Dawn Challoner

January 2024: I have daytime and evening spaces immediately available, working online using Zoom for video calls, or by phone.

What can you bring to counselling?

You might be feeling lost, overwhelmed, sad, fearful, anxious, angry.

You could have an idea of what you want to talk about, or simply not know where to start.

Recent bereavement, work related stress, relationship issues, low mood, worries, anxiety, a health condition or ill health of others, can all impact our ability to get on with and enjoy life.

You may have been considering issues for longer. Identity, loneliness, loss, self-esteem, ageing or changing life stages, sexuality, gender identity or unexpressed grief, can all affect us even if we’ve not yet acknowledged them.

What to expect from me

Warmly supportive, open, professional and empathic, I provide space to explore what's going on in your life, helping make sense of your thoughts, feelings and actions.

Sometimes this includes us examining your past, and how this might be impacting you now, or moving forward.

What happens?

I offer weekly appointments and I enjoy working both short-term and long-term.

Together, in a confidential setting, we’ll explore and make sense of things you might not want or feel able to share elsewhere.

I’m able to cherry pick from different therapeutic approaches and models to suit your needs. The pace at which things unfold is up to you.

You may take away ideas to reflect on or try between sessions, or simply leave the things you talk about there, to pick up again each week.

We might use creative techniques: pens and paper, stones and other objects can help capture or represent your thoughts, or explore things in a different way.

What won’t happen?

Counselling isn’t about telling you what to do. You won’t be given answers and I won’t judge you, your thoughts, or how you live your life.

January 2024 update: I'm offering one to one counselling using Zoom for secure video calls, or by phone.

Immediate spaces available, dotted throughout the week.

Together we can explore whatever is on your mind...

In a safe and confidential space where I won't judge, you can feel accepted and heard as we figure out what you need.

Living with loss, grief, bereavement

I have over ten years' experience of helping people affected by loss, having chosen to specialise in loss and grief in 2012 and am accredited by the bereavement support agency, Cruse.

Low mood, anxiety, depression, complex mental health 

I have worked as a sessional counsellor for Mind, helping clients facing anxiety and depression as well as more complex mental health issues.

Older adults

If you're at all uncertain about how it might feel to meet online by video, or by phone, we can discuss this and perhaps try out both options?

Although the pandemic meant we had no choice for a while, many clients tell me they now prefer to use phone or video calls for counselling sessions. You can do this from wherever you feel you have private and quiet enough space - and reliable phone or internet connection - meaning you can fit counselling more easily into your day, and cut down on travel time and costs. 

Finding a counsellor you're comfortable working with can seem overwhelming.

Book an initial session with me to explore this: ask questions, see how it might feel for us to work together - online or by phone - and understand more about the counselling process before committing.

Together we'll explore what you're hoping to get from counselling, and you’ll have the chance to tell me – confidentially - a little more about yourself.

We'll also discuss timings and frequency of sessions and look to come up with something that suits us both.

There is no obligation on you after this first session, and you might find it a useful ‘taster’ as to whether you feel you would like to work with me.

If I feel unable to help, or we can't make the timings work, I’ll let you know and suggest alternatives that may be more appropriate.

This initial session lasts up to fifty minutes and costs just £30.

Sessions are held by phone or video call.