and respected.

Following counselling, clients often feel empowered, more resilient and confident and areable to make changes in their lives they could not have imagined before. The role of counselling is to help people gain insights into why they felt or acted in the way they initially did, so that they feel better equipped to affect positive change.

These changes often stretch beyond the individual into their relationships, not just with partners, close family or friends - but with themselves and their earlier life.

Couples Counselling

Couples counselling can take many shapes and forms - while some couples want to work towards a better relationship together, or to work through the consequences of an affair, others may wish help separating in the most amicable and positive way possible.

Crucially counselling provides a safe place to get to the root of any relationship issues that may be adversely affecting the couple and keeping them stuck in a negative cycle. In most cases, counselling can help you find a productive way forward.

As an experienced couples counsellor I work to support both individuals as a couple, encouraging each person to reflect and take responsibility for their own choices and actions. This often helps couples to gain confidence in communicating, both listening and expressing themselves effectively within their relationship.

Working together, I help couples to develop strategies that support the many demands on a relationship, be they work, children, family or finance.

Clients come to me from Tonbridge, Marden, Goudhurst, and Lamberhurst

Young People's Counselling

Young people have to cope with a myriad of pressures as they grow up. Pressures from school, from academic work, from friendships, from social media and bullying to name but a few. Counselling provides a safe and supportive space for the young person to share their stresses and anxieties, and to work towards developing more resilience and strategies to cope with their young lives.

I counsel young people from age 11-18.

Brenchley, Tunbridge Wells, Horsmonden and Marden are all an easy distance from my counselling room.