Judith O'Brien

Please get in touch for most current availability.

Face to Face, or online Monday - Thursday - daytime & evening sessions available.  

I work face to face for Couples and in Relationship work as I feel this works best. However if for any reason you would prefer online, or this is better for you practically, for instance if you have small children,  we can discuss this. 

50 minute Individual sessions-  £65
50 minute Relationship sessions -£85
90 minute Relationship session £110

My suggestion would be 90 minutes once a fortnight. but I am mindful to work within your budget and time frame. 

I am an experienced psychotherapist and counsellor who believes  believe passionately in the transformative potential of working together  with you in the safety of a therapeutic relationship.

I offer Relationship Counselling for Couples and I also work with adult individuals in a 1:1 confidential setting. 

Feedback from a couple recently worked with….

“Thank you for providing such a safe space for us to voice our feelings, and for making us feel truly listened to and understood. I felt immediately at ease and you gave me the confidence to approach a distressing and painful situation with positivity, hope and trust. We have both learnt a lot in our Relationship work with you about each other during our sessions, and they have given us tools to communicate, an understanding of our own personalities and how we can develop our relationship to a deeper level."

As an integrative counsellor, I embrace various approaches but the central theory of my practice is person-centred which is the belief that you are the best people to bring about the change in your relationship, growth and awareness you are looking for if provided the right support.

I bring a deep sense of empathy and intuition and will listen carefully to your unique story within an atmosphere of  calmness, acceptance and with no judgement. Sometimes we may even bring humour, which can be a powerful tool to ease any discomfort.

All close relationships have their ups and downs. Today there are so many pressures on our time and on our lives. Finances, time constraints, work pressure, wider family issues, children and difficulties communicating can all impact. It is in times like these that reaching out for help can make that longed for difference. 

Relationship counselling begins with an assessment process which is vital to understand what is happening and identify the focus for the work. This consultation alone can bring you both clarity in terms of what is happening in your relationship.

Facing any problems in your relationship can feel daunting and lead to feelings of isolation, fear, vulnerability and shame. However, most relationships experience challenges and difficulties at some point and seeking therapy is a positive step towards getting the relationship you truly want.
 
Remaining impartial, I will listen to both of you and in turn you will be able to hear each other in a calm, neutral space.  You will each be able to express difficult feelings and identify what is needed to  seek a more fulfilling relationship and deepen your ability to trust and communicate more effectively.  

We will explore the patterns and  cycles you may find yourselves in, learn how to handle conflicts better, recapture that loving feeling, or indeed, if wanted, I can support you both in navigating a healthy separation.  

I understand that engaging in Couples' Therapy can feel daunting and one, or both of you  may even have reservations about how the therapy could help.  My aim is to put you both at ease and explore any uncertainties, so that you can feel safe to talk and express feelings.

In the first session, I will take some information from you both and listen to what you feel is happening in the relationship. From there you can decide if you would like us to work together and how we might best plan the therapy. 

Availability

My sessions can be arranged Monday to Thursday daytime  & evening in my Counselling Studio in Wilmslow, or we can work on line.

All sessions are 50 minutes and may take place weekly or bi-weekly, depending on your budget, availability and needs.

Who am I?

Hi, my name is Judy O'Brien.   I am a qualified Psychotherapist working both face to face and also online if that fits in better with your lifestyle.

I work with adults, as well as Couples.   My belief being that with the right support, you are the best person to bring about change, thus leaving you feeling empowered and more in control of your life.

How can I help you change? My approach is integrative, which means I draw on a combination of therapies to best suit your individual needs. At the heart of my work however, I aim to be real, collaborative, and human.   I bring a sense of curiosity, compassion, and sometimes even humour into the room as we work together to untangle patterns, build strategies, and make sense of what is going on for you.

With a warm, calm and intuitive manner I create a space for exploration.Sessions are a space where you can be yourself without performing or masking.

What might your best hopes be?  My approach is rooted in dialogue within the therapeutic relationship, offering you a place where your inner world can be spoken without judgement, fear or shame. Where, at your own pace,  you can unpack and unpick what is happening for you.  With a warm and direct style  I will guide to understand reasons behind difficult emotions, unwanted behaviours or maybe stuck patterns supporting you to feel safe enough to implement real change.

My experience is extensive covering issues including anxiety, health anxiety, relationship problems, stress, self esteem, self worth, loss, or simply an uncomfortable sense of not knowing why you feel the way you do.   I also bring a deeper sense of "known empathy" having personal experience of many issues that life can throw at us.

Sessions may be taken weekly or fortnightly, at agreed intervals. There is no obligation to commit to a set number of sessions. I am happy to work within your time frame and budget.

“Thank you for providing such a safe space for us to voice our feelings, and for making us feel truly listened to and understood. I felt immediately at ease and you gave me the confidence to approach a distressing and painful situation with positivity, hope and trust. We have both learnt a lot about each other during our sessions, and they have given us tools to communicate, an understanding of our own personalities and how we can develop our relationship to a deeper level."

So, what happens next?  My aim is for the first session to feel like a genuine conversation where you can get a sense of whether this feels like a space where you can be yourself.

I'll invite you to share what's brought you to therapy and what you're hoping for from sessions.  I'm curious  to understand not just what's challenging you, but also what you've already tried and to know more about your experience of yourself. 

I understand that reaching out for counselling support can feel daunting. To help with that first step, we can arrange a brief telephone call where you can ask me any questions as well as confidentially share a little bit about what has brought you to therapy.    I will do my best to help you feel at ease. 

So, if it helps to discuss whether I am the right therapist for you, do get in touch via email judyobrien@btinternet.com for a no-fee 15 minute chat before booking.

