Life crises, loss and low mood
Support through life crises, loss, low mood and difficult experiences
Some periods of life shake everything at once. Counselling offers a steady, confidential place to slow down, understand what is happening, and find a way forward.
What I can help with
- Life crises and transitions: a breakup, a job loss, illness, a move, or a sense that the old plan no longer fits.
- Low mood: feeling flat, hopeless or unmotivated, or losing pleasure in things that used to matter.
- Burnout: exhaustion, cynicism and the feeling that rest no longer restores you.
- Grief and loss: bereavement, and losses that are harder to name.
- After difficult experiences: events that still intrude on your thoughts, sleep or relationships.
- Existential questions: meaning, direction, and who you are becoming.
How I work with this
I take a careful, paced approach that puts safety and stability first. I draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, which help people make room for painful thoughts and feelings rather than fight them, and on schema-informed work, which looks at long-standing patterns that a crisis can bring to the surface. Longer, 90-minute sessions can help when things need time to unfold.
What counselling is not
Counselling is not emergency care, and it does not replace medical or psychiatric treatment. If you need either, I will help you find the right specialist, and we can often keep working alongside it.
Common questions
How do I know whether I need counselling or something else?
If you are struggling but managing day to day, counselling is often a good place to start. If you have severe symptoms, cannot function at work or at home, or have thoughts of harming yourself, please see a doctor or psychiatrist as well. I can help you find one.
Do I have to talk about painful events in detail?
No. We go at a pace that feels safe, and you decide what to share and when.
Can you diagnose depression or PTSD?
No. As a psychologist (MA) offering counselling, I do not diagnose or treat mental disorders. If an assessment would help you, I will refer you to a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist.
I am not an emergency service. If you are in danger or thinking about ending your life, call 112 or the free emotional support line 116 123.