Amy Williams

I have availability for new clients on Thursday mornings, afternoons and evenings. I also offer sessions on Wednesday mornings and afternoons. 

Hiya, I’m Amy. If you’re here, you might be thinking about counselling or perhaps wondering whether counselling is even for you. Either way, welcome.

I know that getting in touch with a counsellor can feel like a surprisingly big deal. You might feel nervous, awkward, unsure what you’re supposed to say, I’ve been on the other side of the counselling room myself, so I know what it’s like to take that first step.

My aim is to offer a warm, down-to-earth space from my private room in Cheltenham town centre, where you can talk openly, at your own pace, without having to pretend you’ve got everything figured out. You don’t need to arrive knowing what to say or even know exactly what you might want from counselling.  

I’m an integrative counsellor, meaning my training allows me to draw from different approaches depending on you and what you bring. My work is rooted in Person-Centred counselling, with its emphasis on empathy, authenticity and your ability to make your own choices. I also draw on Psychodynamic ideas, which can help us explore how past experiences, relationships and things outside of our immediate awareness might be influencing how life feels now. I also practice Relationally, meaning that the relationship that we build will also inform how we work together. 

For me, counselling is something done together. I won’t sit quietly while you do all the work, I’m also not here to tell you what to do. I see counselling a little like walking side by side through a forest, you’re the one choosing where we go, I’ll walk alongside you, shining a light into the darker corners highlighting things that might be worth stopping to look at.

I’m committed to ethical practice and to working in line with the BACP Ethical Framework. Client autonomy is particularly important to me: counselling isn’t about me deciding what is best for you, but about creating the conditions for you to understand yourself better and make your own choices.

I’m a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and hold a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling from Gloucestershire College.

Much of my counselling experience has been within a counselling charity where I’ve had the privilege of meeting and working alongside people from all walks of life. No two people arrive at counselling for quite the same reason, and I’ve supported clients through a wide range of experiences, circumstances and challenges.

My experience includes working with anxiety, depression, trauma and psychosis, as well as supporting people living with the impact of sexual and domestic abuse. I have also worked with neurodivergent clients and with people exploring their gender and sexual identity.

Complex trauma is a particular area of interest for me. I’ve seen how experiences from the past can continue to shape the present sometimes in ways that aren’t immediately obvious, I care about creating a space where these experiences can be explored with welcoming curiosity and without judgement.

That said, I don’t believe you need to arrive in crisis to benefit from counselling. There is no ‘bad enough’, no particular level of distress and no checklist of experiences you need to tick before it’s ok to ask for support. Sometimes you might simply know that something doesn’t feel right, or that you’d like some space to understand yourself better, that is reason enough.

Alongside my counselling practice, I’m currently working towards my Level 6 Clinical Supervision qualification, as well as being a Lecturer in Counselling at Gloucestershire College, where I teach CPCAB counselling courses. Teaching and Supervision training are both giving me other perspectives on counselling and continue to deepen my interest in what makes therapeutic relationships work.

After we first connect, I’ll arrange a call to discuss availability and get a sense of what you’re hoping to achieve through counselling.

The first session is an opportunity for both of us to assess whether we’re a good fit. It’s a chance to see how I work and whether you feel comfortable with me as your counsellor. Whatever you bring to the session is welcome. You may have nerves, questions, or concerns about “explaining everything again” to a stranger. Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed about where to begin, or perhaps you're excited about taking this step for yourself. Whatever your experience, we’ll take it one step at a time, at a pace that feels right for you.