Wendy Neil - NCS Accredited, Dip.Couns.

About me

People come to counselling for a variety of reasons, such as;

• Difficulty dealing with intense emotions
• Having low confidence or self-doubt
• Feeling stressed and struggling to cope
• Feeling stuck in a rut
• Needing opportunity to express yourself freely
• Not feeling in control of your life
• Feeling lost, confused or conflicted
• Struggling with relationships
• Feeling disconnected from others or having difficulty trusting people

Everybody's situation is different and we need different things at different times.  Some of the ways in which I can help are;

• Talking through your experiences to understand what you are feeling
• Discussing potential coping strategies, practical steps to help you move forwards and feel more in charge
• Identifying unknown causes and triggers, and improving self-awareness
• Exploring your past to gain insight into what's happening now
• Talking through strong emotions, explore where these are coming from
• Clarifying what you need in order to move forward
• Looking at strategies for improving confidence and self-esteem
  Helping you get a better sense of who you are as a person
• Exploring different ideas and perspectives on your situation
• Helping you gain clarity about your thoughts and feelings, allowing you to put things in order
• Thinking about positive change and what you want the next chapter of your life to look like

These are some of the beliefs I hold which guide me as a counsellor;

• I believe that a sense of being an independent, capable person in control of your own life is important to well-being, so I have a high regard for your right to make your own choices.  This means that you have control over what we talk about, at what pace, and how many sessions you have
• My role is about helping you find your way forward, supporting you in making your own choices, and offering ideas if I think they may help
• I regard you as the expert on you: I have a love of theories and draw on lots of different theories in my work, but I value people above theories
• I believe in treating people equally and fairly, and not making assumptions about what someone is experiencing or what they need
• I believe we are all unique individuals, so I don't work to a 'programme' or assume that what works for one person will necessarily work for the next, therefore counselling is flexible to your individual needs and preferences
• I believe we all have our own way of looking at the world; so I aim to understand you on your terms
• I believe that mental distress is related to what happens to people in their lives, not a sign of illness or personality flaws

I take a positive and optimistic view that it is possible for us to move on, to grow and live a more fulfilling life and I endeavour to do the best I can to facilitate this process.  Please feel free to check out my website or get in touch if you would like to know more.