I was so nervous when I first started counselling, I honestly had no idea what to expect. Collette immediately put me at ease and this helped me to relax. Once I felt relaxed I was able to open up about my overwhelming feelings and my difficulty making the smallest of decisions. Collette helped me to normalise every situation I faced and she gave me tools to approach every challenge with manageable steps so I wasn’t overwhelmed. With her guidance and support, I now know how to face every day challenges without resorting to extreme worry and anxiety. I highly recommend Collette as a therapist, her guidance and support have been invaluable in my healing journey. Lisa R. London.

I first came to Collette in a pretty disillusioned state. I was feeling very low after the death of my father, followed by my mother five months later. I didn’t know how to cope with my feelings and I tried to keep busy at home and in work. However, eighteen months later, I was only feeling worse and my partner suggested I see someone. I didn’t think it would make any difference but I was willing to give it a try. After the very first session I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders, just having someone listen to me without trying to fix me was a relief. I felt embarrassed crying but Collette was so empathetic and said tears were just an expression of love for someone no longer with us. The floodgates opened for me during the following weeks and I sometimes wondered if it would ever end. Along with the tears something new started to emerge, I had increased energy levels almost as if the tears had been weighing me down. I realise that therapy is not for everyone and to be honest I thought it wasn’t for me but after 3 or 4 sessions I wished I had went at an earlier date. If you are in two minds about going to therapy I would say give it a go, I’m certainly grateful I did. Thanks to my partner’s prompting, and Collette’s skills I feel I can access happy memories of both my parents without the need to push it away or dissolve into tears. Ms. S. B. Gloucester.

I was highly stressed at work and my home life suffered as a result of my anxiety. I followed Collette’s blog and social media posts and reached out for help. We had a 20 minute consultation for free and it took me very little time afterwards to make up my mind to commit to a course of 6 sessions on zoom. Often, I came to a session very stressed and Collette used a relaxation technique to help me access areas of tension and breathe in to them. This relaxation technique helped me to make the best use of my therapy time, otherwise I would have been too agitated to access my deeper feelings. I am learning how to bring balance to my life by knowing its okay to look after myself and make time to replenish my energy. Therapy has helped me understand that this approach is not selfish but a requirement for my mental and physical health. Mr. S. K. Cheltenham.

I have grappled with my mental and emotional health since the first lockdown of the Pandemic. I became more and more withdrawn and the walls closed in around me. The strange this is that I wasn’t even aware I put it down to the lockdown and worry about getting the virus. When we entered the second lockdown during the winter months I drank more and binged watched TV. I lived pretty much on my own during this period since my flatmate spent most of the lockdown at her parents’ house. I worked remotely from home during the Pandemic and I returned to the office 2 days a week once things began to return to normal. By this time I had become almost a recluse and found myself quite alienated from my surroundings. My sister first noticed changes in me and suggested I see someone but I just shrugged it off as many of my friends and colleagues said it was only normal after the strange times we had lived through. A year later, I was struggling to cope and I didn’t want to leave the house. I realised I was still in lockdown mode. My manager encouraged me to see my GP who suggested a course of counselling. Collette offered online zoom sessions so I decided this was the best course of action to take. I really didn’t know what to expect but her down to earth manner and intuitive style really worked for me. Every week I began to feel a bit stronger and trust in my decisions. As my confidence started to return, Collette suggested I make a list of symptoms that I associated with my low mood. I have this list tucked away in a safe place and I made a copy for my sister so if I ever display 3 or more these symptoms I know to seek support. I highly recommend Collette and I know she will be there for me if I ever need her for support sessions in the future. Jacinta H. Hampshire.

Thank you Collette. I don’t know what good fortune lead me to you but I am grateful that it did. Your intuition, knowledge and understanding of the human psyche has helped me start to understand how my presenting behaviour as an adult  is reflective of my childhood and adolescent experiences. B. Thorpe. Sussex

Collette is kind and empathetic, yet she also asks questions that challenge my mode of thinking. With her help, I was able to start to take responsibility (still awork in progress!) for unhelpful behaviours such as projection, blame and control. It has not only helped me resolve conflicts in work (the reason I came to therapy in the first place ), it has also had a positive impact on my personal relationships. If you are reading this, give therapy a go, you won’t regret it! Janet N. Bristol.