MJM Counselling

About

I work collaboratively with individuals to help bring about change and personal growth.

I will provide you with a safe environment to explore issues whilst respecting your values and acknowledging and building on your personal resilience.

By providing this safe environment I believe that clients have within themselves the capacity for personal growth to work through their inner conflicts’ and create their own solutions.

I can assist and offer support through:

• Crisis


• Depression


• Anxiety


• Anger management


• Relationship issues


• Grief


• Fears and phobias.

My Approach

I adopt an integrated holistic approach which incorporates cognitive and behavioural strategies to gain insight into your current feelings and to assist you in problem solving so as to effect change.

This approach reflects my personal values of honesty, integrity and ethical responsibility.

Teenagers and adolescents

The teenage years define a phase of rapid and significant physical and psychological growth. When an adolescent’s development is successfully completed they have all the necessary requisites, logical thinking skills, secure sense of identity, self-sufficiency, good health and a balance approach to life.

However adolescents may be faced with challenges and require additional support with:

• Exam stress


• Anxiety


• Self-esteem


• Body image


• Peer pressure forming an identity


• Self-harm


• Anger and frustration.

Anger for example is a signal worth listening to as it affects our thoughts, physical responses and behaviour. However prolonged anger can affect many aspects of our lives: our ability to feel good, stay focused on tasks, enjoy good relationships, function effectively and achieve the things we want. These can be particularly important for the adolescent.

How can I help?

Working with the adolescent requires a certain empathy and understanding of these concerns. Having had experience with teenagers both professionally and as a parent my approach is to explore and identify triggers and underlying causes; for example there may be a feeling of anger and frustration due to exam stress. We can increase the likelihood of success by recognising the obstacles and planning strategies to overcome them. Throughout the sessions we will identify new strategies for managing and letting go of anger. Such strategies may include relaxation, mindfulness and acceptance techniques. In addition I incorporate cognitive behavioural strategies to promote change.

My philosophy is to support you as a young adult whilst you take the journey in building a true sense of who you are, accepting that person and taking your own stand in the world.

What to expect in counselling sessions

The initial session is an opportunity to decide if you would like to work with me and to identify your issues and goals. It is normally 1.5 hours with subsequent sessions one hour in duration. 
The importance of the therapeutic relationship between client/therapist is vital in providing effective therapy. The part you play is a willingness to work which requires courage and commitment, you become an active participant who feels ownership of the change process.

I will provide a flexible approach as I believe it is the client who has the resources for self-understanding and the ability to solve their own problems.

This collaborative process allows us to identify issues which may need to be prioritised and as the sessions unfold your goals may change.

The sessions will raise awareness and focus in tuning into your feelings and thoughts so you can monitor your own emotional state.

Closure

The goal of therapy is to provide you with a sense of empowerment to move forward and not require my support. You will leave having developed new coping skills and a sense of personal growth.

For all enquiries contact us today!