Mark Barber

I am currently available for appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, daytime and early evening sessions.

I am based in Totterdown in South Bristol, a 12-minute walk from Temple Meads station. There is free parking in my neighbourhood.

Feeling stuck? I am an Integrative Counsellor and my aim is to help you to explore the areas of your life that are causing you distress, and to help facilitate change. Mine is not a ‘smoke and mirrors’ approach – I like to work in an open, collaborative way that you can understand and that feels right for you.

I believe that most people have the resources to find their own answers to their problems. My job is to help you do this in a non-judgemental way by providing a safe, confidential space for you to talk.

Life is full of contradictions and can often seem pointless – we can lose sight of what it is that makes us happy and struggle to make decisions about the things that are important to us. I am here to help clients ride their emotions and begin to ease the stuckness by creating strategies and plans to move towards their chosen goals and values.

My counselling approach is Humanistic and Person-Centred in origin – my role is to help clients to navigate the ‘grey areas’, to take control and lead more meaningful lives.

I am a professionally-trained Integrative counsellor and registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) working within their ethical framework.

I offer an initial complimentary 20-30 minute telephone consultation that allows us to have an informal chat and gives you the opportunity to see if you feel that I am the right counsellor for you at this time.

After the consultation, a first session involves making a working agreement about expectations and the possible limits of counselling and is an opportunity for you to ask questions.

I send a written agreement in advance which explains confidentiality, professional ethics and administrative details and I will go through this when we meet.

Usually a first session involves you outlining areas where you want help, summarising difficulties or identifying what you would like to change. Sometimes it can be difficult pinpointing exactly what help you might need at first or what exactly is troubling you. I may ask some questions to clarify important issues, but the therapeutic space is yours to reflect, explore and receive support.