Counselling and therapy in Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich in South East London and Kent
Welcome to Sidcup and South East Counselling. Please take some time to view the information pages for a more detailed description of counselling, the broad range of issues I work with and the type of therapy that I offer.I am an experienced Integrative Counsellor and provide counselling in the areas of
Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Dartford and
Lewisham including
Blackheath, Charlton, Plumstead, Eltham, New Eltham, Welling, Chislehurst and all surrounding areas in
Kent and
Southeast London.If you are considering counselling... If you are considering counselling, it's likely that something in your life, be it relationships, thoughts, feelings or difficult situations, is causing you concern. Our emotional health is based on how balanced and confident we feel emotionally but when something happens in our life, and we feel emotionally low, getting back on track with life can be difficult. Trying to understand and make sense of this is often hard to do but this process can be helped with professional support from a counsellor.
Deciding which counsellor to choose and whether to make an appointment...
Finding the right counsellor who you can trust and share your most intimate thoughts and feelings with can be a daunting prospect particularly as the quality of the relationship you have with your counsellor is vital to a successful outcome. At this stage it is likely that you have questions and doubts going through your mind such as 'What is she like?', 'Will she be able to help me?' and 'I'm not sure about counselling' so please feel free to call, text or email me with no obligation to continue, to talk this through to help make your decision to enter counselling easier...I won't judge you, only respect and admire your step towards change and feeling better even if that means walking away from counselling at this time or after a few sessions.
Taking the decision to seek help through counselling and make an appointment is often the hardest step and takes a great deal of courage however it can be a huge step forward to feeling better.
Should you wish to talk to me for a friendly informal chat or to make an appointment, please feel free to get in touch using the contact information.
Our emotional health is just as important as physical health, only we do not always invest the time and money into it as we would going to the gym, doctor or perhaps the dentist.
If you are concerned about confidentiality, you can find more details in my Frequently Asked Questions.
So who do you work with?...
As a counsellor I work with adults, parents and adolescents/young people (aged 11 to 25) and work with individuals on a one-to-one basis, either for an agreed period of time or on an open-ended basis with the aim of enabling you to enhance your life and to live it more fully. I work with people with a broad range of emotional, psychological and mental health difficulties which are impacting on their day to day lives and relationships for example depression and anxiety.
The word 'depression' is often used to describe every day feelings of low mood which every one experiences from time to time as a reaction to something which is sad or upsetting which usually passes, however if you are affected by depression you are not just 'sad' or 'upset' but have an illness with intense feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and sadness together with physical symptoms such as lack of energy, sleeplessness, aches and pains.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress which helps us cope with an exam, job interview or important speech but when it becomes excessive it can lead to an irrational dread and fear of everyday situations preventing us from leading our life. Sometimes people do not realise how anxious or depressed they are particularly if they have felt the same way for a long time or have coped with their feelings by keeping busy. Counselling can be a positive way of addressing these issues, helping you to understand them better therefore increasing self esteem whilst reducing anxiety, rather than ignoring them in the hope they will go away, only to return later.
I work with adolescents and young people aged 11-25 supporting them through the difficult transition from childhood to adolescence into adulthood who experience issues such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, parental conflict, parent separation/ divorce, making and keeping friends, self harm and bullying and any other worries or concerns. Counselling can help a young person to express their feelings and tell their story with someone they can trust enabling them to make informed choices, develop a positive attitude, whilst building confidence and self-esteem in order to feel better about themself.
I work with mothers and fathers through the life altering transition to parenthood dealing with emotions that are new, unexpected or unfamiliar particularly depression, anxiety, grief, loss and trauma. The birth of a baby is an emotional experience and for many new mothers, feeling depressed and tearful is quite common however for some these feelings develop in to longer periods of depression known as '
Post Natal Depression'. Post Natal Depression does not appear to have one cause but is said to be a combination of factors particularly stressful events surrounding the birth and unhappy events from the mothers past being resurrected by suddenly having to care for a child themself.
While having a baby can be a great source of happiness it also involves huge changes, not just in routine but how it impacts on relationships, finances and social activities which can also bring feelings of loss, sadness and worry. Post Natal Depression is not only experienced by mothers but 10% of new fathers suffer too but unfortunately this can often be overlooked. Counselling can offer mothers and fathers the opportunity to explore any underlying factors that could have contributed to these feelings whilst helping to develop strategies for coping to build confidence and self-esteem and in turn reducing anxiety. Most importantly I can offer support and understanding.
Read more...My counselling practice is based in Sidcup which is within easy reach of Bexley, Greenwich, Bromley, Dartford and Eltham in South East London and Kent and is located on the B13, 286 and 51 bus route with local easy access to the A2 and A20. The nearest train stations are New Eltham and Sidcup.
