About Me counselling psychotherapist counselling and psychotherapy
Hello, my name is Valerie and I’m fully qualified and experienced counsellor working with anxiety, depression and emotional numbness. I am also a Couples Counsellor with a ‘Specialist Diploma in Relationship Counselling’ and I’m accredited by the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy).
I work with anxiety, depression, feelings of emotional numbness or that something is not quite right.
In couples, sometimes you feel something is not working even though you love each other and want to things to work, this can often stem from unmet emotional needs from childhood or from prevoius relationships. Addressing these needs can mean all the different in your current relationships. This can be in relationships with parents, children and friends. Unmet emotional needs can lead to anxiety, depression and physical symptoms such as migraine, IBS, panic attacks and physical illnesses with no known cause.
I have worked with bereavement and loss and know how profound an impact loss can have on one's emotional well-being. Grief can manifest in various ways, often affecting not only our emotional state but also our physical health and relationships. If left unaddressed, grief can become a heavy burden that weighs us down, making it difficult to move forward and find joy in life again. As a counsellor, I can offer warmth, empathy and insight into the grieving process. I am committed to helping individuals navigate their grief, providing them with a compassionate and understanding space to express their emotions, and offering guidance on how to cope with loss in healthy ways. Together, we can work towards healing and finding a path towards a brighter future, even in the face of loss .
I also offer tailored therapy for individuals who have successfully overcome life-threatening illnesses. Many experience a unique and often unspoken pressure to feel joyful about their recovery, even as they grapple with being shell-shocked and overwhelmed by the emotional aftermath. Together, we work through the unique challenges that arise as they transition into a new phase of life. This journey often involves not only physical recovery but also emotional and psychological adjustments.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am an Integrative Counsellor and Registered Member BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. As a member of the BACP, I abide by their code of ethics, to practice safely and ethically.
Throughout my training and concurrently, within my private practice, I have been engaged with an organisation that provides individual and couples therapy to clients navigating the challenges of bereavement, confronting terminal illnesses, or surviving a diagnosis which in itself is incredibly hard.
I hold a Specialist Diploma in Couples/Relationship Counselling.