Shona Moncrieff

I currently have availability. 

Please contact me for an informal chat to see if we will be a good fit to work together. 

I am a pluralistically trained therapist which allows me to use a variety of theories and techniques to tailor therapy to support your needs. I believe that you are the expert on your life and in your story, and you already possess the inner strength that will assist you in overcoming the things that challenge you - you may only need reminding! Taking the first step to seeking how to make changes in your life takes courage. My role is to support and guide you in this process through psychoeducation and a safe, informal, non-judgmental space where you are welcome to relax, be yourself, and come as you are and with however you feel!

There are numerous reasons for seeking therapy, and each reason is equally valid. You may need an open and honest space to talk about your thoughts and feelings with someone impartial. It may be that you are feeling stuck repeating the same patterns of behaviour which may negatively impact your life. You may be experiencing anxiety, overwhelm and overthinking which can be a symptom of trauma or simply the challenges we face in our day-to-day lives. 

My style of therapeutic work is holistic, intuitive, empathetic and encourages empowerment. I believe that you are the expert in your own life and that I am there only to help you explore issues productively and progressively while working at a level and pace that feels comfortable for you.

I welcome everyone to join me and I embrace and encourage a person-centered and neuro-affirmative approach to therapy. I offer a safe space where we celebrate equality for all through our similarities, differences and uniqueness. I look forward to meeting you and working together to create positive change.

I would hope that my friends and family will describe me as happy, honest, loyal, kind, and compassionate by nature. I want people to feel safe and welcomed into an open and non-judgemental space where they can come to our session and feel reassured and comfortable to share.

I work informally and professionally and in both an informed and intuitive way. We are both there to learn about ourselves, and with you being the expert in your own life and with knowledge of your feelings, I see my role as someone there just to gently challenge, guide, and actively listen. I hope to create a safe space for you to feel that you can say whatever it is you need to say, and be able to feel exactly the way you feel and experience validation, empathy, and understanding from me as your therapist. 

We will always be working at your pace, and in a way that feels comfortable for you. In the beginning, we get the chance to know each other, and then gently find out what the issues are that we need to address if you don't already know. We will then work collaboratively to find different types of methods, theories, techniques, and interventions, and through psychoeducational and learning new skills and techniques to make life feel more manageable and happier.

Our first session will include a certain amount of administrative work. This is because I need to be sure that I am the right person to help you and to ensure you receive the right support for you.

We will begin by doing some 'contracting' - which sounds very formal, however, it is simply the chance for us both to share our expectations for therapy and to ensure that we are both on the same page and to ensure that we are working within safe guidelines outlined by the BACP framework.

The second part of the session will be the opportunity to set goals for therapy and to discuss ways in which we might do this and work together. 

Finally, we will begin to get to know each other through exploring and sharing thoughts and ideas about what has brought you to seek therapy.