Person-Centred Counselling in Stirling & Online.

You're in good company!

I've lost count of the number of people who've said to me, "I don't even know where to start."

The good news is that you don't have to. By the time we meet, I'll already know a little about you from our initial conversation, so that often gives us somewhere to begin. Some people arrive with notes. Others start by talking about something that's happened that week. Some sit quietly for a minute while they gather their thoughts.

There is no pressure. Being brave enough to walk through the door and sit down in the chair is a pretty good place to start.

The short answer is no.

Many people wait because they think they should be coping better or tell themselves that other people have it worse. Shame and guilt can creep in, and before they know it, they've been struggling on their own for months.

Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. If you broke your leg, you wouldn't wait until the bone was sticking through the skin before seeing a doctor. You don't have to be in crisis before picking up the phone.

I've also written more about this in my blog, You Don't Need to Be in Crisis to Come to Counselling.

Yes. More often than people realise.

One of the biggest myths about grief is that it should become easier simply because time has passed. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.

Grief affects everyone differently because every relationship and every loss is unique. I've worked with people whose loss happened many years ago. Some didn't realise how much it was still affecting them until something brought it back to the surface. Others knew it was there all along but found it too painful to face on their own.

I've seen the relief that can come when people finally allow themselves the time to talk about their grief. It's never too late.

If you'd like to understand more about how grief can affect us, even many years later, you may find my blog Understanding Grief: A Gentle Guide helpful.

You can.

Sometimes people contact me saying, "I don't know why I'm feeling like this," or, "I'm really embarrassed to message you." You don't need a label, a diagnosis or even a clear reason for coming. Part of counselling can simply be understanding what's changed and making sense of it.

I often say to clients that they've realised something in their life isn't working for them anymore and they're looking for something different. Wanting things to be different is often where counselling begins.

It's a question I'm asked quite a lot, and it's something I usually talk about during the free initial consultation.

The answer is no. As a Person-Centred Counsellor, I won't tell you what I think you should do. Instead, I'll help you explore what's going on for you.

I believe the answers are within you, even if they don't feel that way right now. Worry, grief, self-doubt and overwhelm have a way of burying them. My role is to work with you to uncover those answers, reflecting with you along the way and perhaps looking at things from a different perspective.

This is a question I'm often asked.

There's rarely one big moment when everything suddenly feels different. More often, it's the little things that begin to change. One of the comments I hear most often from clients is, "I just feel a bit lighter."

You might notice you're sleeping better, saying "no" a little more often, or finding that the boundaries you've started to put in place are making a difference. Something that once felt overwhelming may begin to feel more manageable.

Then I'll pass you the tissues.

There's no expectation that you'll hold everything together because you're sitting in a counselling room. So many clients cry and then apologise. I always say the same thing: never apologise for crying. Tears are a natural release of emotion.

Crying isn't something I see as a setback. Quite often, it's the moment someone stops carrying everything on their own. Some people never cry at all, while others need a few moments of silence before they can continue.

Yes! In fact, I always tell clients that humour is welcome in my counselling room.

When I was looking for my own counsellor, one of the things that stood out to me was that they mentioned enjoying humour in their work. It reminded me that counselling doesn't have to be serious every minute of every session.

In the darkest of moments, people can still find humour, and I believe it's important to go with it. Laughing doesn't mean your problems have disappeared or that you're not taking things seriously.

I think it's really important that you feel comfortable with your counsellor, which is one of the main reasons I offer a free initial conversation.

Not every counsellor is the right fit for every person, and that's okay. If, after meeting, either of us feels that another counsellor or service would be more suitable, we'll talk about it openly.