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Counselling & Therapy -

online and in-person based in Ashford

Looking for a counsellor?

This may be your first time looking for support or you may have had counselling before, either way it is worth exploring what counselling is and whether it is right for you.

Counselling is a place and space for you to talk about the things in your life that might be troubling you. This might be because you are experiencing difficult emotions, going through a period of change or you might need to make a difficult decision and need support in helping you through the process.

A counsellor will give you their time and attention, listening to you without judging what you are saying so you are able to work out what you would like to happen. The counselling relationship is different from a friendship or family bond, it is an agreed upon relationship where the counsellor focuses solely on helping you. You don't need to worry that you are taking up their time, talking too much (or too little) or not focusing on the other person; a counsellor's sole focus is on you and your wellbeing.

All the research on the effectiveness of therapy points to the strength of the relationship between you (the client) and the counsellor being the most important aspect in positive outcomes when seeking therapy. Do you feel accepted and heard by your counsellor? Are they genuinely interested in who you are? Do you feel they are ‘on your side’, even when they might be saying something challenging?

What we can help with

You may be seeking counselling if you are struggling with something in your life, come to a crossroads and need support in what to do next, or feeling a sense of stuckness that won't go away. There are many reasons why people seek counselling and we can help you navigate a path through some of life's common issues, such as:

Loneliness

Affairs and betrayals

Social anxiety

Suicidal thoughts

Neurodiversity

Health anxiety

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Emotional abuse

Self-harm

Separation and divorce

Domestic abuse

Redundancy

Anxiety

Depression

Relationship problems

ADHD

Low self-esteem

Low self-confidence

Trauma

Bereavement

Autism

Feeling sad

Stress

Anger management

Burnout

Work-related stress

Gender & sexuality

LGBTQ+

Bullying

Menopause

Postnatal depression

Mindfulness

Physical abuse

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Hoarding

Jealousy

Perfectionism

Meet the team

Neil Bedwell

Ally Payne

We all experience difficult times in our lives, times when we can't make sense and feel lost or stuck. You might be going through a break up, dealing with stress at work, experiencing bereavement or just feeling something is wrong but not sure what. As we go through life sometimes what we carry weighs us down, therapy can be a place to set down your ‘emotional rucksack’ and start to unpack it. You may want to completely empty your rucksack or you might just want to lighten your load a little, deciding what you would like to keep and what you would like to let go of. There is no right way to do therapy, we can work together to find what works best for you.

Where I can help is by giving you a space to work things out with someone who is on your side, whose focus is on helping you find your own path. Having worked for a number of years as a counsellor I feel my approach would be best described as existential, that as humans we all face the challenges of life and how to live it, as there is no instruction manual for living and no cure for the ‘human condition’. In our sessions we would look at how we can work together in identifying what may be stopping you from moving forward and help you decide what you would like to change in your life or how to come to a better understanding and acceptance of where you are.

I can offer you a space where you will find compassion, openness, empathy and warmth but also honesty, realness and challenge. It’s important to know that counselling isn’t easy, it’s certainly not just a sympathetic chat, as I feel that nothing that is worth doing in life is easy. But it can be a life changing and transformative process where together we can explore who you are and help you make different choices to become who you want to be.

I offer both short and long-term therapy and can work with you face-to-face, via online sessions/telephone or a hybrid of both depending on your preference.

I am an experienced counsellor and counselling lecturer, who believes that everyone is unique and valuable and deserves to live a rich and fulfilling life. Challenges are a normal part of the journey but sometimes they can become obstacles that detract from, or even totally obscure, the path that we would like to be on, or they prevent us from being the person that we would like to be.

Having faced many difficulties in my own life, I know first-hand how talking to an experienced professional can help us to explore and make sense of things. Life experiences can sometimes make us feel overwhelmed and confused and may cause anxiety or depression. Often the difficulties we experience in life aren’t developed in an instant and working through them, solving them, healing from them doesn’t happen instantly either. I would like to walk alongside you in this process.

I believe that the counselling relationship is at the heart of the work we do together. We will co- create a relationship that is truly collaborative with your goals as our shared aims. By cultivating a safe, confidential space, without judgement and with utmost respect and compassion, I can support you in exploring the issues that are troubling you and work with you to move forward.

I am an integrative therapist which means that I use techniques from a range of therapeutic models. This enables me to tailor our work most effectively to suit the personality, the preferences and issues that individuals may bring.

I offer both short-term and longer-term therapy, working either face-to-face or via online and telephone sessions. If you would prefer I also offer 'walk and talk' therapy, where we can get out into nature. My therapy dog Ella has worked with me for many years and would be happy to join us if you feel it would be helpful.