Face to face sessions in Newcastle -Under-Lyme. Online sessions nationwide - UK
Counselling with me
I offer a highly relational counselling practice which seeks to engage my clients in becoming free from their struggles and able to go forward after therapy finishes with clarity and the ability to solve their own problems to maintain their autonomy, and honour their authenticity.
How are my sessions structured? We will discuss the reasons you have come to therapy and do some history taking. This is important so that we can both begin to see how your past is effecting your present. After a period of assessments we will begin to look at different ways of working together to help resolve the underlying distress, which is more directive but you always have the choice of ways of working for example, we may decide to use nesting dolls to look at different parts of you and how they relate, or do some chair work to help you to process unresolved issues in relationships with others or as a way to process grief. Some sessions you will lead the way and I will be with what is most pressing for you - this is a humanistic approach with the belief that you know what's best for you and will use the therapy space to reflect on what feels most important at that moment.
Our sessions are set in a three phase model, which I find is a safe efficient way of working that allows me to collect as much information as I can to help you in the best way, then we can begin to set goals in therapy and decide on the ways we will work that best help you to integrate memories and process traumas, or be with grief that may have become hidden or complicated. Other unresolved material can arise in client work, so we can revise and re-assess as we go. In this way, there is a structure but flexibility. It's worth noting that inially some clients do feel worse in therapy but this will change as you keep coming back, even in the assessment period we are still doing counselling and you will feel your distress eventually alleviating.
The way that I work aims to create collaboration, and peak your own curiosity about yourself and your processes so that you become truly empowered in your new found knowledge about yourself.
How long will therapy take? It depends on the presentations and issues. We will need the assessment period and also an understanding of what your expectations are from therapy to know better how I can help you. I offer a free initial chat which can give you a better idea and it's also an opportunity to see if what I offer is right for you. I'm happy to work short term, and this may be enough to give you some coping tools to help you to manage your distress. However, to truly resolve what brings you to my counselling page may take a longer period. I do offer block bookings to try and help make counselling more accessible.
This is the belief that all humans can solve their own problems and have the ability to heal/reach their potential given the right environment and guidance.
I use trauma theory to frame the way we work. This is done by using lots of psychoeducation about why you're feeling anxious and depressed. It helps to make sense of, normalise and validate what you're going through.
We will look at your history and how it effects your present. This helps to see patterns in your life/behvaiour that may be unhelpful for you or even helpful.
An exploration of interactions within close relationships, from your childhood and adulthood. How safe you feel in relationships throughout your life can effect you in future relationships.
Exploration of personality through ego states (your inner family/community). This is also known as Inner Child Work and is highly effective in helping clients to connect to the part of them that is closest to the "true self", and rebuild the relationships within you to create balance and holism.
Often the body is holding information and memories that cognitively we don't have the words for. Integrating the body's sensations and responses into our sessions heightens a client's awareness of how they feel in response to their world and others. Infact your body sends more information to your brain than your brain to your body - so helping you to connect with your body is an essential part of therapy.
Living fully and authentically is making choices based on what gives you real meaning and joy. We are all born with our own unique purpose - to discover our purpose we have to make decisions that best align with our own values, but as humans, being attached to others is also a nessacity for overall wellbeing. Quite often people forego their values and what makes them fundamentally happy/at peace to stay attached. Neither is right or wrong, some people value relationships with others over the relationship with themselves - neither is right or wrong and both can be achieved in balance.
I make use of creative ways of working, finding this way grounding for clients who struggle to be present and helpful in exploring processes that cognitively might not yet be available. Creative ways of working can also be bespoked for the client dependant on their preference of medium.
I adhere to the BACPs ethical framework and implement this throughout my practice rather than using it as a reference in hindsight. This means I'm constantly working to your best interest within the sessions.
Please follow the link to check out the Ethical Framework: https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/.
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©Samantha Oliver Counselling
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