Pause: Breathe: Connect
Listen to who you are. Discover who you might become...
Welcome
Gestalt Psychotherapy, Counselling and Supervision
in Penarth, Cardiff, South Wales and on-line.
Welcome to my website!
For thirty years I've been exploring what it means to be human. I support people to gain insight about who they are and better understand how they engage with the world.
Anxiety is something that many people are facing now. Certain situations may cause our bodies to signal distress although, sometimes, anxiety is a constant state. I have long experience of supporting people to escape from stressful, chronic responses.
Why people choose to come to psychotherapy.
Being human is challenging, particularly in these turbulent times. Some common concerns are anxiety or depression, relationship difficulties, trauma or loss. But each of us is unique, and all of us need to find out who we are and how we can live more satisfying lives.
Maybe you’re wondering what ‘talking therapy’ can offer you.
While no-one knows what’s possible until they discover it for themselves, many other people have found healing, comfort and resourcefulness in the process.
How? Therapy offers:
Trust. A relationship that values you and validates your experience.
Truth. A place to speak and share with honesty and authenticity.
Time. Precious moments in which to value the gift of being present to your self and your world.
Serving Penarth, Cardiff and the rest of South Wales with face-to-face counselling, psychotherapy and clinical supervision.
Available via Zoom for people from further afield, or when travelling might be an issue.
A 'hybrid' mix of on-line and in-person sessions is also possible when flexibility is important.
Continue down the page to find more about what psychotherapy may offer you.
Also available on the website:
This link will take you through to information about supervision or training.
This will direct you to resources to support you either personally or professionally.
My areas of special interest
My latest book 'Food and Mental Health: A Guide for Health Practitioners' was published in January 2022 by Routledge.
My previous book 'Competence and Self-care in Counselling and Psychotherapy' was published in 2014, also by Routledge.
You can find out more about my background and experience, and also how I came to write my books here.
You may also be interested in the following:
Please listen to the Food and Mental Health Podcasts, which explore some of the topics in the book more deeply. Discussions include the role of food in our lives and suggestions are offered for exploring your own relationship with food.
Podcast 1: Urban Vertical
Includes an interview with Amanda Wood, founder of the Community Interest Company 'Urban Vertical'. She talks about the launch of new company which uses an urban micro-green farm as the basis for teaching schoolchildren and other members of the local community about how to grow, cook and enjoy food.
Podcast 2: Food and Art
The podcasts last about 20 minutes.
You can read some of my work on the UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) website
Or on the UKAGP (UK Association for Gestalt Practitioners) website
How can therapy help you?
Truth, Trust, Time ...
Truth
Recognising what is true, and real and meaningful for ourselves and our lives brings insight and awareness and releases the capacity to make changes.
Trust
I offer myself as a trustworthy companion for your journey, a safe sounding board and a creative and reliable co-explorer. Knowing something about the paths I and others have taken gives me the knowledge and confidence to come through confusion and uncertainty to reach clarity and release potential.
Time
Maybe the most precious resource we have in this busy world. One hour, once a week to be absolutely alive to what is, can be a precious investment in your self and your future. Astonishingly, people find that doing their own therapeutic work can also benefit their families, partners and other close relationships. If one element of a system changes, then everything has to re-configure to adjust. This is how therapy contributes to changing the world ,as well as developing the person.
You can find out more about the therapeutic process and find the answers to many frequently asked questions here.
Why Gestalt?
Gestalt is an approach that recognises the importance of relationship and connectedness for human beings. Being about both talking and listening, it offers a whole philosophy of living and an approach to therapeutic practice that can help us bring our lives closer to how we would really like them to be.
Learn and experiment...
'When we always do what we've always done, we always get what we always got'. Therapy offers a safe, supportive space in which to learn about your self and try out new and different ways of being in the world, bringing about new and maybe more satisfying responses.
Become more resourceful.
Challenge is an unavoidable, even a necessary aspect of life. Working with a trained professional can help you make sense of your experience and so face future challenges with increased resourcefulness and resilience.
What issues can psychotherapy help with?
People come to me for help a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through psychotherapy:
Feelings of stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Problems with addiction
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Abuse
Depression
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger management
Issues relating to sexuality
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Problems with family or school life
Qualifications
One of the main bodies overseeing the accreditation and registration of psychotherapists and counsellors in Britain is the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. I am a UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist and Supervisor, which means I have met their criteria for qualified and experienced therapists and work in accordance with their ethical framework.
My location
I work from my home in Penarth, which is a small Victorian seaside town very near to Cardiff in South Wales. The house is close to Penarth train station and within easy walking distance of frequent bus services. There is easy parking outside.
I also meet people online using Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, which means I now see people from all over the UK, and other parts of the world where the time difference allows.
Availability
Psychotherapy sessions last for one hour and usually take place on a weekly basis.
I work 'office hours', Tuesday to Friday and my last appointment is usually around 5pm.
Please email or call to discuss mutual availability and what you might want from the sessions.
Payment
My usual hourly rate for people who are financing the sessions themselves is £60, but I am willing to negotiate.
People usually pay by bank transfer on the day of the session. I would provide the necessary details in advance of the first session.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how psychotherapy works, or to arrange an initial appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can call me on 07779 198917 or leave a message below. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.