Danielle Mapes

Hi, my name is Danielle and I am an integrative counsellor. This means I can draw on a selection of theoretical approaches and techniques, to help you with the challenges you present with. No one size fits all within the counselling relationship, we are all individuals with individual needs. Becoming an integrative therapist allows me to work in a number of different ways with you, and offer a range of perspectives and understanding, dependant on what you bring. I value you as the client and believe you hold the answers. I see my role as helping to empower you, coming along side you and to offer a collaborative relationship, where we work together. I help you to find your own answers and use my knowledge and experience to create with you, new ways of coping. To open the opportunity for self growth and new or clearer perspective. We can build a toolbox that you can take beyond therapy to prepare you for your onwards journey. I will offer you a safe, deeply empathic and non judgemental space, where you can explore what it is that might be causing you difficulties. Counselling is a process, a journey. As we go through life we can be faced with many different challenges. Sometimes we experience symptoms that feel beyond our capability to manage by ourselves. Sometimes we can feel out of control, other times we can just feel lost and not sure which way is up. Life puts hurdles in our path, and at times we all need some support to get over those when they feel to big. Making the decision to reach out for help and enter into the counselling relationship can feel a hurdle in itself. 

We all need a bit of holding and guidance from time to time, this is human nature, and not one of us are immune to the impacts of mental health. It's part of life, and therapy can offer that space to be you and to feel held enough to work through any thing. I am very passionate about working with the impacts of trauma and have extensive experience and training within this field. I have been a big part of two large charity's, that offer counselling and crisis support, and have been in mental health for most of my working career. I also have many years experience in working with the impacts of sexual violence/Domestic abuse. I am trained in the use of Flash and Rewind technique to help with reducing the intensity of stuck trauma memory. Currently starting a journey into sensorimotor psychotherapy (training) so that I can work with a more body orientated and somatic approach, with clients when words sometimes don't feel enough. I use lots of psychoeducation to help my clients understand there presenting issues then work with you to help reduce those impacts. There is light in dark places, please contact me via e-mail preferably to begin with and I will aim to get back to you within 48 hours.

In the first session I will carry out an assessment so that we both have the opportunity to get to know each other and you can ask anything about the way I practice, or how I feel I may be able to help you. Its a chance for you to decide if I am the right therapist for you and for me to decide, if I have the appropriate experience to work with you and your needs. Before the first session, I also offer a short telephone call to discuss what this will look like and this also offers an opportunity to ask anything want to, that might help in your decision making process.

Sometimes it can be helpful to choose a few different therapists that you feel might be right for you from there profiles, then ask to have the initial chat with all of them. That way you can get an immediate sense of how they work and just hearing someone's voice can help with connection and calming any anxieties to accompany you in that.