In my own personal journey, I remember being told many times to 'man up' and keep up the facade in many aspects of my life. For years I felt powerless and 'not enough', not knowing where to turn. Therapy helped me make sense of my thoughts and feelings and this led me to pursue a career as a counsellor to help others. Now I aim to provide a similar experience of care, warmth and empathy that I experienced.
I hold a level 4 Qualification in Therapeutic Counselling from the CPCAB. I am an individual member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work to their Professional Standards and Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions
Confidentiality is vital to the counselling process. I am registered with the ICO and am GDPR compliant.
I understand the importance of a strong and candid therapeutic relationship. Visiting and working with a talented, qualified therapist changed my life and set me on a path to learn more about myself and subsequently inspired me to want to help others do the same. However, I remember that first session and the lead up and being very nervous as what to expect.
The pressures of modern society are very real and in recent years, have in many cases been amplified as many of us negotiate challenging times. There is often a pressure to squeeze more and more in, to be perfect in every aspect of our lives, to not complain or burden others. This can often leave us overwhelmed and anxious about how to cope and where to go next.
I will use my skills to try and make you feel safe, to create an non judgemental environment where you feel secure in exploring your thoughts and feelings and potentially engage the process of change if you so wish. We work at your pace! After all, this is your life and your experiences and who knows them better than you!
People come to me for help a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through therapy:
Depression
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger management
Issues relating to sexuality
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Problems with family or school life
Feelings of stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Problems with addiction
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Abuse
"Martin's calm and re-assuring nature helped me feel comfortable enough to explore the issues I needed to. I felt heard in a way that allowed me to find my own solutions and see the bigger picture."
“Martin was the first male counsellor I’ve had. He put me at ease throughout the whole counselling process. Ididn’t really know what to expect from our sessions and I never felt prepared at the beginning of each one. He somehow managed to hold that space with me though and helped me unpack what I needed to without any sense of judgement at all. I learned that it’s OK to be myself, and not have it all figured out. I am more myself than I have ever been, and there’s no doubt that counselling with Martin has played a huge role in that. I’m so appreciative of his approach,which was to just meet me where I was. There are not many opportunities in life to have that. I feel very fortunate”