Alena Quartermaine

Free of charge, initial session for clients seeking individual or couples counselling.

As an accredited member of BACP and NCPS with over 16 years of counselling experience, I have worked with a wide range of issues, including but not limited  to anxiety, depression, anger management, stress, confidence issues, relationship, family, marital and parenting issues.      

The free of charge initial meeting gives you an opportunity to meet me and ask any questions you may have regarding therapy or my practice. I'll ask about challenges you've been facing and your goals for therapy. Working in collaboration with you, we would explore ways to meet your desired goals, drawing up on your inner and life resources as well therapeutic interventions, so already in the first session, you can start to feel more in control and start making positive changes.

As an integrative counsellor, I draw upon different psychotherapy and counselling approaches to fit individual client's/couple's needs.

To continue with my professional development, I have decided to pursue my interest in Human givens (HG) therapy. I have recently become a Trainee member of the Human Givens Institute. (HGI)

*I currently offer a free of charge, in person HG therapy for individual clients experiencing mild to moderate depression or/and anxiety or a phobia to enhance my skill in this approach.

*Please contact me directly for further details.

The concept behind HG therapy is understanding that if one or more physical and/or fundamental 9 emotional needs (need for security, intimacy, community, attention, control, privacy, status, achievement and meaning) is not being met in our environment, we can experience a considerable distress.

The aim of HG therapy is to work with clients to help them identify their compromised needs and support them in meeting them using problem solution, practical, empowering, here and now approach and interventions, utilizing client's inner and life resources to meet client's desired goals.
Why consider counselling?

There could be various reasons behind considering counselling. You may be concerned about future decision making, feeling stressed and anxious, having relationship difficulties, going through crises in your personal or working life or perhaps experiencing overwhelming feelings of sadness, guilt, low mood, loneliness, anxiety or having PTSD and OCD symptoms. Counselling offers you an opportunity to explore these feelings in a safe and caring environment.  My aim is to gain a good understanding of the challenges you have been facing.  I can assist you by offering non-judgemental understanding and support whilst working with you on presented issues as well as give you constructive challenges and tasks so you can start to feel more in control and find the way forward that feels right for you and make positive changes in your life.

"....the change I have noticed in myself has been dramatic. I felt a little hopeless and was dubious about therapy due to previous bad experiences. Alena was welcoming, soft, understanding and patient. She listened but also spoke up and challenged me.....helped me understand 'me that I'm today....." M

Being in a relationship can be a wonderful experience but
there are times when it can also be a very challenging one. My aim in working with a couple experiencing
difficulties or crisis is in offering safe, supportive space to explore
differences, enabling couple to get a clearer point of view on what is
triggering strong emotional response and sometimes unhelpful behavioural patterns,
thereafter looking into ways how to manage these.  My aim is not only about helping to cope with
current crisis, but also to work in collaboration with a couple to identify strengths
and skills which can be drawn upon in the future conflict if needed.

"...We both felt incredibly supported and really valued our time with her as she was able to break down any challenges we faced. We learned to identify our triggers and our dynamic in the relationship, but also learned some valuable changes we could make in our behaviours. It was a very tough experience but our relationship has never been better..." J & K

Sometimes couples entering into or throughout therapy
process may come to conclusion to part.
Part of the work would be then to support a couple through this process, looking
into ways how to do so amicably and respectfully.

I believe that counselling is a way of reducing confusion and it can help you to discover your inner strength. It offers you an opportunity to gain better self-awareness and acceptance of yourself and others so you can lead more rewarding and fulfilling life.

Please feel free to email/call me with any questions about my practice and to book your first free of charge remote or face to face initial appointment. 

Due to nature of counselling work, my phone may be on silent or switched off at times, however if you leave your name and number I'll call you back as soon as I can.

I currently offer *free of charge face to face, individual therapy using Human Givens approach for clients experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression symptoms          *Please contact me for further details

individuals £60 per session
couples £80 per session

*concessions available

I offer a lower cost online and face to face therapy for clients in difficult financial situation (£40 per session)

* available weekdays daytime and evening appointments (Mon to Fri)

My private practice is conveniently located 1 min walk from Shepperton train station, which runs regular trains to/from London Waterloo.

It is easily accessible by public transport and offers mental health support for clients living in surrounding areas of Staines, Chertsey, Halliford, Laleham, Sunbury, Ashford, Feltham, Hampton Court, Hampton and Kingston upon Thames...