Philippa Parker

I am a warm & approachable counsellor with 15+ years of experience in private practice & I welcome people with a wide range of issues. Please see testimonials below which clearly describe my approach. I also counsel trainees at a reduced cost.

I have a private practice at home with a separate entrance to my counselling room which overlooks a peaceful & private garden within walking distance from the centre of Frome. On street parking is always available.

At our first meeting we can discuss exactly what you feel you might need at this time & see if we can find a way forward together. I offer both short term counselling – which may be goal oriented or solution focused – or open ended counselling where more time can be used for deeper self exploration. My contract does not tie anyone into any number of sessions and we decide together how to proceed & whether we meet weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Sessions always include a regular review of how the counselling is going.

I have also worked as an Accredited Bereavement Counsellor with a national charity for over 20 yrs now & I therefore have an enhanced DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check.

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Counselling offers the opportunity to talk completely privately & confidentially in a safe & accepting environment. Sometimes just talking with a counsellor and feeling understood can restore hope when things might seem hopeless. Counselling offers support in times of uncertainty & change but it can also help you to gain greater insight about your life right now so that you can move forward with more clarity & confidence. Counselling can help you find new resources & possibilities within yourself but any choices you make will always be yours.

‘Creating the world we want is a much more subtle but more powerful mode of operation than destroying the one we don’t want’ Marianne Williamson

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Testimonials:

'After contacting many other counsellors in the area I was impressed by the warmth and kindness I felt after I spoke to you on the phone. It was an easy decision to choose you. I felt quite different after the first session from the other counselling I have had in the past. This was mainly a feeling of ease and comfort, partly to do with not having any real difficulties with presenting issues. It just felt real and warm'. James, Midsomer Norton.

'I felt a sigh of relief to finally acknowledge how I was feeling & share it with somebody who could offer various coping mechanisms. Since seeing Philippa, I have recognised an ability to acknowledge feelings/emotions without latching on & having the sense of Why Me? Before states of overthinking become too intense, I remember that they are just thoughts & can start to quieten the voice within. She has supported me in recognising that I am not in control of others' reactions/responses to situations; therefore, acknowledging how getting caught up in predicting or preventing a non-desirable outcome will be of limited benefit. Philippa has helped me to reduce my concerns about what others may think, to enjoy taking moments for myself & become more in tune with the present moment.'  Georgia, Frome.

'I found Philippa immediately to be a careful & active listener. I wasn't sure if counselling was the right thing for me - having some past trauma & a recent bereavement. I came to her feeling very lost & in a bit of a rut mental health wise. She spent the time to understand my situation & listened & guided conversations so I could understand myself.  This combined with her practical takeaways & referral material really helped me outside the sessions to cope & adjust. A truly compassionate & insightful person - I thoroughly recommend speaking to Philippa - if you are on the fence you are in safe hands.' Ash, Frome.

'I felt held and accepted with warmth & compassion. I was surprised how at ease I was with a counsellor I had not known for long. Her depth of understanding & lack of judgement enabled me to come to my own conclusions & to trust my gut and in turn trust life. I found this empowering & it helped me to be less influenced by the opinions of others' Julie, Frome.

‘Counselling with Philippa not only offered a space to talk and some practical tools but she also intuited that a certain book would be right for me. The recommended book was very helpful & got me through a very black time.’ Kate, Frome

‘What helped most was the empathy – not sympathy. Even though the world felt dreadful, I had found someone who would listen without judging. It gave me hope that I was not going mad & that perhaps, with time, I could recover. I finished counselling when I reached a point where I felt I could move forward on my own. I would consider coming back if things got bad again.’ Mike, Westbury

‘Philippa encouraged me to go only as far as I felt safe doing.  This isn't to say that she didn't challenge me - she did but I always felt reassured by the knowledge that she wanted only for me to grow securely and at my own pace.  As well as talking, we worked creatively together using objects, sand and my own artwork/models & the meanings they contained were always genuinely, carefully and warmly honoured by Philippa, as were all the ideas and feelings I brought to her.  She helped me to see that the expression of something, however frightening or horrifying to me, was an important step towards understanding myself and to healing and she gave me courage to look more deeply into my self.’  Caroline, Frome

Guilt & Shame
Isolation & Loneliness
General Dissatisfaction & Loss of Meaning in life


I have experience of working with people with learning disabilities

£50   Trainees £40

Fees payable at the end of each session or bank transfers in advance on the morning of the appointment date

Telephone counselling also available.

I regularly practice yoga, Qi Gong & meditation/relaxation. Continuous professional development & training, underpinned by many years experience of personal therapy, support my practice.

‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’   Mahatma Ghandi