Davina Nicholson

I am pleased to announce that I have availability again from November 2023 onwards.

Many things can lead people to counselling: Changes of many sorts, family issues, anxiety, depressed feelings or sadness, anger and resentment, bereavement/loss, the current situation or perhaps just a general feeling that things are 'not right'.

 Whatever your reasons for seeking help, I offer deep relational, confidential, non-judgemental counselling, which will allow you to be fully heard and understood. This means you can make more sense of your experiences and feelings and find some relief from distress or make changes and if appropriate learn ways to ‘self-soothe’.  I have 20 years experience and a good 'track record'.  

As well as face to face seated sessions, I can offer 'walk & talk' which some people find both soothing and illuminating. I can work with nature, as the location of my counselling room is a rural location and we can work outside when it is useful to do so. Scientific studies show that nature can be a great healer/soother for our nervous system, so this way of working can help on several levels.

I am an experienced counsellor working with both adults and young people aged 11 and above. My aim is to help you help yourself; together, we will work on recognising your issues and patterns, I will not tell you what to do. Instead I aim to empower you and when appropriate help facilitate any changes you wish to make

My level of training means that I have gained a depth of reflection and understanding that is evident in my work. As a relational counsellor, I aspire to work with you to create a strong therapeutic relationship which I believe is central to any progress you might wish to make.

I attend regular continuous professional development workshops and professional supervision. As well as my 20 years’ experience and am also the clinical lead for a counselling charity.  I am a fully accredited member of BACP and abide by their code of ethics.

My counselling space is in a rural setting and we can use nature and the outdoors when it is appropriate to do so.  This can be very useful on a lot of levels; nature is soothing and we can use the metaphors that nature provides to understand ourselves better.  Also it can make talking easier if we are walking or sitting in a private outside space with animals to look at.   This can make the feeling of being in counselling less intense and more relaxed when needed.

You can choose whether we have our first session over the phone or in the counselling space (inside or outside).  During the first session I will ask for some history to start to create a picture of what has brought you to the 'place' you are now in yourself.  I will also conduct a risk assessment to ensure that counselling is right for you.

I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and at all times follow the ethical guidelines of this professional body.

As a supervisor and therapist I work in a relational way, putting relationships at the centre of the experience.  I believe from the basis of an honest, open, congruent, trusting relationship we can explore everything that is coming into the 'room'.   Most of my supervision is done remotely but F2F is an option.  I am also a mindfulness practitioner/coach and I personally use nature as a teacher and healer. 

Originally I trained in Humanistic counselling with Transactional Analysis, I have also completed courses in psycho-dynamic counselling, CBT and ACT and I have completed a certificate in relational therapy.  I have an integrative way of working, bringing in theory when it organically fits with what is being explored.  I did my supervision training with Cascade and this focused on bringing creativity into supervision too.

I have been counselling for the past 20 years and became a supervisor in 2016.  I have worked extensively with young people aged 11 & upwards as well as adults.  In addition to my counselling practice, I counsel in a school and I am the clinical lead for a young people's counselling service.  Obviously I attend regular continuous professional development workshops and professional supervision for my supervision as well as my counselling.

My practice is based in rural Hampshire, I have a large room and we are able to use the outside space too.  Engaging nature as part of the understanding and healing process for ourselves and our clients.

The first session can be done over the phone to discover if we feel able to connect and whether I feel like the right person for you.