Paul Warnock

My availability varies throughout the year due to my seasonal work as a mountain guide, please feel free to email me at pwarnocktherapy@gmail.com or complete the contact form.

I understand that it may be difficult to talk about feelings or even identify them. Most of my  sessions involve going for a walk or a bike ride, which can promote conversation for those who prefer to be outdoors.

The pace of our counseling sessions will be controlled by you and what you want to talk about, if you get a bit stuck I can help prompt the conversation by asking a question or by suggesting an alternative perspective. I appreciate that our personality and who we are now have been influenced by past experiences, in some cases it may be worth revisiting these memories before moving on. Focussing on what's going on now and introducing small adjustments to our established habits can lead to a dramatic change in our behaviour and how you can make better choices for yourself.

This Integrative Approach to counselling combines the four main areas of psychology in which I trained at Bangor University.  At times I may draw on aspects of other therapies like ACT that may help provide a framework for sessions if required.

My experience of working in challenging environments has provided me with an alternative to counseling in an office context. While working as a Mountain Guide I noticed that after facing a challenge in the mountains, clients often felt compelled to discuss their most private fears and concerns. This motivated me to complete an MSc in Counselling where my research focused on why some people have greater difficulty expressing feelings than others.

As a qualified British Mountain Guide (IFMGA) and British Cycling Mountain Bike Leader, I can offer active sessions that allow a natural amount of time for us to get to know each other. More importantly, this gives you space to decide if you want to talk to me about the difficult stuff that's going on in your life. You may have a close family member that is reluctant to seek help but they would consider a walk or a climb in Snowdonia. This can present an opportunity for discussion but gives the client complete autonomy on how open they are prepared to be.

After an initial phone call, our first session could simply be a walk, the pace and venue can be set by you, to help you feel as comfortable as possible. Movement can help promote talking whilst a the same time providing the benefits of fresh air and activity. However, if you prefer to meet indoors this can easily be arranged. I appreciate that a level of trust may need to be established before you consider sharing your thoughts on a deeper level, therefore I can work with clients on a longer term when desired.