Julian Groves

I am not available at weekends. 

As you are reading this and other pages in this directory you are taking the first step in seeking out someone to talk to – it takes courage to do this. The reason for your search is likely to be a problem or issue in your feelings and thoughts that may well be intense and personal to you or in your relationship to another. You may feel overwhelmed by it. The problem might have been named (e.g., anxiety or depression) or you may not quite know what it is but need to talk to someone about it.

I endeavour to provide a space that can be experienced as confidential, non-judgemental and safe in order that what is troubling you  can be understood, and you can become free from it.

The counselling I offer is based in the relationship that forms in our sessions. I believe that as we work together, bringing ourselves, our histories and our own stories, we will both be changed as a result of our meeting. We will negotiate and jointly establish the pace of our work as it develops – I do offer a set number of sessions, but we can also proceed without set timescales to begin with.

From my original training at The Minster Centre, I find myself particularly influenced by attachment and relational theorists. I believe that any theory or practice I bring is however, secondary to your experience and how we might interpret and re-interpret its meaning for you. Theory only shines a light on experience and its possible meanings.

I have worked with people experiencing a variety of difficulties including depression, anxiety, addictions, obsessions and compulsions, anger, rage, shame, grief,  hearing voices, suicidal thought, self harm and the troubles that are often associated with the different stages of our lives.

Thank you for reading this and if you wish to meet to see if I am someone you feel you can talk to, then please either call or e mail me.

In our first sessions I aim to provide a quiet and undisturbed space for you to bring your thoughts and feelings on why you wanted to start counselling. In this initial session as your story unfolds I will ask a number of questions that will seek further clarification from you and provide me with more background about you. We will also talk of what your goals are in coming to work together and what you are seeking from counselling. The session also provides us both with the opportunity to consider whether we can see ourselves working together over time.