Nathan Chesney

Monday 4pm-7pm, Tues 9.30-8pm, Weds 9.30-8pm, Thurs 09.30-6pm, Fri 09.30-7pm. Saturday morning 09.30-1pm by appointment.

I practise as a counsellor in Transactional Analysis, ‘TA’ for short. It is a theory of personality and a method of humanistic psychotherapy. Its core philosophy assumes human potential for self-actualisation, personal growth and responsibility. Working as a mental health practitioner in the NHS for 25 years I have discovered this the most useful way of helping others to overcome their personal problems and difficulties.

As the title suggests we focus on our transactions or interactions with each other. They mean so much when it comes to exploring and understanding how you approach and solve problems and how you communicate and conduct your relationships with other people. And yourself. Our therapeutic relationship is built on trust, care, safety and mutual respect. 

Counselling involves a series of formal sessions where, as your counsellor, I will talk to you. We will develop a relationship in which you can find yourself secure enough to explore those held issues, feelings and beliefs that may be inhibiting you in ways that may even be outside of your awareness. As such we will explore your life events, ways of thinking, emotions, relationships and your patterns of behaviour.

As your counsellor I will listen to you. I will empathize, but I may also challenge you supportively to help you to see and understand those intractable issues that make you feel not ok more clearly, or in a different way. The counselling process will help you to understand yourself. It can be an exploration of you and it is guided by how you have grown and matured as a person. We will discover how some of that experience has created problems for you. As your awareness grows you will then be in a better position to change what you want to change in a way that helps you to break free from unconscious limiting behaviours and thought processes to resolve or ameliorate them.