Ruth Heatherley

I am not currently taking on new clients.

I am an experienced BACP Registered Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist working in person in Southsea and Petersfield and online via Zoom across the UK.

If you are struggling with your relationships, feeling depressed or anxious, or have difficult feelings about yourself and are finding it hard to enjoy life, I would like to help.  Perhaps you are repeating a pattern of behaviour that is difficult for you.  Or perhaps you just want to grow, change and develop.

Experiencing difficulty is such a normal part of life.  I offer a safe non-judgemental, confidential and creative therapeutic space to help you to fully explore what is troubling you, increase your self-understanding and find solutions for a positive way forward.

My practice is informed by the belief that we all have the ability with the support of the therapeutic relationship, to access our own innate healing ability and find our way back to who we truly are, so we can feel more empowered, resourced and enabled to fulfil our true potential.

How I work

As an integrative therapist I work intuitively, drawing on a range of therapeutic interventions best suited to my clients. These include traditional talking therapies such as psychodynamic and person centred approaches but also trauma informed, mindfulness and psycho-education.

I also work creatively using sand tray and art or drawing therapy which can help foster a better connection to our bodies, helping us to process past experiences and gain a greater understanding of our behaviours, thoughts and feelings in the present.

However we decide to work, evidence suggests that the therapeutic relationship is the key ingredient to facilitating healing, change and transformation and so I place great emphasis on the building of trust which enables clients to feel safe and supported in the work.  

I offer both short-term (6-12 weeks) and longer term or open ended work both in person and online. Sessions are £55 and are held at the same time each week and last for 50 minutes.  

Choosing a therapist and embarking upon therapy can feel daunting.  I offer a discounted fee for an initial session (£25) in person or via Zoom, so you can find out more about me and how I work, tell me what has brought you to counselling, what you want to achieve and how we might work together.