Toni Kearton
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I'm a person-centred counsellor based in the Cairngorms National Park. I've worked with adults from age 18 to 85, and all decades in between, with a variety of issues including trauma and PTSD, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, substance misuse, major life changes, childhood trauma, and low self esteem. I've worked with neurotypical and neurodiverse clients (including ADHD), with clients at a crossroads in their lives, and with clients who are supporting loved ones with chronic illness.
I offer one-to-one sessions with adults, face-to-face indoors in Boat of Garten and near Grantown on Spey, outdoor "walk and talk" sessions on broad tracks through the woods or by the Spey, or online and by phone from anywhere in the UK.
Please contact me with any questions about counselling, or to arrange a free 30-minute introductory phone conversation.
Person-centred means I work with the person, not the problem: I’m interested in you, your experience, what brings you to counselling and what you’re hoping to get from it.
Counselling and You
Perhaps you’re suffering from past trauma, wanting support with present difficulties, or worried about what the future brings. You may be facing loss, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, major life changes, or feeling down, depressed or anxious. Or perhaps you simply want to understand yourself better. There’s no “right” or “wrong” reason to come to counselling, and you don’t have to be in crisis to do so.
I believe we all have within us the capacity to grow and develop in the way that's right for us. Sometimes we all need a bit of help with that. My role as your counsellor is not to tell you what to do, but to work with you to help you find your own way forward. I'll give you a safe, confidential, empathic and utterly non-judgemental space where we can explore what is causing you emotional difficulty.
What happens in our sessions?
We talk. You choose what we talk about, and the pace we go at. (If you’re not sure where to start, that's fine too – the important things will always come up.)
I will: do my very best to understand you, from your perspective, without judgement or blame. I'll offer you empathy and respect. I know that being truly heard and understood can be transformative. I’ll ask questions to help facilitate deeper understanding, offer my responses to what you say, and perhaps offer you some alternative perspectives and suggestions.
I won’t: judge you, push you where you don't want to go, or tell you what to do.
In order to change, we first need to understand and accept how we are, now. I’ll help you unpack complex feelings, identify patterns in your life, understand how past issues may be affecting you in the present. Learning in our counselling sessions how to better understand and listen to yourself is something that can stay with you long after counselling ends.
I'm a Counsellor Member of COSCA and adhere to their Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice at all times.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling & Psychotherapy, with Distinction - University of the Highlands and Islands
- COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills - University of the Highlands and Islands
- Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling - Counselling Tutor
- BA Hons in English Literature
I take my professional development seriously, and recent additional training includes:
- Dreams in Person-Centred Therapy - Foundation for the Developing Person (2024)
- Healing Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - MindBody Breakthrough (2023)
- Foundation Certificate in Bereavement Counselling - Temenos (2023)
- Transactional Analysis 101 - Physis Scotland (2023)
I've worked with adults from age 18 to 85, and all decades in between, with a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, grief & loss, major life changes, trauma & PTSD, childhood trauma, and low self esteem. I've worked with neurotypical and neurodiverse clients (including ADHD), with clients at a crossroads in their lives, with clients who are supporting loved ones with chronic illness, and with clients who have personality disorders. In short - I work with people!
I volunteer with a national counselling agency, and have experience of delivering counselling within an NHS setting.
Member organisations
COSCA is the professional body for counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland, and seeks to advance all forms of counselling and psychotherapy and the use of counselling skills by promoting best practice and through the delivery of a range of sustainable services. COSCA Counsellor Accreditation is a pathway to entry onto the UKRC.
It is a requirement of all individual and organisational members of COSCA to abide by its Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice and be accountable to the Complaints Procedure. 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
As a person-centred counsellor, I work with you, the person, not “the problem”, and I don’t diagnose - but I'm happy to help you explore what a diagnosis means for you. If you don’t recognise your own experience/issue above, but what I’ve written on this page resonates with you, please get in touch so we can explore if we're a good “fit” to work together.
Therapies offered
Fees
£35.00 - £45.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I have a sliding scale, and ask that you pay what feels appropriate for you, depending on your circumstances.
We know that for counselling to be effective, the therapeutic relationship really matters. To help you decide if I'm the counsellor you’re looking for, I offer a free initial 30-minute telephone consultation.
When I work
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Some weekend sessions and different evenings may also be possible, please contact me to discuss.
Further information
The number of sessions we have is up to you, depending on what you want and need. We'll discuss at the start and review as we go along. In general, it’s therapeutically helpful to meet regularly, usually weekly, at the start, but fortnightly (and less frequently) is also possible.
Confidentiality is particularly important in counselling. I'm especially mindful of discretion and confidentiality living here in the Highlands, where the population is small. If you're a local client, we'll discuss this further when we meet.
