"Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change."
Counselling and psychotherapy for individuals in a safe, comfortable and private setting
I am a qualified, registered, and passionate Psychotherapist integrating Humanistic approaches. I offer short and long-term counselling to adult individuals from my therapy room based in Kingston, South-West London, or online via Zoom.
Throughout our lives we are in relationships with others. Starting with our primary caregivers, peers in our formative years, and later as adults. I believe these relationships set the template for our patterns of relating to others, and ourselves.
For some of us, our relationships were safe and secure. For others, they may have been difficult, painful, or perhaps did not meet our needs sufficiently. These experiences can impact us at a deeper level effecting most importantly how we feel about ourselves, others, and the world.
This can lead us to feeling stuck, anxious, self-loathing or critical, depressed, isolated, scared or angry. Blame is not necessary but understanding what happened to us is, as making sense of our story can help us to move forwards with self-compassion, heightened self-esteem, and with the power of insight and informed choice.
Relationships are fluid and change as we move through life. You may have suffered the loss of a relationship or a loved one via ending or bereavement. You may have experienced abuse in a relationship past, or present. Perhaps you are in relationships with others that leave you feeling confused, powerless, and out of control. Or it may be that you have questions around your identity and the relationship you have with yourself.
Many people find relief and gain clarity when exploring these challenges with a professional. Seeking therapy is a courageous step. I hope that the therapeutic relationship we will co-create, will empower you and help you to find clarity.
How Counselling Can Help
The aim of counselling and psychotherapy is to gain deeper self-awareness. The therapeutic relationship is unique and offers a confidential, non-judgmental space that is for you to explore and express your genuine thoughts and feelings. I believe that my role as a counsellor is to listen and hold a mental account of the whole of the content you bring. You will be supported to stand back from your story, and to reflect on your life and experiences openly and honestly. This can be challenging yet can aid you in discovering new possibilities and more rewarding ways of living.
People come to counselling for many reasons. Perhaps you notice unexplainable emotions, unhelpful relationship patterns, or addictive behaviours which you would like to change. Maybe something has happened to you that you would like to make sense of or come to terms with. Or it may be that you struggle with low self-esteem or find it hard to say no. Psychotherapy is about understanding yourself and how you construct the world which surrounds you, empowering you to live a life that is meaningful for you on your terms.
What do People Come to Talk About?
People come to me for help with a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through therapy:
Relationship difficulties
Sadness, depression, emptiness, low self-esteem, shame
Anxiety, stress, panic, fear
Obsessive or addictive behaviour
Eating disorders
Family issues
Identity, purpose, loneliness and isolation
Anger, guilt, mood swings
Bereavement or other loss
Lack of confidence
Death and dying
Sexuality or sexual activity
Career and work-related issues
Life balance, feeling overwhelmed
Self-harm or suicidal thoughts
Feeling stuck and uncertain
Divorce and separation
Domestic abuse
Trauma
Childhood issues
Anxiety, depression
Infertility, miscarriage
Cultural issues
Spirituality
Existential angst
My Approach
My approach to counselling is integrative, which means I draw from the valuable theoretical contributions of Person Centred, Gestalt, and Existential psychotherapeutic perspectives allowing me to tailor my approach to suit your preference and individual needs.
I work relationally, meaning I use the therapeutic relationship as a strong foundation for our work and an indication of how you relate to yourself, others, and in turn how they respond to you. Together we can explore how you manage difficult feelings and why this may be. Your core beliefs and defence behaviours so you can decide what is helpful, or alternatively what is no longer needed. Past events and relationships and how they have impacted you and may be unconsciously effecting you presently.
Taking into context your personal, social, and cultural environment, we can consider labels which may have been placed upon you and subsequently how this makes you feel. I may share my observations with you, but I avoid giving out opinions or advice. It is up to you, with my support, to reach your own conclusions and decisions. This lays down important ground for you to be able to move on from therapy and in many ways, become your own therapist.
What creates effectiveness in counselling, and is supported by academic research, is the relationship between client and therapist. Therefore, it is important that you feel comfortable and relaxed, so that you can express your authentic self. Then together, we can share curiosity around what it is like to be you, and how life looks from your perspective.
About Me
I am originally from South-West London. In my previous career I worked with individuals from varied cultural, racial, and social class backgrounds, in which I spent long periods of time developing close interpersonal relationships. I find both people and the mind fascinating and found I could empathise with others. It was this passion for people which ignited the spark to train as a Counsellor / Psychotherapist.
In addition to this, I myself have experienced personal difficulties and adverse life experiences like most of us have. This led to a yearning for knowledge and a desire to know myself on a deeper level so that I could improve my life. This healing journey has allowed me to understand myself and others, so that I can now walk alongside them. Going to the depths of my own authentic self, has given me the courage to now hold others safely whilst they do the same.
I offer my clients a trusting, warm, respectful, and compassionate therapeutic relationship, in which we move at your own pace. The therapeutic space that we will create, will allow you to truly express yourself without feeling judged. You can expect me to wholeheartedly support you and empower you throughout your journey.
It is my passion and a privilege to help my clients on their journey’s back to themselves where they can feel positive about the future again. Finding within themselves peace, safety, and renewed strength. The mind can be used as a powerful tool, allowing us the opportunity to heal - I believe that this could be the case for you too.
Qualifications
I have completed a Foundation (FdSc) and a BA Honours Degree in Counselling at the University of Greenwich, which are accredited by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). As part of my training, I received over 150 hours of personal therapy.
I am committed to my ongoing growth as a therapist and regularly attend Continued Professional Development (CPD) and training. All clinical work is overseen by a supervisor, in which client details remain confidential and is a requirement of the BACP ethical framework which I adhere to.
Alongside my private practice I provide psychotherapy at Kingston Women's Centre. Previously, I was a psychotherapist at The Eaves Psychological Services in Guildford and I also offered counselling at the University of Surrey where I formed part of the Equality Diversity and Inclusion team.
Getting Started
Please do get in touch via email at carmen.counselling@gmail.com or via the contact form to arrange your initial assessment session, where I will aim to get back to you within 24 hours. This is an opportunity to see if you feel I am the right psychotherapist for you, to explore what brings you to counselling, and for us to discuss your therapeutic goals.
All correspondence will be treated confidentially.
Once you have had your assessment session and if you decided you would like us to work together, I would suggest we meet once a week for 6 weeks then review your progress. At this point, you may feel you would like to take a break to consolidate your experience, or you may feel you would like to stop. However, most people decide to continue meeting weekly.
A note on terms counselling and psychotherapy: Counselling and psychotherapy are interchangeable terms. Counselling is usually short term, between 6-12 sessions where focus is placed on one issue. Psychotherapy is usually longer term and open ended, with focus on numerous issues with deeper exploration.
Fees & Availablity
- Session fees- £70
- Sessions take place weekly and are 50 minutes in duration.
- Cancellations without 48hrs notice for any reason are chargeable at the full rate.
- Please contact me to arrange a 50 minute assessment session. (Although assessment sessions are chargeable, there is no obligation to take up therapy after this session.)
Get in Touch
Please email me at carmen.counselling@gmail.com or via the contact form to arrange your assessment session or with any questions you may have. If you would prefer to speak to me prior to your assessment, do let me know and we can arrange a time for me to contact you on the phone number you have provided.