Judith MacDonald-Lawson

I am a very experienced relationship counsellor/psychotherapist who specialises in working with couples at all stages of their relationship. I offer Relationship Counselling which provides help for couples who are experiencing difficulties, whether arising from the relationship itself, or from other external factors. Couples are encouraged to explore their problems in a safe, impartial conversation, to improve understanding of why these problems are occurring, and how to make changes.

If you are parents who are arguing a lot, your children will be aware these tensions; ultimately they too will benefit from your counselling. 

I offer Separating Parents sessions to help couples who have decided to end their relationship. During this difficult transition, which will be painful for you all, decisions need to be taken about how to tell the children, who moves out and when, what arrangements will be made for your children to see you both, as well as helping your children with their fears. Several sessions with an experienced couples counsellor can help you to negotiate some of these issues; you may be signposted to other sources of support.

I am an accredited Family Mediator, helping separating couples to make their own decisions about family, finance and property arrangements.  I work as a Child Consultant, qualified to see children whose parents are making arrangements for their children after separation and divorce.

I worked for Relate for 10 years as a senior couples counsellor, family counsellor, psychosexual therapist and young persons' counsellor. I have been working in private practice for 8 years.

The couples counselling I offer is confidential, flexible, informal and non-judgemental. We would normally meet weekly for 50 minute sessions, reviewing the work after 6 weeks to see whether clients are finding it helpful and whether they wish to continue meeting.  For some clients, 6 weeks is enough to help with the issues they need to address, for others longer term work is appropriate.  After an initial assessment meeting, usually together, to allow you to explore whether counselling would be of help to you, it may be helpful to have one or two individual sessions before continuing with couples counselling. 

Although meeting in person is ideal, I am happy to offer on-line work during the Covid-19 restrictions. 

If you are considering separating, or have already separated, sessions are designed to help you manage this difficult process. and include advice and giving information about talking to your children, identifying and managing their anxieties and ensuring that you as parents are able to continue to communicate effectively. The quality of the residual relationship after divorce is a big factor in reducing the trauma experienced by your children. You may also be signposted to other sources of help. 

Our first meeting will usually be with you both, for 50 minutes.   This is an assessment meeting, enabling you to discuss the issues you are experiencing in a confidential and non-judgemental setting.  I will be assessing whether I feel I have the appropriate skills to help you, and you will also be considering whether you would feel comfortable working with me.  You do not need to bring anything to this first meeting since we will be talking and I will be taking some notes.

At the end of this session, we may decide together that some counselling sessions would be appropriate, you may wish to go away and discuss what you wish to do together, or we may discuss signposting you to another source of help.