Siue Irvine

I am currently offering telephone or video calls. Where possible these appointments are offered on a flexible basis to accommodate individual needs. Whilst counselling in this manner is a different experience from face to face sessions, it does enable you to feel comfortable in the familiarity of your own surroundings and for some, means not having to face the challenge of visiting an unfamiliar environment.

I offer experience, compassion and a safe and calm private space where you can feel accepted without judgement. My greatest strength lies in my ability to engage quickly with an individual, being renowned for my warm, friendly manner which assists you in feeling comfortable and at ease. My accurate memory recall communicates you are being heard and understood. This allows a trusting therapeutic relationship to develop which may enable you to talk more freely and to be honest with yourself.

I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor and have worked therapeutically for over 17 years mainly within the NHS as a Practice Counsellor in GP surgeries, but also providing staff counselling in hospitals and in the private sector. Additionally, I have worked with young people within a charity setting. My experience has allowed me to develop and utilise the skills required to work with the most diverse range of issues.

As a humanistic counsellor, I always place the building of a safe and trusting relationship as central to my work. I have developed my skills by completing an extensive range of courses, which allows me to work flexibly and to integrate other approaches depending on your individual needs or what would benefit you most.

Sessions are of 50 minutes duration and after our initial appointment if you decide you would like further sessions, then the frequency of the sessions can be arranged to suit you accordingly, but is often weekly. I am flexible in offering appointment times and provide short (usually 6-8 sessions) and longer term work depending on individual needs and preference. 

I am located within close walking proximity to Durham City.

Please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or e-mail with any queries you may have and I will respond very quickly.

From the outset, I place utmost importance in assisting you to feel at ease through my warm and friendly manner, where you can feel accepted without judgement. This will form the basis of developing a trusting relationship and allow you to feel safe within a calm environment. In the first session I will briefly introduce myself, explain what to expect from the sessions and clarify our confidentiality agreement so that there is a mutual understanding of our work together.

You may have a clear idea of why you are seeking counselling or you may feel confused and that has led you to where you are now. Whichever is the case, we will explore and gain an understanding in this session of what you may or may not find helpful during our time working together. My intention is to allay concerns and answer any questions you may have related to the counselling process.