As a counsellor I am trained to listen and support each person to look at their thoughts, feelings and behaviours and to provide a safe space in which to do this. I will not judge you or tell you how you should feel or what you should do. I believe that we all have the capacity to move forward, develop and strengthen our own selves. At times, however, we can become stuck or overwhelmed with life and feel that we can’t see how to progress, which is where counselling sessions can be helpful.
My initial training (Diploma in Counselling 2006-08) was to work with individual adults on a one-to-one basis. I completed my counselling training in North East England and worked in a variety of settings there including: GP surgery; Women’s Aid; Tees Valley Counselling Trust (a charity for adults and children with chronic illness and/or disability and their carers); workplace counselling and private practice. I have worked with ages from 16 up to 75 though I don’t have a specific upper age limit.
I completed in-house training at Tees Valley Counselling Trust in 2009 to work with Children and Young People and have wide experience of working with CYP from age 5 – 16 in Tees Valley Counselling Trust itself and a Barnardo’s project for children experiencing sexual or domestic abuse, using play where appropriate, on issues such as anxiety, low self-esteem, bullying, bereavement and abuse.
I moved to Skye in April 2012. In the Highlands I have worked for Ross-shire Women’s Aid (including in Portree, Dingwall and a year-long project in Inverness); delivered counselling in primary and high schools for the charity Counselling Care Skye and Lochalsh; carried out workplace counselling for a variety of national organisations e.g. AXA; worked in private practice at The Health Oasis in Broadford from September 2012 until the premises closed in 2021 and since January 2020 worked in private practice as part of Lifepaths Counselling and Personal Development group of counsellors in Portree.
In 2017, I trained in Couples Counselling at Relationship Scotland in Edinburgh, completing their Certificate in Couples Counselling, and now offer couples a safe, neutral space where they can explore their difficulties, whether they want to stay together or not. Relationship counselling can also be for situations where communication has broken down – for example between a parent and teenager or two adult friends – and the aim is to repair the relationship and/or come to a better understanding of each other. I attend specific continuing professional development for this work in addition to the ongoing development I do as a BACP registered, accredited counsellor.
I completed a Certificate in Telephone and Online Counselling in 2020 when the Covid 19 pandemic meant that face-to-face work couldn’t continue. I now offer a mix of face-to-face, telephone and online/video sessions.
I am also a trained Supervisor of Counsellors (Advanced Professional Training at University of Strathclyde 2013). Supervision is a requirement for registered counsellors but I can also work as a Supervisor to other professionals such as doctors, health care workers and teachers, where the nature of their work can impact on their health and ability to fully engage with life.
My fees for 50 minute sessions are:
Individual adults: £45 (£25 initial meeting)
Couples: £55 (£35 initial meeting)
CYP: £35 (£20 initial meeting)
For counselling or supervision enquiries email: helen@lifepaths.co.uk or call on 01478 650421 (answerphone available)