Rubina Rodrigues

Hello and a warm welcome,

I'd like to explore with you if we might be suited to work together, whether you are looking for online, in-person or walk& talk sessions. People seek therapy for a variety of reasons and the list below is by no means exhaustive:

• Some of us may wish to address certain issues which have been impacting life for a while, like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or low self-confidence;
• Some are having relationship problems, with a partner, at work or within a circle of friends, and need a space of their own to explore what's going on. Or they may wish to develop capacities to nurture the relationships with those who are important to them;
• Some of us need to acknowledged and work through traumatic experiences, current or historic, which deeply impact their life, and find ways to integrate those experiences in order to be able to live life more fully.
• For others, the Covid pandemic took a toll and they may have been left with the long term effects of "long-covid", which may be significantly impacting their quality of life;
• Others maybe be experiencing a time of grief, sorrow or are coming to terms with a deep loss; 
• Some of us have had a diagnosis which they wish to come to terms with; this can be a new diagnosis e.g. of a lifelong or life-threatening condition; or perhaps of neurodiversity, like autism and/or ADHD, and need to make sense of their whole life in the light of this new information;
• Others are at a transition stage of life, e.g. going to or leaving university; starting a family; changing jobs or roles and/or starting a new career; facing retirement, or questioning their gender identity;
• Some of us are needing to adjust to aging, our own and/or of family members, and to physical and mental challenges e.g. brought on by the menopause and other age-related health matters, and are seeking to find ways to honour the needs of this new stage of life.
• Others feel generally unhappy, burnt out even, disconnected from their own self and others, and want to work out why...

These are all themes I have worked through with clients.  Whatever is troubling you, you can be certain that I will do my very best to support and assist you in finding your path through therapy.

How I work - As a counsellor/psychotherapist I believe each client is unique and, as such, needs an individual therapeutic approach to address their concerns. I have a small  practice and this allows me to provide you with a therapeutic experience that is deeply personal and tailored to you and your needs, as an individual. I aim to offer a safe environment and a trusting relationship, where your own solutions can emerge, in an equal, respectful partnership, and within a completely private and confidential setting.

I work in a gentle, empathic and non-directive manner, in which a genuine, caring, warm and non-judgmental presence is fundamental to the way I practice.  We will work at your own pace, giving you the time, space and tools that you need to address whatever is problematic, distressing and challenging, including listening to those parts of you that may be hard to talk about. 

My Theoretical Background and Practical Skills - I practice within an integrative, person-centred, pluralistic framework. I draw from several therapeutic models to best address your needs and goals for the therapy, making the best use of my knowledge and experience not only as a counsellor but also as a fellow human being. Additionally, I make use of art therapy (e.g. drawing, painting, making collages, using figurines, etc) to facilitate the expressing and making sense of ideas, feelings and experiences that are often hard to put into words.

I also offer walk & talk therapy for those who might prefer nature-based therapeutic work or just an outdoors setting for their sessions. This can be freeing and less inhibiting for certain clients and a helpful way to start the therapeutic process.

We will discover together the resources you already have and explore other helpful strategies to address your difficulties and work effectively towards your goals. My approach is holistic so I take into consideration not only what’s going on for you at an emotional level but also physically and spiritually (if meaningful for you), as our therapeutic work unfolds.

How Counselling could work for you - In therapy, you will develop your capacity to be on your own side: this could mean learning to manage challenging emotional states such as panic attacks and flashbacks, as well as self-regulation skills, and how to look after your mental health with compassion and understanding.

Our work together could mean looking into your history (if appropriate), at your thoughts, feelings, reactions and behaviours. These can be made sense of in the context of your life and challenged, so that new, more helpful perspectives of relating to yourself, others and your life circumstances can be found.

This process leads to a greater understanding of you as a whole person so that hopefully you will feel more empowered and resourced to make your own choices. Clients report feeling more whole, and having greater resilience, self-acceptance and -confidence as a result, which leads to being better able to manage their difficulties more effectively.

Developmental trauma; historic child abuse. Menopause.

I offer a no-obligation, free 30 minute session to meet and discuss if we are suited to work together. You are welcome to contact me, and I am very happy to answer any questions you may have and/or to explore if counselling is right for you at this point in time, without any obligation. I aim to reply to email inquiries within 24hrs and I am usually able to set up an initial consultation within the same week. 

I live on the A6, a 20’ walk from central Lancaster. There is a regular bus service from the town centre to (nearly) my doorstep and also parking in front of the house and neighbouring streets. Although the counselling room is on the ground floor, unfortunately there are several steps leading from the street to the house, making it unsuitable to those with mobility issues. For those who cannot physically access the house, I can offer online counselling.