Amanda Barry

I do not work weekends.

I am a Gestalt Psychotherapist, BACP Accredited working in Dibden Purlieu, Southampton. Therapy may be the first time that you have been truly listened to, with acceptance and without judgement. I work with a Humanistic Gestalt perspective; this means that I believe that your unique experience as an individual is the most important thing in the therapeutic relationship.

The goal of therapy is to raise your awareness. The more awareness you have of the habitual patterns that trigger your behaviours, the greater the choice you will have in tackling challenging situations. I work creatively and, as our sessions unfold, I may suggest using different materials, objects and enacting situations as a way of helping you actively explore the problem and raise your awareness.

I retired from Hampshire Police after nearly 3 decades in a variety of specialisms, including domestic violence, child protection, and the management of fellow officers impacted by trauma. My ability not to shy away from another`s distress and despair led onto a natural path into counselling training. 

I hold a Post Graduate Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy (Gestalt Centre Wales) and a Diploma of Higher Education in Humanistic Gestalt Counselling (Bucks New University). I am also completing Children and Young Persons Post Graduate Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy. 

I am committed to my own personal and professional development. As well as my British Gestalt Institute I train in person internationally with the Pacific Gestalt Institute, and have trained online with Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and the Istituto di Gestalt, H.C.C Italy.

I am caring and warm, with a passion for working with people. I am humbled by my client`s journey of self-discovery.

Our first session is a mutual assessment, primarily to explore what has brought you to counselling, what your expectations are, if counselling is appropriate and whether I am the counsellor for you. I offer this at a discounted priced of £45. There is no obligation to proceed.

Counselling can be short term or long term, The number of sessions will depend upon your needs, It would be unusual for counselling to last less than 6 sessions. However , you can choose to end counselling at any point.