Hello. My name is Elaine and I am a qualified counsellor trained in Integrative Therapy.Counselling is a process where you can talk freely and in confidence about what is troubling you to someone who is trained to listen and who will not judge you. It provides a thinking space for you to tell your story and gain insight into personal difficulties. The counselling relationship is based on trust and collaboration, where we will work at your own pace to help you create the solutions or make changes that are meaningful to you and which will endure after the therapy has ended.As an Integrative counsellor I use different methods according to a client’s individual needs. My main approach is Person-Centred, which can help you to explore your feelings and beliefs about yourself and others. It is a way of developing an understanding of yourself, which in turn leads to increased confidence and independence, enabling you to make decisions which are in tune with your inner values. Other approaches that may be used in our work together are from Psychodynamic theory which looks at how events in childhood and other past experiences can influence a person’s day-to-day life and examines unhelpful patterns which you may be repeating in your life. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at how the way you think affects your emotions and behaviour and can offer you coping strategies to move forward in your life. Short-term focused brief therapy can also be used if you are seeking to work within a more solution and goal-based form of counselling. In addition to my private work, I have experience of working for a national mental health charity offering long and short-term counselling to adults. I am a member of the BACP and abide by their ethical framework, by working safely and remaining fair and impartial, whilst promoting my client's autonomy and well-being.Please reach out if you would like to ask me any questions about my therapy practice or to discuss things further.