Paul Avery

I am available for sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Person-centred counselling in Leamington Spa and online 

FdSc Counselling and Psychotherapy | BACP Registered Member

Free 30-minute introductory call | paulaverycounselling@gmail.com

At some point, thinking it through on your own isn’t enough. You may be facing too much change, or too little. There might be a version of the future you want, but the obstacles are all you can think about. Perhaps you're holding yourself together in ways that are starting to cost too much. But somewhere beneath the exhaustion there's a readiness – at least, enough to bring you here.

I’m drawn to the parts of experience people find hardest to own: shame, compulsion, desires that feel unacceptable, the things we keep from everyone else. That territory is where the most important work tends to happen. It’s also where I’ve done much of my own. As a gay man, I have personal experience of the long reach of self-denial into how we see ourselves, who we become, and how we show up in relationships – as well as what becomes possible on the other side of it. I find particular meaning supporting people at thresholds that shake up who we are: rebuilding in the wake of addiction, navigating loss, or facing change you may not feel ready for. 

I offer person-centred counselling, which means our process is shaped around you: your pace, your priorities, what you need from me and from life. I don't arrive with an agenda for the session or fixed ideas about who you're supposed to be. What I do is pay close attention: to what's said, what isn't, and what's happening between us.

When you can allow yourself to be truly known by another person and are met with acceptance and curiosity rather than judgement or unwanted advice, understanding tends to deepen. And from that experience, something usually shifts – not only in how you think, but in how you feel and eventually how you choose to live. That is the root of lasting change, and we’ll know therapy is working when you start to need it less.

If this sounds like the kind of company you could use, I'd be glad to hear from you. I offer a free initial 30-minute video or phone call where you can ask questions and get a feel for whether we’d work well together. To arrange this or book a first session, contact me at paulaverycounselling@gmail.com. 

Alongside my private practice, I facilitate group therapy at a rehabilitation facility and teach counselling on the undergraduate course at Warwickshire College. I hold an FdSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and am a registered member of the BACP. 

If you decide to move forward with me, I will send you some information by email before we meet so the first session itself can focus on what you really need. There will be time to make sure we're on the same page about practical things like confidentiality and cancellations along the way.