Mark Childs

Life rarely follows the straightforward path we had hoped it would, and we can find ourselves in places we don’t recognise or discover that the path ahead delivers unexpected changes or challenges. These changes can often result in mixed feelings, some welcome and some hard to accept. Counselling can offer a space to come to terms with these changes and cope with the transitional stage we find ourselves in.

MY THERAPY PRACTICE - I draw from a variety of approaches and creative techniques to work as an integrative counsellor and this helps me to best meet the specific needs of the person I am working with. However, I believe that the therapeutic journey is a collaborative one. Therefore, to honour the uniqueness and autonomy of the client, I would aim to approach any difficulties and obstacles in a mutual, collaborative and interpersonal way.

Using this approach allows me to respond to the person I am sitting with rather than applying a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to suit everyone. Nonetheless, although I believe that creating a relationship this way between counsellor and client is central to creating a safe, trusting and supportive space for personal exploration, please rest assured that you will always be placed at the centre of the work.

PRACTICE DESCRIPTION - I understand that deciding to come to see a counsellor can be a hugely delicate decision to make, laden with emotions, expectations and fears. Because of this, the initial sessions will be about holding a space for you to feel safe and express yourself as you need to. This helps to build the therapeutic alliance between us and secure the foundation from which the therapeutic work will follow. I believe that this is an important part of the therapeutic work and an aspect that continually permeates sessions.

As the relationship deepens further requirements will be highlighted, therefore, we will be able to work more creatively, interpersonally and set destinations for the therapeutic journey. We can work through your existential or spiritual concerns, help you to understand previous events and difficulties from your life, or work towards a specific goal.

Depending upon what your needs may be, I can offer various creative techniques, mindfulness-based techniques, meditation and breathing practices and methods to help communicate with a bodily awareness.

I also have an artistic background and am a practising artist, therefore, I have an acute understanding of how the creative process works, it's obstacles and how it can be frustrating or difficult to express oneself.

Generally, sessions are on a weekly basis and the therapeutic work can be open-ended or run through a fixed number of sessions, depending on your preference.

FIRST SESSION - The first session will be about exploring what has brought you to counselling, your current situation, what you hope to gain from counselling and what (if any) is your previous experience with therapy/counselling.

It's also important for me to gain a deeper sense of who you are, therefore, I will generally enquire about your childhood background, significant life experiences and relationships with family members.

It is also a space for you to ask me questions.

Other than this it is a space to initially get to know each other.

Following this, sessions act as a way for me to get to know you and your story more deeply, creating the base from which the therapeutic journey progresses.

Should this strike a chord with you, I would be happy to meet with you to review your individual needs about what you would like to gain from coming to therapy.

I work with difficulties that are hindering a quality of life and how these difficulties may impact upon relationships with oneself and with others.

Sessions are 50 minutes long and are £60.

I offer a limited amount of low cost sessions.

I also offer walk and talk counselling.