Angharad Thomas

Flexible appointment times, including evenings and weekends.

Hi I'm Angharad, an experienced, qualified, registered and BACP senior accredited counsellor and UKCP accredited psychotherapist offering professional long or short term counselling and psychotherapy to adults and young people.  My practice is conveniently located in a peaceful, private and discreet location near to Conwy town centre in North Wales and I am currently able to offer flexible appointment times.

​Whatever your reason for getting in touch, I can provide a warm and secure relationship and a consistent and supportive space for you to speak freely and in confidence about your concerns.  Although therapy can be challenging at times, it can also be immensely rewarding and enable you to begin to understand what underlies your current difficulties, make new choices and move forwards.  The goals of therapy are many, and chief among them are enhanced self-understanding and self-acceptance and more joy and contentment in living.  

Taking the first step in seeking help can be difficult, especially if you have never had counselling or psychotherapy before, this is why I have detailed as much information on my website (www.conwycounselling.co.uk) as I can to give you an insight into counselling and psychotherapy, who I am and how we can work together.  Another good way to find out more about who I am and what I can do for you is to get in touch with me to explore how I may be able to help.   I will always aim to get back to you as soon as I can.  

My training is Integrative, meaning I draw from a variety of models, theories and practices to match the uniqueness of your situation. From a foundation of Humanistic principles informed by Rogerian person-centred theory, my practise also incorporates psychoanalytic theory, attachment theory, existential philosophy and phenomenology and transactional analysis. I also draw on a wide body of knowledge from psychology, philosophy, feminism, spirituality, sociology, neuroscience and trauma research.

Fundamentally, I believe in the primacy of the here and now relationship between you and me, client and therapist - a relationship founded on trust, hope, and intimacy. What ultimately heals us, I believe, are alive, exciting and meaningful relationships and this is what we would seek to find and build together in the therapy space. I like to consider the therapy room as a place for 'safe emergencies': somewhere you can be all of yourself, perhaps for the first time. It's a rehearsal space too, ideal for trying out new ways of communicating and presenting yourself to the world. The therapeutic relationship is a key factor in helping us to understand patterns in our lives which can be unhelpful or destructive and for working through these.

I offer open-ended, exploratory therapy where you will gradually come to understand and accept yourself more fully leading to positive changes in your capacity to live. Alternatively for those looking for more focused work aimed at increasing their here-and-now coping, we can focus carefully on a particular problem, assisting you to use your existing strengths and resources in new ways. You may have your own ideas about what you are likely to find helpful or may want to ask me about the kinds of therapy I offer - I'm happy to work with you to find out what's likely to suit you best. 

Every therapy session is unique and catered specifically to each individual. In sessions you will have the opportunity to explore the issue or concern you want to work on within a safe and supportive relationship. Though I won't tell you what to do, I will listen, try to understand and ask questions which can help you to see things in a new light. I understand from experience that this process might feel difficult to begin with and it's my job as your therapist to support you through this.

Together, we’ll look at the relationships you have with people in your life, as well as the one we have with each other and how you relate to yourself. This may feel unsettling however you won't be alone and, as your therapist, I will welcome all aspects of your experience and be there to help you process and cope with any emotions that come up.​

Meeting with a therapist for the first time can be a daunting experience. I will do everything I can to make our first encounter as relaxed as possible. We will meet in my private office, which offers a discreet and safe place in which to meet. During our first session together I will discuss with you how I work and will explain my confidentiality, payment, holidays and cancellation policies. We will also begin to discuss what brings you to therapy and explore what your expectations for therapy are. We can also talk through any concerns or anxieties you may have regarding the counselling process, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions if you are unsure of anything. If we then decide to work together, this will ensure we can do so within safe and clear boundaries. Therapy may not always be appropriate and should we decide this is the case then I can signpost you to other sources of help. There is no obligation to continue after this first session, and you are always free to end therapy at any point.