Tony Hardy

I offer one-to-one and couples counselling sessions.

I have worked successfully with male and female adult clients aged from 18 to 75, presenting with depression, anxiety, stress, loss, low confidence and self-esteem, eating disorders, trauma, anger, survivors of domestic abuse and childhood sexual abuse, and relationship issues.

With individuals, I work integratively, meaning I pull together techniques from various counselling modalities in a coherent fashion, with the person-centred approach of Carl Rogers being at the core of my practice. This requires that I put the client at the centre of all that I do: I absolutely believe that the client knows themselves far better than I do. I therefore don’t analyse or advise the client: rather I create a warm and safe environment in which the client can explore themselves and their issues, and I facilitate them coming to their own realisations and conclusions, at their own pace and depth. The client-counsellor relationship is everything in the work I do with my clients.

The model I use for couples work is based on Transactional Analysis. This theoretical framework uses the idea that two people communicate with each other from one of three ego states: Parent, Adult or Child. The ideal situation is an Adult-to-Adult transaction where both parties have their needs met. Problems occur when transactions take place between mixed ego states, or when the transactions are inconsistent with the ego state the two parties are in. This leaves one or other of the parties' with unmet needs and often results in 'game playing' to get those needs met. The role of the therapist is to observe what games are being played, to identify what unhelpful behaviours are being acted out to perpetuate the game-playing, and to model more helpful behaviours in order to break the destructive cycle which is preventing the relationship from working.

Whilst counselling is first and foremost a talking therapy, I like to work creatively, with whiteboard and flip charts, and props such as buttons and mood cards. I bring creative writing and guided readings into our practice for clients who prefer to express themselves in this way.

Like many counsellors, I have been on my own journey from a dark place to where I am today. Counselling was fundamental to my own recovery. It allowed me to discover the real me, to believe in myself and my own abilities, and to realise my full potential. I draw upon my own experience where it is appropriate to my clients. I help them rediscover the strengths and resources that they have, that we all have, and I help them create a future for themselves where they too can shine.