I wanted to create this space because counselling isn't only about what happens inside a therapy room. Sometimes, the first step towards understanding ourselves is simply coming across a thought, an idea or a question that makes us stop and think:

"Actually, that's me."

Perhaps you've found yourself here because you're struggling with anxiety or overthinking. Maybe you're feeling burnt out, disconnected from yourself or unusually low. Perhaps you're going through a relationship breakdown, a major life change or a period where everything looks fine from the outside but doesn't feel that way on the inside.

Or perhaps you can't quite explain what's wrong at all.

You just know that something feels different.

That's something I hear often. People can be very good at carrying on.

They go to work. They look after their families. They meet their responsibilities. They answer messages, make plans, get things done and continue being there for everyone else.

But underneath all of that, they may be exhausted.

Their mind may never seem to switch off. They may constantly second-guess themselves. They may feel irritable, overwhelmed, flat or disconnected. They may wonder why something that once felt manageable suddenly feels much harder.

And because they're still functioning, they can sometimes question whether they have any right to ask for help.

I don't believe you have to reach breaking point before you deserve support.

A little about how I work

My counselling is rooted in the person-centred approach, developed by psychologist Carl Rogers.

At the heart of this approach is the belief that you are the expert on your own experience.

That doesn't mean you have to understand everything yourself.

In fact, therapy can be the place where you begin to understand it.

Rather than telling you what you should do or giving you a list of solutions, I aim to offer a space where you can explore what's happening for you openly and honestly.

That might mean looking at your thoughts, feelings, relationships, experiences and the ways you've learned to cope.

Sometimes we may explore things that happened a long time ago and the effect they still have today.

Sometimes the focus is very much on what is happening in your life right now.

And sometimes, through talking, you simply begin to hear yourself more clearly.

Why being heard matters

There can be something surprisingly powerful about being able to speak honestly without having to manage the other person's reaction.

You don't have to make your experience sound better than it is.

You don't have to protect someone else from your feelings.

You don't have to arrive with the right words.

You can simply begin where you are.

For me, that is an important part of counselling.

Not fixing.

Not judging.

Not telling you who you should become.

Instead, creating a genuine, supportive relationship where you can begin to understand yourself more deeply and perhaps reconnect with parts of yourself that have become lost beneath expectations, responsibilities, relationships or simply the pressures of life.

What you'll find here

The Linkswood Journal will explore subjects including:

• anxiety and overthinking
• burnout and feeling emotionally exhausted
• self-worth and confidence
• relationships and relationship breakdown
• life changes and transitions
• feeling stuck or disconnected from yourself
• depression and low mood
• the pressure to keep everything together
• what person-centred counselling actually means
• what happens when you start therapy
• understanding yourself and your patterns
• finding a stronger sense of who you are

Some posts will be practical.

Some will be reflective.

Some may simply give you something to think about.

My hope is that they will help you feel a little more understood — and perhaps give you the words for something you've been finding difficult to explain.

You don't need to have everything figured out.

Sometimes understanding begins simply by giving yourself enough space to stop, notice and listen.

Space to Heal. Strength to Grow.

If you'd like to talk about whether counselling could be right for you, I offer a free 20-minute consultation. I provide face-to-face counselling in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, and online counselling across the UK.