Megan Riley

I’m a counsellor qualified to Master's level, my main aim as a counsellor is to help you to feel empowered and resilient in the here and now and as a result more hopeful for the future. 

Through my private practice I work with adults over the age of 18, I have experience of working with men and women of all ages. I help people to build resilience in the face of challenging life experiences and to adapt to the changes that we are presented with in life.

Some examples of issues that I could help with:

• Trauma during childhood such as a bereavement, abuse or bullying or any childhood adversity and you would like help to process this. 
• A recent trauma may be impacting your mental health, relationships and physical health and you need a safe space to explore this. 
• Grief and struggling to come to terms with your loss after a bereavement. You want to find a way to live around your loss. 
• Social anxiety, isolation, issues in relationships or not feeling quite right in your relationships and you want to explore why this might be.
• Feeling lost, a lack of hope for the future or unsure of which path to take. Stuck with perfectionism, the need for control and this makes you feel stressed.
• Family issues that may have had an impact on your mental health, sense of identity and self-worth.  
• Feeling disempowered, have experienced emotional abuse, coercive control or manipulated in your relationships
• Work related stress, burnout or panic attacks. Workplace bullying, or your working environment is impacting your mental health.

This list is not exhaustive and there are so many reasons why someone would access therapy. I see it as a privilege to walk alongside you throughout this process. 

Me

I experienced a significant loss during childhood and accessed therapy in my 20’s in order to process this. This is the reason why I trained to be a counsellor and through my private practice, I help other people to find hope for the future after their difficult experiences. 

There is so much value in engaging in therapy as it can set you up to thrive (not just survive) in later years. Choosing a therapist who  has experienced therapy themselves means that we can understand how vulnerable it feels to be the client.

I believe, when given the right conditions, people can reach their full potential. I am an empathic, honest and authentic counsellor and through our work together I aim to help you to see that you are valuable.  

Previous Experience

I have previous experience in a charity setting supporting men and women with a range of experiences including feelings of low self-worth, anxiety, depression, trauma, sexual abuse and rape, loneliness, relationship difficulties and loss. I have experience of working with adults of all ages and with people from different backgrounds to my own.

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and follow the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice. I also engage in monthly supervision sessions with a clinical supervisor so that I can ensure that I am helping in the best way that I can. 

First Steps

I acknowledge it can be hard to make the first contact, I offer a free 20 minute initial phone call so that you can ask any questions and we can chat briefly about what you are currently struggling with. I hope that speaking with me helps you to feel comfortable and reassured. 

After our initial call if you are happy to move forward then we can book in a first session on a day/time that works for both of us. Sessions will take place on Zoom or telephone and will last 50 minutes.

Some benefits of accessing therapy online are that it is accessible, no transportation or parking costs, less time consuming and you can choose a place where you feel safe - anywhere you won’t be overheard.

If you would like to enquire, please feel free to send me a message through the Counselling Directory and I will get back to you within 24 hours. 

Take care,

Megan 

Impact of the pandemic
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My fees are £60 for a 50 minute session or £50 for students.  

I offer a free 20 minute introductory call to new clients.

I prefer to work with people on a weekly basis at the same time/day. However I understand that this is not always possible due to work, family etc so I am able to be flexible where possible. 

I acknowledge that it can be hard to make the first contact but I hope that you will feel reassured after our introductory call together