Lisa Edmonds

I am an integrative counsellor working mainly from a psychodynamic approach but also incorporating the concepts from other approaches such as humanistic person-centred. Being able to blend these approaches allows me to bring different elements to the therapy to suit what you need and works best for you.

How I work:

People seek counselling for many different reasons and I understand the decision to come is not always an easy one. Therefore, I ensure I provide a warm and safe environment for you to openly explore what has brought you to counselling where you will be heard, understood and accepted without the fear of being judged.

The counsellor-client relationship is an important part of the therapy and you will be valued, encouraged and supported throughout our sessions together.

To help understand more about yourself part of our work will involve exploring your past which can help us to identify:

why you cope with things in a particular way

why you feel and react the way you do

reasons for why you may be experiencing anxiety

repeating patterns of unhelpful behaviour

how this may be impacting your life now

Allowing you to reflect on past experiences will help you to make sense of the present.

Some of our work will include looking at your defence mechanisms and coping strategies which are unconsciously put in place at times when we need to protect our own emotional well-being.

Sometimes our way of coping can become outdated leading us to unconsciously repeat patterns of behaviour which no longer work for us and can leave us feeling 'stuck'.

By bringing these behaviours into the conscious will enable us to find better ways of coping which are more beneficial to your life now.

Exploring these and making sense of it all will help you to a place of deeper understanding and self-acceptance, allowing you to recognise other options available, enabling you the freedom to make changes and move forward.

I am based in Fairycroft House in the heart of Saffron Walden.