Penelope Cole

My working hours are 10.00am to 4.00pm Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

I've been a psychotherapist for more than 15 years and have worked with clients from every walk of life: authors, artists, designers, journalists, lawyers, builders, soldiers, students, young, old, men and women.

People usually come to me because there has been a sudden change in their life that has left them feeling confused, hurt, unable to cope and anxious or depressed.  Sometimes the change feels catastrophic, and at other times it maybe just unwanted and unpleasant. Maybe it's something that they wanted badly such a move to a new location, a new relationship, a divorce or retirement, but they find themselves struggling to adjust to the new demands placed on them.

My job is to help people to look closely at what is happening - good or bad and to develop a compassionate curiosity about how there coping strategies are failing them and/or how their mind shapes their view of the  world.

Even though you might be suffering, you may be looking for a solution in a psychiatric label or prescription drugs in the hope that either or both will make it go away. However suffering cannot - and perhaps shouldn't - be prescribed away; emotional discomfort is an alert system that tells us something needs to be attended to and this is where therapy can be helpful.

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My Approach

Therapy is not dissimilar to an ordinary conversation with a good friend, but the type of questions you may be asked can be daring and bold and may not always feel comfortable as the answer may be something you have kept hidden for a long time.

The therapeutic conversation can feel playful and irreverent at times as it lacks formality and the need to save face.  We may find ourselves laughing out loud and even swearing occasionally. We may play with images and metaphors, dreams, fantasies and dreads.  We may explore your childhood and consider how influences from the past are having an impact on you now.  We may explore your beliefs and their relevance in your day-today existence.

The idea is to learn to think about what is present, without demanding certainty, to learn how to live with what we don't know and to accept what is.​

Your first session will provide you with the opportunity to talk at length about what is causing you difficulty and how your strategies for coping are letting you down.  I may ask you questions if you appear to be struggling to find the words to express what you are feeling or to clarify an issue to help us both understand what is going on for you.

We will discuss my framework for working with you, my fees, availability and consider how frequently we should meet.  It will provide you with the opportunity to find out for yourself if you feel comfortable talking to me and may conclude with us agreeing the terms on which we will work together.