Why I became a Counsellor
I have always been fascinated in how the mind works and why people think, react and say the things they do and for as long as I can remember I would often fall into the role of confidant and/or mediator in my friendship groups and family. I'm warm, bubbly, energising and kind - I can feel the embarrassment soaring!! I am approachable, a good listener and have an innate ability to communicate with people from all walks of life. I am respectful, empathic and strongly believe that no problem is too small, for if it is troubling you, then it is BIG.
I have travelled, worked abroad and set up and run various businesses. Balancing my business commitments with family life, eventually took its toll on my mental health. I became an avid reader of self-help books (I still am) but eventually I was forced to admit to myself that I could not do it on my own. Being the independent, "I'll just work my way through this" type, asking for help was a huge step for me. The counselling I received turned my life around. I made life changes around the work/life mantra; "working to live rather than living to work".
Part of this journey was to go back to the basics of what I am passionate about, interested in and have a natural bias towards and "communicating" came up as key for me. Reflecting on my interest in Psychology I re-trained in NLP and qualified as a Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner and started life coaching in Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot and Exeter. Working with individual clients, I helped them to realise their business, career and lifestyle goals. It quickly became evident that some of these clients needed extra emotional support, often presenting with anxiety relating to trauma, which was beyond my qualifications and skill set. As per ethical guidelines I referred them onto a qualified therapist. However, it felt as though I was letting them down, pulling away from them when they needed me to help them. Being in this situation went against my strong loyalty and commitment values, so I put my life coaching business on hold and embarked on the three years of training to qualify as a counsellor.
Since qualifying, I have discovered that such is my desire for further knowledge and understanding of the mind, the learning never stops and I learn something new from every client I work with. I have at least 3 Psychology books on the go at any one time and the Continued Personal Development (CPD) training always pushes me to my limits. This is good for me because learning and personal growth are another core value of mine and I thrive on it. I am passionate about counselling and helping to make a difference in someone's life. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing a clients face light up when they realise that they have the coping strategies and strength within, to become the best version of their true self and therefore live a happier and more fulfilling life.
I live in Kingsteignton, in beautiful Devon, with my ever supportive husband and grown up son. Within easy reach of Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Torbay and Exeter, I offer counselling, life coaching and online sessions from my private and homely therapy room, over looking the garden and detached from my house.
If you would like a free initial session to see if I am the right counsellor for you then please get in touch via email or phone.
Finally....I love the following quote from a book called "The Choice" by Edith Eger. The book has had a lasting positive impact on my own personal journey and I'd like to share this small extract with you because even if you decide that you're not ready to embark on counselling these wise words may just help you on your journey towards mental wellness;
“to be free is to live in the present. If we are stuck in the past saying, ‘if only I had gone there instead of here….’ or ‘if only I had married someone else….’, we are living in a prison of our own making. Likewise, if we spend our time in the future, saying, ‘I won’t be happy until I graduate’ or ‘I won’t be happy until I find the right person’. The only place where we can exercise our freedom of choice is in the present” – (Eger, 2017)