I am an experienced Psychotherapist and Counsellor who believes passionately in the transformative potential of working together with you in the safety of a therapeutic relationship.

I offer Relationship Counselling for Couples and I also work with Adult Individuals in a 1:1 confidential setting.

Availability 
I am available Monday to Thursday including 2 evenings.

Pricing Structure
50 minute Couple session - £85
90 minute Couple session - £110.
1:1 50 minute session - £65

For Couples I recommend 90 minutes once a fortnight, but I am happy to work with your budget and time frame.

Feedback from a couple recently worked with….

“Thank you for providing such a safe space for us to voice our feelings, and for making us feel truly listened to and understood. I felt immediately at ease and you gave me the confidence to approach a distressing and painful situation with positivity, hope and trust. We have both learnt a lot about each other during our sessions, and they have given us tools to communicate, an understanding of our own personalities and how we can develop our relationship to a deeper level."

My approaches: As an integrative counsellor, I embrace various therapeutic approaches but the central theory of my practice is Person-Centred, which embraces the belief that you are the best people to bring about the change, growth and awareness you are looking for if provided the right support.

How do I work? Remaining impartial, I will listen to both of you and in turn you will be able to hear each other in a calm, neutral space. You will each be able to express difficult feelings and identify what is needed to seek a more fulfilling relationship and deepen your ability to trust and communicate more effectively.

We will explore deeper unexpressed emotions, look at the patterns and cycles you may find yourselves in, learn how to handle conflicts better, recapture that loving feeling, or indeed, if wanted, I can support you both in navigating a healthy separation.

Putting you at ease:  I am very mindful engaging in Couples' Therapy can feel daunting and one, or both of you may even have reservations about how the therapy could help. My aim is to put you both at ease, and begin by exploring any uncertainties you may have about the process, so that you can feel safe to talk and express feelings. Sometimes we may even bring humour, which can be a powerful tool to ease any discomfort.

What can you expect? Relationship counselling begins with an assessment process which is vital to understand what is happening and identify the focus for the work. This consultation alone can bring you both clarity, enable you to be heard in a safe place and talk about what is happening in your relationship.

I will listen carefully to your unique story within a non-biased, neutral atmosphere of calmness, acceptance with no judgement, bringing a deep sense of empathy and intuition. 

All close relationships have their ups and downs. Today there are so many pressures on our time and on our lives. Finances, time constraints, work pressure, wider family issues, children and difficulties communicating can all impact. It is in times like these that reaching out for help can make that longed for difference.

That tricky first session - Facing any problems in your relationship can feel daunting and lead to feelings of isolation, fear, vulnerability and shame.   However, most relationships experience challenges and difficulties at some point and seeking therapy is a positive step towards getting the relationship you truly want.

In the first session, I will focus on putting each of you at ease.  I will take some information from you both, answer questions and clarify aspects of the Therapeutic Agreement you will have received from me. 

I will provide the opportunity for each of you to voice what you feel is happening in the relationship and what is a priority for you. From there we will decide how we might best plan the therapy. 

 I offer face to face and on line sessions for adult individuals  working Monday to Thursday including some evening availability.

Although short treatments can give fantastic results, I think therapy is perhaps at its best when you can give it time. 

 I am flexible however, remaining mindful of balancing your budget, psychotherapeutic needs and time frame. 

 Sessions may be taken weekly or fortnightly, at agreed intervals. There is no obligation to commit to a set number of sessions. 

What can I offer you? I offer Relationship Counselling for Couples and I also work with adult individuals.   

I am an experienced Psychotherapeutic Counsellor who believes passionately in the transformative potential of working with you in therapy.

What can you expect?  With a calm and intuitive manner I create a space for exploration. My therapeutic philosophy is rooted in dialogue, offering you a place where your inner world can be spoken without judgement, fear or shame.

As a Humanistic Counsellor, I believe Counselling works best in the warmth of a meaningful, therapeutic relationship. Working together in a trusting, confidential therapeutic relationship we can identify what might be going on for you and help you in making sense of difficult emotions.

What might your best hopes from the work be? Working together in a collaborative, steady, curious conversation you can be guided to understand reasons behind unwanted behaviours, stuck patterns, suppressed feelings or identify what you might be carrying alone. With the aim of increased clarity, better self acceptance and greater self compassion I can support you to feel safe enough to implement real change

Approaches:   I embrace various therapeutic approaches but the central theme of my practice is Humanistic and Person-Centred. I see you as a unique individual with unique needs. My professional belief being that with the right support, you are the best person to bring about change, growth and awareness, thus leaving you feeling empowered and more in control of your life. 

We will always take things at your pace - My experience is extensive covering issues including anxiety, health anxiety, relationship problems, low mood, stress, self esteem, low self worth, grief, loss, and unhelpful patterns of behaviour. I also bring to the work a deeper sense of "known empathy" having personal experience of many issues that life can throw at us.

How often should I come? Although short treatments can give fantastic results, I think therapy is perhaps at its best when you can give it time and go deeper, if you are ready to. However, I am flexible and always mindful of balancing your budget, individual psychotherapeutic needs and time frame.

Sessions may be taken weekly or fortnightly, at agreed intervals. There is no obligation to commit to a set number of sessions

So, what happens next? I understand that reaching out for counselling support can feel pretty daunting.  To help with that first step, we can arrange a brief telephone call where you can ask questions and confidentially share a little bit about what has brought you to therapy. If you are in a relationship or a couple we can arrange a joint call.

You will then receive some paperwork with further information and we can book in your first session.

Sessions may be taken weekly or fortnightly, at agreed intervals. There is no obligation to commit to a set number of sessions.