Stephanie Cross

Hi, I'm Steph. Welcome to my profile. 

If you are considering having some therapy /counselling sessions, and would like an initial [free] chat to see whether counselling feels right for you,  please feel free to contact me to arrange this.

I have been a qualified counsellor for many years and during this time I have seen first hand how beneficial it can be for people to have regular time in a safe non-judgmental environment to  explore areas of their lives that are causing them distress. Areas of distress are varied but often include relationship issues, being a 'people pleaser', depression, anxiety, trauma, family, suicidal thoughts, stress, affairs and betrayals, abuse, bereavement, childhood issues, separation, low self confidence, life, work related stress, seasonal affective disorder, etc.

People can benefit from counselling in a variety of ways,  sometimes differently to how they had anticipated and often far more than they had hoped.  Clients often find person centered counselling very empowering.  This is really important because very often a person's low mood and anxiety can be as a consequence of being in relationships where they have felt very disempowered and have ceased to rely on their own internal sense of what they need to do, of what serves them best.

I always aim to work with clients to provide tools or ways of coping more effectively right now, sometimes before looking more deeply at feelings. This is because it can be important to feel more safe, more able to manage in the here and now, before feeling ready to explore deeper feelings. 

Persistent low mood, anxiety or confusion are often our bodies internal warning system alerting us to the fact that something is not right in our lives and needs to change. We are not always aware of exactly what it is as very often our real feelings can become denied or distorted to ourselves.  Counselling can help us to uncover these feelings, if and when necessary, by encouraging you to be more self accepting and self aware. This is far more achievable when the process is facilitated  in a safe and secure context, and once feelings are more accessible and clear, then what follows is the potential for change.

This is really the aim and starting point of counselling-through talking to a trained caring professional, you can have a unique opportunity to  really listen to yourself and understand why some of those feelings exist and once identified, explore realistic options to live a more meaningful and content life.

As a dedicated counsellor I strive to facilitate this process by offering you a safe non judgmental space.  It is a very simple concept but all too often quite rare in people's lives and this can be a major factor in thwarting self awareness and personal development;  if you feel you are going to be negatively judged for expressing the real you, it may feel like too much of a risk -even to yourself.   From feedback I have received from clients over the years, feeling like they are not being judged has been an essential factor in the counselling process as it enables people to express and understand themselves more fully.

Sometimes people find it very therapeutic just to be listened to and heard, to feel supported whilst they are going through difficult times, whilst they try to process some difficult emotions. (eg a difficult relationship, caring for someone who is ill, stresses at work or at home etc).

I have worked within an NHS setting and also my own private practice for many years.   I also offer supervision to other counsellors, and I have also had an active role in students training to be counsellors, from providing them with clinical supervision to tutoring on a Diploma / BA(Hons) course.  As a result of these different experiences  I feel it is really important to individualise the sessions to each client by listening carefully to what an individual needs from the sessions, whether it is for example, to process some difficult feelings or to gain some strategies to manage current anxieties,  and this is something that can be discussed before beginning any counselling work together.

I hope that the above is helpful in trying to decide whether counselling is right for you.  I have written this from my person-centred theoretical background, but mostly It is drawn from what I have learned from clients I have worked with since I qualified and began counselling in 2008.

Good luck.

Supervision

FOR COUNSELLING: £45per session (50 minutes) I believe in offering counselling at an affordable rate,  I am happy to discuss concessions for any individuals who would really like counselling, but are on a low income.

I also offer a reduced rate to student counsellors.
Please feel free to contact me for further details.

I am very happy to discuss any questions you may have about counselling, please email me or telephone me on 07949959561.