About me
“When life feels overwhelming or hard to move through, and you feel stuck, you don’t have to navigate it alone.”
I’m Rachel, a fully qualified, accredited EMDR therapist and experienced person‑centred integrative counsellor. I have extensive experience supporting people to navigate anxiety, trauma, low self‑esteem and emotional overwhelm, and to make meaningful, positive changes in their lives. I offer both talking therapy and EMDR therapy. You don't need to know which approach would suit you before getting in touch. We can explore this together during your initial consultatoin.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a gentle, structured therapy that helps the brain process distressing and traumatic experiences that may feel “stuck.”
Sometimes, even when we understand what’s happened, the emotional impact remains. You might notice certain memories still feel intense and distressing or that your body reacts in ways that are hard to explain.
EMDR works by supporting the brain’s natural ability to process these experiences, so they begin to feel less overwhelming.
I work with you in a paced and contained way, helping feelings settle so they no longer carry the same trauma, distress emotional weight.
What EMDR Therapy Can Help With
-Anxiety that feels persistent or overwhelming.
-Past distressing and traumatic experiences that still feel present.
-The lasting impact of growing up in complex or emotionally difficult environments.
-Low self-esteem or a strong inner critic.
-Difficult memories that are hard to move on from.
-Emotional responses that don’t seem to make sense.
-The emotional impact of ADHD, including overwhelm, anxiety, difficulty with focus and regulation.
You don’t need to have experienced a single major trauma for EMDR therapy to be helpful. It can also support the impact of ongoing anxiety, distress or relational experiences.
Talking can often help us make sense of what we’re going through. At times, though, painful or distressing experiences remain held in the body, continuing to surface despite our best efforts to understand them. EMDR is a structured yet gentle therapy that supports the brain to process what hasn’t fully settled, allowing emotional intensity to lessen and life to feel calmer and more manageable.
Although I specialise in EMDR, my work is rooted in person‑centred values. This means you are always met with care, respect, and without judgement. I aim to offer a supportive space where you feel heard and accepted just as you are.
My practice is guided by the following principles:
- you are listened to with care and respect
- there is no expectation to be any particular way
- our work is paced around what feels safe and manageable for you
My Approach to EMDR Therapy
My approach is steady, relational, and guided by your needs which is the centre of the therapeutic process. Before any EMDR processing begins, we take time to build a sense of safety and stability together. You are never pushed into anything before you feel ready, and we work at a pace that feels manageable for you.
EMDR therapy offers a way of working that goes beyond talking alone. It allows experiences that feel “stuck” to be processed more fully, so that they begin to lose their emotional intensity, and no longer limit how you feel, respond, live and experience the world.
I integrate EMDR with a relational, human approach so that the work we do together feels both effective and containing.
My Background
As well as being a qualified counsellor, I bring over two decades of experience in mentorship and coaching, which allows me to provide compassionate guidance and support tailored to your unique needs. My training in EMDR therapy enables me to support deeper processing of trauma and emotional distress.
Alongside my work with private clients, I work with a large NHS mental health trust, victim support and local council services. As an accredited registered member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) my practice adheres to and aligns with their rigorous ethical and professional frameworks. Additionally, I am accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Ongoing Professional Growth
To offer the highest standard of care, I remain intentionally engaged with continuing professional development and the latest innovations in psychotherapy and EMDR.
“Sessions with Rachel helped me by providing support and explanations helping me to understand what was happening. It was a place where I could say how I felt without any repercussions. It changed my perception of myself which up until then had been based on negative feedback from people in my life. I now experience feelings of freedom and self-worth.” – Client Testimonial
I offer sessions nationally and internationally online, as well as in person across Chichester, Bognor Regis, and the Portsmouth area, with locations conveniently positioned near public transport links.
Please get in touch on 07802513143 to book your free 20 minute initial telephone consultation.
