James Greenhalgh

I currently have availability in my practice. I usually work between 10.00am and 8.00pm Monday to Thursday. Some evening appointments are available.

 I aim to bring a gentle and empathic but clear thinking approach. I offer a confidential space where anything can be said and what needs to be shared can be, for there is enormous power in expressing what has been confused or shut down. The counselling relationship is central to my work. Each client is unique and what happens in each session is co-created between us. We might touch on some of the following areas:

Events in your past and the sense you made of them.

The story of your childhood and how you were brought up.

Your current ways of relating to others and what these may mean.

Your internal world, how you feel inside.

Dreams and fantasies.

I welcome and work with clients who come to counselling for all kinds of reasons. I believe psychological problems reveal themselves through unwelcome symptoms such as depression and hopelessness, guilt and shame, relationship difficulties, unmanageable levels of anxiety, pervasive feelings of sadness or extreme mood changes. The list is endless but importantly these symptoms are signs of a very individual kind. While challenging they can point to the causes of what might be troubling you. 

Some bodily symptoms can have psychological origins. The mind and body are connected and emotions are expressed in many ways. 

By the process of telling the story issues can be explored within a reliable and confidential setting. I will be listening carefully to what is being said and what is not being said. Occasionally I will offer interpretations to assist in this process.

I offer weekly 50 minute sessions and while I offer short-term work my preference is to work in open-ended, long-term therapy as I believe this is where lasting change and improvements can be found. I work in in Patcham, Brighton and online (using FaceTime or Teams) and I offer telephone counselling. It is possible to work with a mixture of these. If you are not sure then we can discuss this further.

I believe continuing professional development is important and regularly attend trainings and seminars to keep up to date with current thinking.

I abide by the BACP code of ethics and in line with this my work is regularly supervised by a qualified supervisor.

In the first session the aim is to meet each other and get a picture of what is going on for you, and to decide whether we can work well together. There is no obligation to continue. I will explain a little about how I work, and there is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have. I aim to give you a sense of what I feel your presenting issues might be about so that you are able to gauge how I work.