Lorna Freeman

Hello my name is Lorna

I would like to start by saying that I know from personal experience that life can sometimes feel overwhelming and we can feel out of control.

Emotional challenges are part of everyday life and yet at times can leave us feeling anxious, alone and unsure of which way to turn. Perhaps you have experienced a painful or stressful event, a death or other loss, relationship difficulties for example. Maybe you have noticed that your past seems to be impacting on your present and that old patterns seem to be repeating themselves and are getting in the way of the changes you want to make in your life.

As a qualified counsellor, I am trained and highly experienced to help support you in developing an understanding of who you are and your place in the world; and to help you break free from whatever is holding you back. I’ll provide the tools to help you work toward positive changes. I work in an integrative way, which means that I draw from a number of therapeutic approaches which I tailor to your individual needs.

Getting Started – the first step is always the hardest. I am all too aware of just how daunting taking that initial first step towards counselling can be. That you are reading this means that have taken an important step in deciding counselling might be something you need.

Please feel free to visit my website, email or call me without obligation with any questions you may have. I look forward to your call.

I am an experienced and fully qualified Therapeutic Counsellor. I provide a warm, confidential and non-judgmental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings and gain a deeper level of awareness into yourself and those around you.

I work with individuals and couples alike. I work ethically with clients from all cultures, religious back grounds and gender presentations, treating each client according to their individual needs.

I have worked with clients of all ages and backgrounds in the voluntary and private sectors as well as in schools, and I have experience of working with a range of issues. If you are dealing with anxiety, depression,  anger, suicidal thoughts, relationship and family issues, work/school pressure and stress, eating disorders low self-esteem, substance abuse recovery, loss/bereavement, trauma or abuse, then I could help.

my special areas of interest/expertise are:

BEREAVEMENT/LOSS

I personally understand the intense feelings of anguish following the loss of a loved one. The feelings can be so intense that our ability to cope with daily life can be affected. Loss is difficult to make sense of, it could be a death, the breakdown of a relationship, a job loss or loss of opportunity and the feelings can be overwhelming. The grieving process involves several phases which I can help guide you through, allowing a deeper understanding of each phase to enable you to feel can feel good again.

EATING DISORDERS/DISORDERED EATING

Are you concerned that you or someone you know may have an eating disorder? There are a number of eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and more, all of these are serious conditions with damaging side effects. I can help you to gain a deeper understanding of your problem, to understand the influences that led to the development of the illness and to observe what factors are keeping it going. Together we will look at the physical and emotional factors that are maintaining the problem and learn strategies to manage stressful situations rather than use food. I will work with you to help guide you to a deeper understanding of your eating disorder, the influences which led to the illness developing and what is happening now that is maintaining the illness. We will look at how the way you think affects your feelings and how those feelings then dictate what you do in response.

RELATIONSHIP/COUPLES

Romantic relationships are not easy and unfortunately do not come with a handbook, telling us exactly what to do to prevent conflict or how to resolve it when it arises. A bit like a car, our relationships require regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly. If a problem arises it is best to repair it straight to avoid further problems along the road. However, we often ignore the first signs that something is wrong hoping it will go away in time. It is no wonder then that relationships can fall into disrepair and need professional help.

We all bring our personal history to our romantic relationships, our upbringing, culture, religious background and the values and belief systems within our family. It is useful during therapy to have a look at the history of the relationship, including relational patterns within the family as these can impact how we relate with our partners in the future.

The aim of couple’s therapy is to help you gain insight into your relationship, to observe how you behave within the relationship, to resolve conflict and improve communications going forward. Therapy will target the issue that is the focus of treatment and identify the patterns of thinking and behaviour that could be maintaining the problem. Each partner will be encouraged to consider their role in the maintenance of the problem so that you can learn to interact in new and different ways. Empathy is an essential quality in resolving any form of conflict; the ability to see a situation from another’s viewpoint will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and feelings which can be an invaluable part of feeling heard, understood and valued.

ONLINE COUNSELLING

I also work therapeutically online offering counselling via the internet through voice and/or video call. Online therapy is not suitable for everyone, but can be a great alternative for those that are not able to attend in person. If you are interested in this, I will require you to fill out an assessment and agreement form prior to online therapy can take place.

DURATION & REVIEWS

I would always aim to offer therapy for a duration that suits my client. I believe it is important to regularly review the work together and we will incorporate this into the work as it progresses. After an initial consultation we may agree a set number of sessions, usually up to six, followed by a review. Alternatively, a more open ended arrangement with regular reviews might be more suitable

CONFIDENTIALITY AND ETHICS

All our work together is confidential. There are some exceptions to this (ethical and legal) and these will be discussed in detail at our first meeting.
I am a registered and accredited member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). My membership number is: 750392. I am listed on the BACP Register and my register certificate number is: 185924. This register is also accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
I hold professional indemnity insurance
I have a recent DBS (criminal record check)

Due to Covid 19 restrictions I am currently working online via skype/zoom/telephone

FEES - Online

Individual Video and phone call: £45 per 50minutes
Couples - Online £60 per hour

FACE TO FACE  FEES

Individual rate £50
Couple Rate: £65

All individual sessions last for 50 min. All couple’s sessions last for 60 min.

Concessionary rates are available for key workers, students and those with low incomes.