Contact Frances - 07879492124

francesblloyd@hotmail.com

About me

Counselling & Psychotherapy

Will therapy help me?

Qualifications & experience

Contact Frances/ booking an appointment

B.A Hons Psychology. Dip C.G. Adv. Dip. Couns. MBACP (Snr Accred) UKRC Reg. Ind. Counsellor

About Counselling / Psychotherapy

Therapy takes place when a Counsellor/ Psychotherapist meets a client in a confidential setting to explore, understand and hopefully resolve the difficulties the client is having. He or she may be experiencing emotional distress or perhaps a general dissatisfaction with life, or maybe a loss of a sense of direction and purpose.

Please go to Will therapy help me? for a list of more

specific problem issues I often work with.

Is Counselling different from Psychotherapy?

There is a good deal of overlap between these 'talking therapies' and the skills used are very similar. Both can help to deal with personal difficulties in new and different ways. Counselling tends to be fairly short term with the focus on specific current life problems whilst Psychotherapy tends to deal with more long standing personal issues or recurring themes. However it is rarely possible to make a clear cut distinction and my first priority is always to make sure the help I can offer will be appropriate for the individual concerned. For this reason the first session is always an informal introductory one with no obligation on either side. If at this stage I believe therapy is not likely to be beneficial, I will endeavour to suggest other more suitable referral options.

In the sessions the client is gently encouraged to explore their various concerns, hopefully talking about them freely and openly in a way that may not feel possible with family or friends. The therapist aims to provide an impartial and non-judgemental atmosphere in which this exploration can take place. Frequently new understanding and different perspectives emerge from this process as a result of therapist and client working collaboratively on the material being discussed.

In some cases unexpressed or 'bottled-up' feelings such as anger, hurt, sadness, disappointment and worry can feel very intense and difficult to contain. An opportunity to express them in a safe place can help reduce the pain caused by them often leading to a greater sense of clarity and a positive way forward easier to see.

In other situations positive change may emerge from thinking differently about a situation or deciding to make behavioural changes.

Although therapy is largely about finding one’s own way through life’s difficulties, I tend to work very actively in the sessions ensuring clients feel relaxed and at ease in talking about themselves. If appropriate I play an active role in offering observations and making suggestions so that the experience is hopefully one of teamwork.