Emily

Hi, my name is Emily. I have been working with young people for over 15 years supporting mental health and wellbeing, qualifying as a Level 5 advanced counsellor in 2020, specialising in one-to-one work with children and adolescents. It has always been my passion from a young age, to be able to truly support our younger generations and help them to be successful in building a positive future for themselves.

I use a variety of techniques in which to work with clients, as I understand that each persons needs can be wide-ranging. For young people, these are often using tools such as games, playdoh and numerous arts and craft. For adults too, often using visuals is key to successful progress.

I have seen a huge change in mental health issues for teenagers since working in schools from 2012, with the impacts of Covid-19, social media and pressures within school and peers, becoming more and more dominant. School refusal has seen a sharp rise in the past 3 years, this being one of my key areas of support. I have worked successfully with many children and young people to reduce school anxiety levels, offer techniques during moments of panic, and integrating them back into a normal school environment.

These pressures may have also impacted yourself as an adult too- whether that’s isolation, anxiety or confidence in yourself. Focusing our work around forming a solid therapeutic relationship, offering a safe environment and showing empathy throughout, we can really start to build on areas of difficulty. Through my experience, I find adapting and changing my methods to suit the clients needs once a therapeutic relationship is developing is essential.

I am also a fully trained child yoga instructor, and often use many elements of my training in counselling young people. Mindfulness and breathing techniques, for example, can be hugely valuable to practice. Yoga has been proven to improve anxiety, give better focus and concentration and improve our self-esteem.

Thank you for considering me as your counsellor, please feel free to contact me with any questions

 
How we work together:

Children and young people:

Counselling for children and young people can be a very nerve-wracking and challenging concept. Often they do not fully understand what therapy means. My aim is to create a safe space for children ages 6-18, in which they can open up through using a variety of creative techniques. Sessions are catered specifically for each individual, based on their likes and hobbies, but also on their needs in areas of mental health in which they may currently be struggling.

It can often be surprising for many people how much communication we can receive from children simply through watching them in play. Creative play and fun activities can boost resilience, confidence and help learn to problem solve. When feelings of worry, anger or sadness occur in a child and a young persons life, it can be even more important to home in on these creative and fun methods, to access a pathway to communicating with adults what they may be feeling and going through.

Depending on the age of the child, sessions will last between 30-45 minutes, and will be 1-1 with myself, though parents/guardians are welcome to stay for the first session.

Adults:

It can also be a scary concept for us grown ups to access counselling too! This is spoken from personal experience. What makes my support for adults more unique, is as well as the basics of forming a strong therapeutic relationship in which to openly use talking therapy, my creative background enables us to work towards new, positive techniques in improving your mental health through the use of many different resources. Everything is at a pace you feel comfortable with, and I want all of my clients to feel that we are working together, as a team, to overcome those challenges life brings.

Rest assured, you are always welcomed into my counselling room with a smiling face, completely non-judgemental, and eager to support you in a way that suits your needs.

Criteria for my service:

There is no criteria to access my service, you are welcome to get in touch with me via; telephone, text or email and we can go ahead and arrange an appointment for you.

Areas I specialise in:

•     School refusal
•    Adolescence 
•     Depression
•    Anger 
•  Self-Esteem 
•     Confidence
•   Anxiety and Phobias
•    Relationship Difficulties
•      Life Transitions
•   Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
•     Professional/Career Issues
•   School  and College Issues
•     Medical and Health Concerns
•     Stress Management
•     Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
•     Abuse- Emotional, Physical, Sexual, Financial  Bullying
•    Exams
•     Family
•   Gender Identity Support
•    LGBT Counselling
• Grief, Loss, or Bereavement
•     Mindfulness
•     Panic Attacks 
•    Sleep
•   Other Issues