Rosie Whiteley

I offer evening or weekend appointments online or by telephone for those who find it difficult to find time to attend therapy during the normal working week. Evening appointments are available between 5pm and 8pm Tuesday to Friday, weekend appointments are available on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 4pm. 

Week-day appointments can also be arranged but have limited availability.

Have you ever found yourself plodding through life unaware of your own needs or unable to prioritise yourself? Has low mood crept up and you feel overwhelmed, confused or utterly miserable, whether due to relationship difficulties, low self-worth, life-changing events or the loss of a loved one. If you feel you don’t matter because you have to put others first or feel the choices you want to make are impossible or unattainable it can be helpful to seek professional support to explore this in a safe space, develop self-awareness and increase understanding of yourself.

Welcome. I am an experienced counsellor providing that safe space to clients over the age of 16. I work across the UK providing telephone and online video appointments which lets you choose a counsellor because they feel right rather than because they match your geographical location. Face to face appointments are also available for those living more locally. Counselling can explore what might be needed to reach your goals and identify what might be standing in your way. You can recognise how it would feel to be in a better place and discover what might come into your life as a result. All this can change life from feeling lonely, daunting and overwhelming to building confidence and self-esteem, being less isolated and able to take more control over your life.

How many sessions you might want depends on you and your preferences. You may find your solutions in a few sessions or feel that longer-term therapy lets you explore issues at greater depth over a longer period of time. You can review this with me as your therapy progresses.

If you are interested to find out more please contact me for an initial free consultation. This will give the opportunity for you to tell me what you are looking for from therapy, for us to check that the counselling approach is right for you and that you feel we are a good fit to work together.

I look forward to hearing from you and exploring the next steps with you.

I work with a person-centered, holistic approach providing a neutral, non-judgemental, safe and confidential environment for you to explore your emotions. This may be from the impact of any type of abuse, relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, low mood, grief and bereavement, low self-worth, lack of self-esteem, guilt or shame. I also address trauma, safeguarding and any associated risk of harm. Working at relational depth I can help you recognise conflicting parts of yourself, break down negative internal dialogue or help you distance yourself from painful and distressing memories and reduce their impact. You can explore unfinished business or identify things you might want to say to an absent person. In enabling you to explore choices and make decisions that work for you this can help you reach your own solutions and work towards self-actualisation; being the person you want to be. All this is done in a non-directive way; I will not tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but facilitate you to explore your choices to make your own informed decisions. This can lead to empowerment, an internal sense of worth and increased well-being.

As an Accredited therapist my work is guided by the BACP Ethical Framework and to Equality and Diversity guidelines providing acceptance, empathy and non-judgement to all clients from differing cultural and ethical backgrounds. I hold full professional liability insurance, am GDRP-compliant and registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) to ensure safe data collection and storage. By providing weekend and evening appointments as well as week-day sessions this provides flexibility to help those who find it difficult to find time for appointments during the normal working day. 

Initial consultations are held free of charge to discuss your self-referral and identify what you might be looking for from counselling. In checking your expectations and explaining the approach of counselling this makes sure we both feel it is a suitable approach for you. During the assessment you can explore your reasons for referral and the factors that contribute towards your emotions. This helps check whether you feel this is the right time to engage, commit and prioritise yourself and your therapy. I will explain that the feelings you may experience after your first few sessions (initial lower mood, vulnerability or extreme tiredness) are normal and identify the self-care you may need to help these feelings pass. Or, alternatively, highlight that you may feel lighter with a sense of relief having shared your emotions with me. 

I will ask about some potential background influences such as recent bereavements, your mental health history, long term health conditions, support networks, medication and any fleeting thoughts of wishing to harm yourself. I will explain the importance of you being in a confidential space so that you can explore your feelings without being overheard and will discuss plans in the event of communication failing (eg if connection is lost on a video call). I will promote your autonomy to help you recognise your own choices and empower you to make your own decisions rather than advise you on what you should do. This will hopefully help you feel validated and heard. I will also remind you that sessions are non-judgemental and confidential but advise on the limitations of confidentiality. 

I will check your address and date of birth, GP practice medical conditions and whether you give consent for me to talk to your GP if necessary. I will check that you are aware of your support network and note details of anyone you would like me to contact in the case of an emergency in order to provide you with maximum support.