Michael Watson

I offer Humanistic counselling boundaried around the three self transformational counselling philosophies of Person Centered, Transactional Analysis & Gestalt. The concepts and skills are tailored within the sessions and measured to suit the indivduals needs. The three therapies are not bookable individually they come as a set of skills and tools used within your counselling sessions. 

Person Centered Therapy (PC) allows you the client to lead and steer every session to explore your mental and emotional landscape without judgement from me. Its our togetherness and individualism to make that happen by creating a safe container of unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence.

Transaction Analysis Therapy (TA) offers you the client a understanding of your mental and emotional landscape/ego using a theory based upon a Parent, Adult and Child (PAC) mapping. This theory helps you the client to see how your presenting and how this plays out in every relational transaction even with self. It shines a light and is a gift that keeps giving by surrendering to your innate deeper awareness of how you are the way you are in this present time. Its transformational as you work on these parts of self, applying the theory in the therapy room can be very revealing and helpful for those stuck in "Im not Ok" mindset and wanting to be moving towards a "Im OK" mindset.

Gestalt Therapy is very much about the now or "nowness". Powerful in its own right for getting more immediate with the dammed emotion or blocked senses of the whole self (mind & Body). Using interventions like the empty chair or no send letter invites you the client to feel safe to enter into in-direct contact with that someone or something in the session. I take on a role to offer that encounter and experience which for you for whatever reason can't happen in real time and real world. It's very powerful and playful and very much for those clients who want to go into the somatic experiencing (emotional body).    

*All sessions are 50 mins offered either face-to-face or remotely. Remote sessions are offered via video call or telephone*.

Further information will be discussed at your free 30 minute consultation - *No counselling will be offered unless you attend the consultation and receive your signed working agreement. 

I offer a sliding scale rate depending on your personal circumstances.

*This can all be discussed in your free consultation.

I will endeavour to respond to any enquiry within 24 Hours.

I offer a sliding scale rate depending on your personal circumstances.

*This can all be discussed in your free consultation.

As a Humanistic counsellor, encouraging others to flourish and realise themselves sometimes involving expanding one's awareness beyond ego requires painful self examination and self criticism.  The truth is, it takes courage and trust in what you are revealing.  A belief grows inside of yourself session after session that you can change from your current state into once again that feeling which was never lost, your true "Being-ness" or authentic self and that feeling of Aliveness .  

I truly believe we each receive gifts that enable us to live and we each can give these gifts back to others so we can all thrive. Love and care only live in the present and we need to cultivate our insight, deepening and widening self through self exploration to grow as human-beings.

I work in a pluralistic framework not only in my counselling room but most importantly within my own life. Through my own personal therapy journey it has become obvious that trying out new ways of life has expanded my awareness. Being with the feelings and emotions that come up in the present from the past and to the future, do change once felt. 

I see the counselling journey as a tool to awaken your own inherent capabilities by taming the mind and opening up the seeing, feeling, tasting, hearing and touching (sensing) your true self maybe for the first time or maybe the first time for along time.

Whatever has brought you to this point, your here, its time. If you're feeling something about me I want to say I personally believe successful therapy is purely built upon connection and it's crucial you feel that. So, If you have felt something even if it's curiosity I invite you to book a free consultation to find out if your feelings were right and then maybe make that next step closer to getting help with whatever your needs maybe. I look forward to serving you in the counselling room.  

Michael Watson - Humanistic Counsellor is also trained and attuned to a Reiki Ryoho Master level and can offer to those individuals whom feel a deep stuckness and a knowing within the whole body (inc Mind) of needing something additional to compliment the talking therapy journey. This comes as a separate skill and can be accessed and experienced from his studio in Pokesdown.

Michael also volunteers as a qualified counsellor at the YMCA Full Circle Counselling service as he feels its also important to give back to the community and to honour the amazing gift of being able to help someone.