Lorraine Brown

I am a qualified, trauma-informed, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Integrative Counsellor and Mindfulness Teacher based in Ashburton. I draw on many different counselling approaches which allows me to work in a holistic and unique way with each individual. There is no ' one size fits all ' approach to therapy, thus I am constantly learning and developing my practice to incorporate new research findings and to ensure I am working within best practice guidelines.

I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and as such I am regulated by their Code of Ethics and practices. I undertake Continuous Professional Development and regular clinical supervision.

In addition to my private counselling practice, I work in a mental health service within the NHS and also volunteer for a not-for-profit counselling service. 

I offer both face to face and online appointments. Sessions are normally weekly or fortnightly and last an hour, but these can be shorter or longer to suit your needs and availability. I offer both brief and long term therapy. 

Concessionary rate for first session

One of the most important aspects of counselling is the relationship between counsellor and client. I therefore offer a concessionary rate of £20 for the first hourly session. 

We'll go through all the practicalities, such as payment, cancellations, appointment times and so on. I'll discuss the counselling contract with you, including confidentiality. You can tell me a little about your reasons for seeking counselling at this time. You can also ask questions to help you decide whether I am the right therapist for you. 

You don't need to make any commitments and there is absolutely no pressure to book further sessions unless it feels right for you.

Sleep problems

Academic Studies (higher education)

I offer concessionary rates as follows:

First session - £20. Subsequent sessions are £40 (face to face).

£35 for online sessions. 

£25 for online sessions for students and anyone receiving Universal Credit or other means-tested welfare benefits. (£30 face to face). 

About My Approach

As an integrative counsellor, I will often suggest using a range of different therapeutic approaches in collaboration with you, being guided by your preferences. While these theories and techniques are important, it is above all the therapeutic relationship which you and I build that will become central to your recovery. This is why it is so important to find a therapist you can trust and feel comfortable with. 

I work in a holistic way, taking into consideration the link between your thoughts, mind, body, emotions and your nervous system. My therapeutic work is trauma-informed and underpinned by the latest research from neuroscience, which includes Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems (working with internal ‘parts’), Compassion Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and other somatic embodiment approaches.

As well as looking at what is troubling you in the present, we would also explore your past and how it has affected you. We are all shaped by our surroundings and finding out how your problems have developed in your early years can lead to greater self-awareness and an improved ability to deal with difficulties in the future.

Below I have outlined some of the counselling approaches I use and the ways in which they can be helpful:

• Behavioural Activation for Depression: goal setting, activity scheduling, developing healthy self-care for mind and body, and keeping a mood diary. This is an evidence-based intervention that helps to kick-start motivation and pleasurable feelings that depression can rob us of. 
• Positive Psychology: gratitude journaling, noticing three positive things each day, listing our strengths and building our resilience toolkit can all help to improve mood. 
• Grounding exercises for Anxiety: soothing breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, controlled exposure to fears, psychoeducation on the fight, flight or freeze responses, and soothing place imagery can all help to calm down the threat response.
• Safety exercises for Trauma: finding your anchors of safety and stabilisation, building your self-soothing toolkit, learning distress tolerance skills and how to manage your emotions, safety planning, exploring alternatives to self-harming.
• Narrative Therapy can be used following stabilisation to re-write your trauma memories as a narrative or story. This allows you to make sense of your experiences, updating the narrative with the insight and reflection gained from the present. You can also choose to write your own ending.
• Mindfulness skills for learning to step back from distressing thoughts and feelings and be fully open to and present with each moment. Mindfulness has an extensive evidence-base for the treatment of a wide range of difficulties, including depression, anxiety, stress, pain management, concentration and the management of long term health conditions. As a trained mindfulness teacher I can tailor mindfulness interventions to suit your particular needs and provide you with a recording so that you can practice at home in your own time.
• Compassionate Mind training teaches us how to draw on our innate capacity for self-compassion by developing a relationship with our Compassionate Self. This can help us to let go of feelings of guilt and shame that we might have been carrying for a long time.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy teaches us to understand how our thoughts, sensations, emotions and actions are all inter-linked. By making changes to our behaviour and identifying and challenging unhelpful beliefs we can break the vicious cycle of anxiety and low mood.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help you to identify your values and commit to living your best life aligned to these values. It also advocates acceptance and letting go of those things which we have no control over.
• Internal Family Systems (IFS) sees each person as possessing an internal family of ‘parts’. These parts often take on a protective role at a very early stage in the person’s life, particularly where an individual carries deep wounds of trauma. However, sometimes the parts are working too hard, preventing the individual from moving forward with their life. By opening up a dialogue with the parts, we can gain a better understanding of them and help them to become fully integrated towards healing and recovery.