Pauline Rouse

Welcome to The Listening Room.

Have you spent so long looking after everyone else that you’ve forgotten what it feels like to focus on yourself?

Maybe you’ve always been the dependable one. The person who keeps going, carries the responsibilities, supports family members and puts other people’s needs first.

Now life may have changed in ways you never expected.

You may be adjusting to a diagnosis, living with a disability or long-term health condition, grieving the loss of a loved one, coping with children leaving home, navigating menopause, retirement, relationship changes or simply feeling unsure of who you are now.

Many of the people I work with describe feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or invisible. They have spent years caring for others, meeting expectations and carrying life’s burdens, often without recognising the impact this has had on their own wellbeing.

Sometimes the roles that once gave us purpose change or disappear altogether. This can leave us feeling lost, uncertain and disconnected from ourselves.

Counselling offers a space where you no longer have to carry everything alone.

As a person-centred counsellor, I provide a warm, supportive and non-judgemental environment where you can talk openly about your experiences, explore difficult emotions and begin to make sense of life’s changes at your own pace.

Alongside my professional training, I have personal experience of adapting to significant life change following sight loss. This involved leaving a long-term career and finding a new way forward. While everyone’s journey is unique, this experience has deepened my understanding of grief, loss, resilience, identity and the challenges that can arise when life takes an unexpected direction.

Whether you are struggling with anxiety, grief, loss, caring responsibilities, disability, chronic illness or a changing sense of purpose, you will be met with warmth, compassion and respect.

I offer face-to-face counselling in Airdrie, as well as online and telephone counselling across Scotland and the UK.

Life’s losses are not always obvious.

Sometimes we grieve the death of someone we love. At other times we grieve our health, our independence, our career, a relationship, a role that once defined us, or the future we had imagined for ourselves.

These experiences can leave us feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stuck or uncertain about what comes next.

I work with adults experiencing grief, loss, anxiety and major life transitions. Many of my clients are women who have spent years caring for others, supporting family members and meeting everyone’s needs except their own.

Others are adjusting to disability, chronic illness, a recent diagnosis, retirement, menopause, bereavement or significant changes in family life.

Often people come to counselling because they feel they have lost sight of themselves. They may feel overlooked, disconnected, emotionally exhausted or unsure of their purpose. They know something isn’t quite right, but struggle to put it into words.

Counselling provides an opportunity to pause, reflect and reconnect with who you are beneath the responsibilities, expectations and roles you have carried for so long.

My approach is collaborative, compassionate and led by you. I believe each person has the capacity to find their own way forward when given the right support, understanding and space to be heard.

Sessions are available face-to-face in Airdrie, online or by telephone, offering flexibility for those managing health conditions, disabilities, caring responsibilities or busy lives.

Whatever has brought you to counselling, you do not have to face it alone.

Grief and loss
Life transitions
Loss of identity and purpose
Carer stress and caregiver burnout
Disability and chronic illness
Adjustment to diagnosis
Anxiety and overwhelm
Feeling invisible / low self-worth
Menopause and midlife changes
Empty nest / children leaving home
Retirement adjustment
Relationship changes and separation
Stress

I offer a small number of concessionary rate spaces for those on a low income or experiencing financial difficulty. I understand that cost can sometimes be a barrier to accessing support, so please feel welcome to get in touch if you would like to talk through availability.

I aim to make counselling as accessible and straightforward as possible. I recognise that starting therapy can feel daunting, and I work in a way that allows people to move at their own pace, with flexibility around how sessions are approached and structured.

I am happy to adapt how we work together where possible, including communication style and practical arrangements, to support individual needs and reduce barriers to accessing therapy.

When you make contact, I offer a gentle and informal first step, with no pressure to continue if it does not feel right for you. My aim is to make the process of beginning counselling feel as comfortable and manageable as possible.

I also ensure that online sessions are kept as simple as possible, with support available for those who may feel less confident with technology.