Training, qualifications & experience
- EMDR Therapy Practitioner - EMDR Academy, accredited by EMDR UK & Europe (all 4 parts)
- BA (Hons) Dip Humanistic Counselling - University of Chichester
- Certificate in Counselling Skills - University of Chichester
- Professional Accreditation in Counselling and Psychotherapy - The National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
- Professional Accredited Member of The National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
- Member of The Person Centred Association
- Certificate in Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health - University of Lincoln
- Safeguarding Children Level 2 - University of Lincoln
- Certificate in Online Counselling - The Open University
Learn More About EMDR
EMDR is a NICE, ISTSS, and WHO-approved trauma treatment with a strong evidence base for PTSD and complex trauma. If you’d like to learn more about how EMDR works, these resources are a good starting point:
- Introduction to EMDR – School of Life (5 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNdMHuwvF_M - Memory Reconsolidation Explained – Bruce Ecker (20 mins)
https://youtu.be/_V_rI2N6Fco - Dr Debbie Korn: EMDR with Complex Clients (40 mins)
https://youtu.be/hNr19mx1h9g - ISTSS Guidelines – EMDR Recommended for PTSD Treatment
https://emdr-europe.org/istss-guidelines-emdr-recommended-for-ptsd-treatment/ - EMDR UK & Ireland Association
https://emdrassociation.org.uk - NICE Guidelines (NG116) – Sections 1.6.18 & 1.6.13
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng116/chapter/Recommendations#management-of-ptsd-in-children-young-people-and-adults - Francine Shapiro: EMDR and Adverse Life Experiences
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951033/ - American Psychological Association: EMDR Overview
https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/eye-movement-reprocessing
ICO registration number ZB589802
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Please get in touch on 07802513143 to book your free 20 minute initial telephone consultation.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£70.00 - £85.00
Additional information
Booking an Appointment
Please get in touch on 07802513143 to book your free 20 minute initial telephone consultation.
The consultation is a calm and confidential space where you can talk about what has been going on for you, what has led you to consider counselling, and for us to connect and explore whether working together feels like the right fit.
I offer both talking therapy and EMDR Therapy.
- Weekly session fee for talking therapy is £70 per 50 minute session.
- Weekly session fee for EMDR therapy is £85 per 50 minute session.
To confirm and secure your first appointment, payment is required at the time of booking.
Session fees vary where other timescales have been agreed.
Further information
Here are some thoughts and experiences shared by a few of my clients. Their feedback reflects what working with me as their counsellor has meant to them:
* "I'm 26, I've been running my own business for 3 months and I feel very secure and confident in myself most of the time. There will always be further to go and more work to be done, but if I look back at the 22-year-old who sat down with Rachel for the first time the insecurity I felt about myself stands out as the key factor that was holding me back. I have worked relentlessly with Rachel to challenge my limiting self-beliefs, and I now believe that the true growth I’ve achieved is a result of challenging the beliefs I clung to, the ones that made me feel safe but in reality, were unhealthy and kept me oppressed. Thanks to working with Rachel, I'm now entering a new chapter of my life, one that I had always doubted was possible. Thank you so much Rachel for everything you've helped me achieve."
* "When I realised I was functioning but not coping I knew it was time to get help. Luckily, I found Rachel. She had an amazing ability to help me find peace within myself by letting me talk and find my own way forward whilst accepting that I had become overwhelmed. Just to have someone who creates calm in a very safe, welcoming environment who gave me the chance to talk, cry, reminisce and find my smile again. We meet people in life who leave a footprint in our lives and Rachel did that for me. She gave me support and encouragement by listening and the strength to find myself again."
* "Sessions helped me by providing support and explanations which helped me understand what was happening. It was a place where I could say how I felt without any repercussions. It changed my perception of myself which up until then had been based on negative feedback from people in my life. I then experienced feelings of freedom and self-worth. I had complete trust in Rachel and felt a bond with her. We were on a journey together and she genuinely celebrated each milestone with me. She conducts herself in a professional but compassionate manner and is very well informed. I can highly recommend her."
Please get in touch on 07802513143 to book your free 20 minute initial telephone consultation
