Melanie Packer

Monday 10 am–7:30 pm

Tuesday 9:30 am–7:30 pm

Wednesday 8 am–5:30 pm

Thursday 2–7:30 pm

Friday 11 am–5 pm

Saturday Closed

Sunday 9:30 am–1 pm

I'm a BACP member, qualified supervisor and integrative counsellor with over 20 years' clinical experience. A significant part of which has been working with people who've spent many years looking after others, such as unpaid carers. That work has given me a close understanding of stress, emotional exhaustion, complex relational dynamics, and the quiet cumulative weight that both caring and clinical wo

I became a supervisor because I believe reflective practice is central to ethical, effective work, and because I remember what it felt like to be a trainee navigating all of this for the first time.

I particularly value working with trainees and newly qualified counsellors. The early years of our therapeutic practice raise real questions about identity, competence, and how to stay grounded in your own approach. I don't think those questions are a problem to be managed. I think they're where the best supervision happens.

Before becoming a counsellor, I worked as a manager in communications, HR, and learning and development within a large public sector organisation. That experience continues to influence how I think about growth, feedback, and the kind of honest conversations that help people develop professionally.

What I enjoy most about supervision is seeing counsellors develop trust in their own thinking and decision-making. Whether you're a trainee or an experienced practitioner, there comes a point when supervision becomes less about finding the 'right answer' and more about learning how to think well about the work, both within and after the session.

I use Hawkins and Shohet's seven-eyed model as my primary supervisory framework because it encourages us to think about the work from multiple perspectives, not just the content of individual sessions.

Supervision with me is collaborative, unhurried, and shaped around where you are in your practice.

I aim to create a space where you can bring the cases that are sitting with you: the ones that feel clear, the ones that feel confusing, and the ones you're not quite sure how to make sense of yet. I'll offer honest, respectful feedback and ask questions that help us think more deeply about the work, not simply confirm what we already believe.

I take ethical practice seriously, and I'll engage thoughtfully with the ethical dimensions of your work without making that feel like a compliance exercise. 

What I care about most is helping you develop genuine insight and the kind of confidence that comes from trusting your own clinical judgement.

Supervision is also where you should be able to talk about the impact of the work on you, not just on your clients. That matters, and I won't overlook it.

My supervision is available in person in Worthing and online across the UK.

Starting supervision, or meeting a new supervisor, can feel a bit daunting. Supervision has a powerful impact on our client work, so it's worth getting right.

Before we begin regular supervision sessions, I offer a free 30-minute consultation so we can talk through where you are in your professional journey, what you're hoping for, and whether I'm the right person to work with you.

There's no pressure or expectation. If we both feel we're a good fit, we can arrange a first session and begin exploring your work together, thinking about the ethical challenges you may be facing, your developing practice, and the support you need to manage the emotional demands of the work and stay well in yourself.

Monday 10 am–7:30 pm

Tuesday 9:30 am–7:30 pm

Wednesday 8 am–5:30 pm

Thursday 2 pm –7:30 pm

Friday 11 am–5 pm

Saturday Closed

Sunday 9:30 am–1 pm

Are you finding life harder to manage? Maybe you're dealing with grief, relationship difficulties or a period of change. Maybe you've spent years looking after others and have lost sight of your own needs.

I'm Mel, a BACP-registered integrative counsellor with over 20 years' experience supporting people through times of change, difficulty.

I work with adults experiencing issues including anxiety, depression, grief, workplace stress, relationship strain and periods of change. I also have experience supporting unpaid carers, including people caring for partners, parents, children, family members and friends.

I understand caring can affect much more than your time and energy. It can influence your confidence, identity, relationships and sense of what you need for yourself. You may have become used to managing alone, putting other people first or keeping things going when life feels hard.

My professional experience and counselling training have given me a broad understanding of the pressures people can face. My work in communication, HR, learning and development within a large organisation, alongside many years volunteering with a carers' charity, has helped shape the way I work with clients today.

You don't need to be an unpaid carer to come to counselling, and you don't have to wait until things feel unbearable before asking for help.

My approach is warm, honest and collaborative. I believe counselling works best when we can build a working relationship, where you feel heard, respected and able to talk openly.

Together, we can explore what's happening in your life, make sense of your experiences and consider what might help. I won't tell you what to do or offer easy reassurances, but I will work alongside you with curiosity, care and respect.

Before sessions begin, I offer a free, face-to-face 30-minute consultation, so we can talk about how I might be able to help and support you, and you can ask questions and get a sense of whether I might be the right counsellor for you.

Many people seek counselling after spending a long time managing on their own. You may be used to putting other people first, keeping things going or only talking about difficulties when they become too much to manage. Having regular time to think about yourself and your experiences can feel unfamiliar at first.

Counselling can help with immediate difficulties, but it can also help you understand yourself more clearly, recognise patterns in your relationships and consider what you want or need. It can help you develop greater confidence in your own thoughts, feelings and decisions.

For those who have spent years focused on other people, counselling can also be an opportunity to reconnect with what matters to you. Your needs matter too.

I see my role as working alongside you, not directing you. I'll bring curiosity, honesty and genuine respect for your experience. I won't tell you what to do or offer easy reassurances that everything will be fine. Instead, I will offer a place where you can talk openly, explore difficult feelings and begin to make sense of what's happening.

My background in communication, HR, learning and development has also shaped the way I work. I have spent many years working with people in organisations, understanding workplace relationships, communication, change and the pressures that can affect people's confidence and wellbeing. I know that difficulties at work don't always stay at work, and that what happens in our working lives can affect relationships, identity and how we feel about ourselves.

As an integrative counsellor, I draw on different counselling approaches while keeping our relationship at the heart of the work. I don't believe any single approach can fully explain what it means to be human, so I won't try to fit you into a particular model. Instead, I'll work with you to understand your experiences, relationships and the patterns that may be influencing your life.

My sessions are 50 minutes and are offered in person in Worthing.

Starting counselling can feel like a big step, and it's worth taking some time to find the right counsellor for you.

Before we begin regular sessions, I offer a free, face-to-face, 30-minute consultation. This gives us an opportunity to talk about what's brought you to counselling, what you would like help with and whether I'm the right person to work with you.

You'll also have time to ask questions about how I work and what counselling might involve. You don't need to have everything neatly worked out, and there's no pressure to make a decision during the consultation.

If we both feel that working together would be helpful, we can arrange a first session. We can then begin to explore what's happening in your life at a pace that feels comfortable for you.