Stacey Sewell

• In person sessions available in Plympton 
  (there’s plenty of free parking in the area and buses direct from Plymouth city centre stop very close by. There’s easy access from the A38 and Marsh Mills)
• Online sessions available (UK-wide)
• Free 30 minute online consultation
• I work with individual adults (18+)

What I offer

I offer integrative counselling. Put simply, that’s a space, time and relationship that supports you to process what’s happened, what’s happening, and how to move forward. I help people to understand how their relationships with themself and others impacts their experience. I combine elements of CBT, ACT and psychodynamic therapies within a humanistic framework.

A relational approach

The type of counselling I offer is based on the idea that many of our problems and difficulties began in relationships – perhaps people did us direct harm, perhaps they weren’t there for us when we needed them, or perhaps they simply taught us some ways of seeing ourselves and the wold that no longer serve us. The same theory says positive relationships are also key to processing our emotions and experiences and moving forward. Sometimes, for all kinds of reasons, these positive relationships aren’t available - this is where counselling can come in.

Problems I can help with

Anxiety – We might look at tools and techniques to help combat anxiety, or look more deeply at what’s driving your worries. We might think together about how your relationship with yourself and others impact your experience or how any situations you find yourself in make things worse.

Depression – We can work together to understand some of the reasons why you might be feeling the way you are and what would support you to feel differently. Perhaps you’ve experienced too many knocks in life and it’s hard to find hope, or maybe you’ve had to numb your feelings just to get through.

Low self-esteem or lack of confidence – Maybe you’ve been given the message that you’re not good enough, or maybe you experience a strong critical inner voice that’s making life difficult. Perhaps perfectionism helps you to feel safe, but also holds you back. We can work together to understand your situation and identify steps towards change.

Stress – Small amounts of stress can be positive, but stress can become chronic and start to impact your health and happiness. We can work together to understand what’s causing your stress and how to take steps to reduce it. Perhaps it’s hard for you to say no to people, or experience has taught you that you have to work harder than others. Perhaps you’re experiencing burnout from having to pretend to be someone you’re not.

Loneliness – We can work together to understand the impact that a lack of good social connections is having on your life and think about helping you to increase your social circle. Perhaps you’re alone following a loss or bereavement, or maybe you’ve faced difficult experiences of being rejected. Perhaps you simply haven’t ‘found your tribe’.

Family or relationship troubles – Relationships can be a great, nourishing resource to have in your life, but we’re all human, and they don’t always work out that way. A relational approach to counselling can help you to understand more about who you are in relationships, the patterns you play out in them, and what you need from them. The counselling relationship itself can act as a safe and supportive resource for you to draw on while you explore these things.

Whatever brings you to counselling, I promise I’ll see you as a whole person, not just a difficulty or diagnosis. I’ll encourage you to see yourself that way too.

Sessions

Sessions are an hour long and usually weekly, though I keep some spaces on Fridays for clients who’d like to come fortnightly. The number of sessions you come for is shaped by you. I offer open-ended counselling. That means that we talk together about how many sessions might help you to find the changes you seek. Some people feel better and stop after 3 sessions. Others, who are looking for deeper change, or to process more difficult life events, come for much longer.

About me

I studied music at university, hoping to become a music therapist afterwards. Back then you had to be over 26 to start the training, so I went off to do something else for a bit and ended up spending 15 years working in education.

In my mid-30s, after experiencing the positive impact of counselling on my own life, I decided to go back to my plan to become a therapist. I’m glad I took the time to get some life experience first – it’s made me more understanding.

Now, almost ten years later, I work in both fields. I combine my work as a counsellor with work in a counselling training college and supporting university students with their mental health.

I love books, beaches, gardening, meeting people’s pets, and attempting to get better at yoga and playing the violin (though not at the same time!).

Get in touch

If I sound like the right counsellor for you, then I’d love to hear from you. You’re welcome to text or email me (my details are at the top of the page), or to use the button here on Counselling Directory to book an introductory call.

I offer a self-select sliding scale (£40/£50/£60).