Al Renton

You may be grieving a loss, struggling in a relationship, feeling overwhelmed or finding yourself caught in patterns that are difficult to change.  Sometimes there is no obvious crisis - only a sense of feeling disconnected from yourself or that something in your life needs attention.

I am a humanistic integrative therapist offering counselling in central Brighton and online.  I work with a wide range of experiences, with a particular focus on grief and bereavement, adoption and abandonment, identity and belonging, neurodiversity and relationships.

My approach is warm, thoughtful and collaborative.  I don't see therapy as a process of fixing what is ‘wrong' with you.  Together, we can slow things down, understand the experiences that have shaped how you feel and relate, and make room for ways of living that feel more honest and sustainable.

My background is in gardening and bodywork - both need time, space and the right kind of pressure for change to happen.  Therapy can be similar, noticing what is spoken and what is felt, doing a little digging, sometimes getting a bit messy, and allowing something new to take shape.

If something here resonates, you're welcome to get in touch to arrange a free introductory 30 minute session and explore whether working together might feel right.

I have particular experience in grief, bereavement and loss in all its forms, including those losses that may be difficult for others to recognise or understand.

I also have a specialist interest in adoption and its lifelong effects on identity, belonging, experiences of abandonment and relationships.  I am certified by the Albany Centre to provide adoption support counselling and have several years' experience supporting people through bereavement and complex grief with Cruse.

I work with neurodivergent adults, including people who are autistic or have ADHD, whether formally diagnosed, self identifying or beginning to question how neurodivergence may have shaped their lives.

Alongside individual therapy, I offer couples and relationship counselling, and have undertaken a Level 5 training accredited by COSRT.

I offer a free 30 minute introductory meeting, either online or in person. This gives you an opportunity to tell me a little about what is bringing you to therapy, ask any questions and experience how it feels for us to talk together.

There is no obligation to continue. If we both feel that working together may be helpful, we can then discuss practicalities and arrange a regular session.