Maria Welsh

Finding a Therapist can often feel like a problem in itself, so well done for getting to this point! I aim to provide you with an overview of myself and my services but, if I can provide any further information please feel free to contact me confidentially and without obligation

I consider that the relationship between ourselves and our Therapist is the most important part of recovery. For example, if we do not form a good connection with our Therapist, we will feel tense, disconnected and uncomfortable, thus, dis-enabling our ability to explore ourselves and to share our true feelings. Ultimately, this will hinder us in uncovering the underlying issue or the route of our problem(s).

              "The trust established within a Therapeutic Relationship will form the 
                    foundation of the work that you enter into with your Therapist"

Some people have no idea why they feel the way they do and that is ok. Please do not feel under pressure, my experience will enable me to form a good idea of what might be at the route of your troubles and I will share my thoughts with you. This is not a judgement. Remember, we  wouldn't be human if we didn't have problems!

My priority is for my client to feel comfortable and at ease with me as their Counsellor. This might mean working creatively using art therapy such as drawings, paints, sand trays, play dough, peg dolls, stones, and Russian Dolls.

About Me

I am a qualified, BACP registered Adult, Youth (11yrs upwards) and Family Counsellor. I am highly experienced Trauma Informed Counsellor having worked for many years in the field of domestic abuse, supporting clients who are currently or have in the past experienced domestic and sexual abuse, violence, and/or coercive and controlling behaviour.  

My style of counselling is Humanistic, meaning that I focus on the person as a whole. I will encourage you to think about your feelings and to take responsibility for your own actions.

Our thoughts can often be led by others and we begin to feel confused. This might feel challenging especially if you have been in a particular relationship for some time and are struggling to find out who you are. Maybe you have just left a long-term relationship and you feel lost? I can certainly help you to work this out and support you as you come to terms with the changes that you decide to make.

Throughout my training, and beyond, I have accrued vast experience (over 300 hours) working with Young Adults in a large educational setting in Hampshire. Issues presented have included Attachment Issues, Bereavement, Bullying, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Issues, Addictions, Educational Pressures, Sexuality, Self-Harm and Suicide Ideation.

I have a great deal of experience working with vulnerable Women including victims and survivors of Domestic Violence. I have worked on the Freedom Programme, a national programme that supports vulnerable women and children in the U.K and headed up a Women's Service.

This work inevitably involves Trauma, which often leads to Addiction(s) such as Drugs and Alcohol.

I currently focus on my busy private practice in Romsey and am also a panel member for the Hampshire Family Counselling Trust, a charity that offers affordable counselling to young people and their families in Hampshire.

What can I offer you?

                            Independent, Unbiased Support

Friends are wonderful and priceless gifts; however, they do like to advise!! Advice, as we all know is not helpful, we need to work through it ourselves.

                        A Therapist will not advise but support and guide you

Sometimes, things in life can become 'fragmented' and in need of 'untangling' and this is often what leads us into therapy. I aim to provide you with a safe, confidential space, free of judgement and shame so you can begin to unravel whatever it might be that is troubling you.

Through my experience and expertise, I can help - I do not consider myself to be the expert on your life, because you are! I can however support you as you hold onto yourself while making changes in the right direction. To enable long-term change however, we need to feel secure and confident in our individual choices and decisions, otherwise, we will certainly revert back to old habits and behaviours.

My Practice:

• One to One Therapy (Adult and Youth)
• Family Therapy: Working with the whole family or individual family members to help resolve conflict and any relating issues.      
• Online/ Telephone Counselling (via Skype or Zoom)                                                                                 

ATTACHMENT: Most of all issues presented in Therapy are based around Attachment.

What is Attachment? This is a human need to feel loved and connected to another human being, starting at birth when we connect (or not in some cases for a whole range of reasons)to our primary care giver.

