Counselling service for children and young people

Alongside adult counselling, I also offer a counselling service for children and young people, both face-to-face and online. As a counsellor and psychotherapist, I have been working over 12 years with children and young people with varying issues such as, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem and confidence, trauma, and bereavement. Previous to this I worked as an out-of-hours supervisor, personal care assistant and teaching assistant, in a Primary and Pre-school setting for 9 years. The experience, together with having children of my own, including one on the autistic spectrum, gave me an invaluable insight into working with children both physically and emotionally.

As a person-centred Counsellor and Psychotherapist I believe each child and young person is a unique individual with the ability to develop, grow and achieve their true potential. Working in a person-centred way enables the child or young person to explore their feelings within a confidential relationship, in a nurturing and safe environment, without feeling pressurised to talk.

Communicating feelings and emotions, for most children and young people, can be difficult, and using other resources can be beneficial. This is where age appropriate resources are available, to encourage the child or young person to express their feelings and develop an awareness of emotions through play. This can help with behavioural and emotional difficulties, allowing the breakdown of emotional, behavioural and learning barriers. It encourages the child or young person to become more confident and build up self-esteem, giving them opportunity to explore and talk about how they feel, in order for change and growth to take place.