Louise Higgins

Name: Louise Higgins
Address: Gillingham, Kent, ME8, GB
Telephone: +447868703208
Price range: £60.00 per session

DipH Therapeutic Counselling ,MBACP, Counselling lecturer

Accepting new clients

Saved

Gillingham, Kent, ME8

Accepting new clients

Email me

Saved

07868 703 208 07868 703 208

About me

Hi, my name is Louise, I am a qualified trauma informed counsellor. I would like to start by sharing with you a little about what I know, about why people may come to counselling.

Sometimes it may be that we know why we are feeling a certain way. It may be that something has happened or that we have experienced recently or maybe an earlier experience we are finding difficult and need support with. However often we may not know why we feel how we do, not able to make sense of what or why. Sharing these thoughts, feelings and experiences with a professional counsellor can help make sense of difficulties, give us more understanding about who we are and how we feel, helping us to move forward in life more confidently and positively, and most importantly being able to share and explore to get a clearer understanding of what we may need/want to move forward.

I will with you, in our sessions together, help provide insight, with validation and acceptance without judgment. Working together to improve the relationship you have with yourself and others.

Sharing with family and friends can be difficult and that’s true for many people. It may be that you feel you don’t have anyone to really talk to. This can make us feel alone and problems become harder to cope with. Whether you feel depressed, anxious, sad, angry, or stressed, maybe you can’t describe how you feel, talking through things often makes a difference.

Talking to a counsellor about you is actually often easier than maybe you imagine. I will be there, separate to all those around you to talk through what you need to and how you experience things. This can help you to work out what you need to, and help you see things more clearly.

I will offer a supportive, judgement free space, where you will feel comfortable and safe. My aim is for you to feel understood in a warm friendly environment. I listen with kindness and understanding, respecting your feelings. My priority is to support you to be truly honest in working through difficulties, building self-confidence, awareness and self-acceptance. We can work through overwhelming thoughts, feelings and problems together.

I offer counselling support to young people from 11 years old, all adults and seniors. I work in a confidential private practice setting.

I have extensive experience working with young people with a wide range reason that they have come to counselling. I also work in crisis response and have worked with people of all ages that have experienced and been involved in major unforeseen traumatic events where I am first response in offering therapeutic support. I work with all ages from 11 years including adults and have experience working with neurodiverse clients.

The first session

The first session is an assessment session, a chance to meet each other and see if we would like to work together. In this session, I will take some personal details and ask questions to understand your needs and get to know you. We will establish what you want to get from counselling and how we may work together. You can ask me any questions so you feel fully informed, including how counselling may work if this is new to you.

Counselling young people

Young people experience many pressures in today's world. Navigating their lives at a time of huge physical, mental and emotional transition from child to adult can be distressing, confusing and overwhelming. Young people typically experience emotional vulnerability and relationship difficulties at this important life stage.

I support young people in making sense of this challenging time as well as working through early experiences that they may need to talk through with professional support.
Positive validation of strengths and possibilities develops their understanding of who they are and promotes self-confidence, acceptance and esteem. I ensure counselling work is age appropriate and adapted to each young person to honour their individual stage of maturity. Alongside conversation, we may use play, creative media, practical techniques and strategies.

I endeavour to establish a friendly, compassionate, honest, non-judgemental environment so young people feel at ease to talk about whatever is troubling them. I have experience of working with various presenting issues, problems, concerns and difficulties like low self-esteem, depression, bereavement, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, identity and many variations of school related pressure.

I am happy to discuss individual situations and problems with parents and carers who feel concerned for their young person and would like further information or support. Please feel free to contact me to discuss how sessions may be structured to support your child/you, helping you feel fully informed while keeping at the forefront of my work the confidentiality

Making Contact.

When considering whether to start counselling, you may naturally have questions and concerns. I am happy to discuss any of these by phone, text or email beforehand to help you feel more informed before making an appointment.

To book an introductory session please email, leave a text message or phone me. I do have my phone switched off when I am counselling, so please leave a message and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

I am flexible regarding the number or frequency of counselling sessions you wish to have. In my experience weekly counselling sessions are beneficial to begin with, however, I am happy to be guided by your requirements and personal situation so you remain in control. We can review your requirements at regular intervals and if things need to change.

Training, qualifications & experience

Experience

I am a trained integrative counsellor working with children, young people and adult, being integrative means that I am able to offer many different ways of working using theories to support our work together that best meets your needs in your therapeutic journey.

I have experience helping many people from all backgrounds, presenting with a wide range of issues as highlighted below.

As well as working in private practice, I have specialist experience of working within specific settings across Kent.

This includes working in secondary schools both mainstream and alternative provisions working with all ages and issues, including supporting looked-after children in foster placements.

My experience of working in crisis support has included working with children, young people and adults experiencing flashbacks in relation to the traumatic events they have experienced or witnessed.

In addition to this, I am a CPCAB Tutor, training students at a Counselling college in therapeutic counselling - diploma Level 4.

I also jointly facilitate and teach, holding continual development training workshops for qualified and trainee counsellors

As a qualified professional, I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I can be found on their website, and work to their ethical code of conduct. I have an enhanced DBS check and am fully insured.

Qualification