In later life, we all learn to separate ourselves from our primary care givers and branch out on our own. We do however hold a fundamental need to still feel loved, connected and cared for. If we find ourselves in a position of losing a loved one, be that rejection at birth, an unsettled or unhappy childhood, through Bereavement, Divorce, or a Loss of relationship of some kind (such as a friendship), we can feel at a total loss and find it very difficult to cope alone.

Attachment and Anxiety: is routed in the future. We become scared that something is going to happen that will put ourselves or our loved ones (or both) in danger. How many times have you just felt 'worried about everything'?

It is natural to feel anxiety at times, it keeps us safe (from stepping out onto the road, for instance), however, constant Anxiety, over a period of time, will have a detrimental effect on our bodies, i.e.; increased heartbeat, shaking hands, upset stomachs and weight gain/loss, This, in turn, leads us to make us feel that something is really wrong with our health. No wonder, when our hearts are racing!

You can see how anxiety can take a hold.

Childhood and Childhood Beliefs: beliefs formed in our childhoods influence us as adults; how we form relationships of our own, and how we go on to raise our own children. Issues in our childhoods can really play out in our Adult Lives. The early informative years of a child's life are fundamental for future development.

I do not sit in judgement and consider myself the expert because the person making change happen for you is you! I am simply the facilitator.

So, what I can offer our working alliance is my expertise, my training, and my vast experience of working with people, covering a whole range of complex issues. I can offer you support and guidance as we explore together the route of your problem(s), encouraging you as you come to realise and understand what is at the route of your problem(s). I can then support you as you learn to come to terms with a situation and implement a desired change

    "Successful change is only truly implemented when a person derives for

themselves the outcome; it doesn't work when we are told or advised what to do!"

My Counselling Practice:

I provide Counselling Services from the beautiful surroundings of The Wisdom Centre in Romsey.

Home Visits: Can be arranged if mobility or illness means that a person cannot get to me.  

My practice has Full Wheelchair accessibility.

Please message me for more details.

New to Counselling? - What to expect, and 'Is Counselling is for me?'

Well you never know until you try! Counselling does require commitment and at times you may feel challenged. However, I urge you to be brave - the greatest work and outcomes happen when we challenge ourselves!!

Introductory Session/ Assessment: This will include some information gathering, personal details (Name Address, G.P. details etc *). We will discuss your requirements and come up with an agreeable goal to work towards.

Although I will initially suggest a commitment of a minimum of six weeks (to offer you the best chance of relating/establishing a trusting client/counsellor relationship), you are not obliged to continue. If you feel that counselling is not working for you, that is absolutely fine, just please let me know.

I look forward to meeting you,

Maria

* Confidential Information is stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act (2018)

I will adapt my style of therapy to meet the individual needs of the client. This is sometimes known as Integrative. My foundation and training is in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis, however I am trained in other therapies.

For example, CBT Therapy might be particularly useful to one client whereas another will find that the style of therapy most unhelpful. I am in favour of regularly checking in with the client to ensure that they are happy with our way of working. If they are not, then we will change- It is a collaborative experience!

I believe that most issues are created by negative past experiences, either in childhood or Trauma related. I will work with the client to uncover the route of the issue, working then to explore and set about a desired change.

£60 per session (50 minute session)

Couples and Family Therapy: £97 (per 1: 5 session)

I recommend a minimum of 6 sessions for One to One sessions and for Family Therapy. This will enable you (yourselves) to gain optimum support from myself as you implement desired changes into your life or (and) family dynamic.

First Session/ What to expect: This is an opportunity for us to meet and to get to know each other. I will complete an assessment where I will gather background information and record personal details.

These details are stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act (2018).

This session is charged at £60 . There is no obligation to continue

Supervision : I am Supervised by Clinical Supervisor's, also privately to support my private practice.

I am comitted to ongoing professional development and regually attend courses to update my knowledge.

• Registered Member of the British Association and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
• Member of Hampshire Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (HACP)
• I hold Professional Indemnity Insurance
• and enhanced DBS