Christine West

I am a warm experienced counsellor and psychotherapist who draws from a variety of perspectives. I am also a creative arts therapist and supervisor. I think the therapeutic relationship is important. I work with what you the client brings, your process, and what is getting in the way of you achieving your full potential. I can work experientially,  or with the arts when required. Mindfulness informs the work generally as it can really help to clarify what is happening right now. 

I listen to what is concerning you and help you to explore, express and reflect on the issues that are concerning you. We can also explore both the past experiences which have influenced your current beliefs, which may be undermining your potential and ability to live life more fully, as well as look at unhelpful patterns that may be causing you problems in current relationships. Other approaches can include sub-personality work, gestalt and role-play to explore conflict within oneself or with others. Mindfulness is also a wonderful way to help you understand and manage your thoughts and feelings. 

In the first session I will ask you what brings you to therapy at this time. It is a non- judgemental space for you to tell me as much about yourself as you wish to tell me, as well as about your life so far, and what has began to really concern you. You will experience how I work, as well as get a sense of whether we can work well together. You can decide at the end of the session or have time to go away and think about it. Hopefully you will feel that it has been really good to talk about issues that have been concerning you and that you have felt understood, and would like to continue to have sessions to explore things further.