Susan Furmage

I currently have availability on Fridays and Saturdays in the daytime between 10am and 4pm for in-person, online or telephone counselling. Please get in touch using the contact form provided and I will get back to you as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours.

Life has a way of getting on top of us sometimes – throwing one thing after another our way, until it all starts to feel too much. Maybe you’ve been thinking “I don’t know who I am anymore” or perhaps you find yourself questioning every life decision you’ve ever made. Counselling can give you the time and space to pause, reflect, and consider how you might like to move forward. My aim as a counsellor is to offer you a welcoming, supportive space, free of judgement, where you can feel safe to talk about whatever is on your mind.

I have a Master’s degree in Clinical Counselling (Distinction) from the University of Chester. My Master’s research focused on the ability of women who are mothers to speak openly about the challenges of motherhood and the societal pressures women face to be a “good mother”– subjects I am passionate about both personally and professionally. As a counsellor, I have worked in a variety of settings, including an NHS GP practice and the local branch of a national charity, all offering general counselling services to clients confronting a wide range of issues.

I took a long and winding road to arrive at my current role as counsellor, so I know from experience that life is not always straightforward and sometimes we don’t end up where we thought we were heading when we first started out. Counselling can help make sense of life's twists and turns. I would welcome the opportunity to work with you. 

My counselling practice is Person-Centred.

Person-Centred counselling is rooted in two intertwining principles: that everyone has the capacity to grow and flourish when presented with the right conditions, and that each person – and no one else – is the expert on their own unique life. As a Person-Centred counsellor, I will always respect you as the person who knows you best. Our conversations will be guided by you and go at your pace.

Counselling sessions are 50 minutes in length. My fee is £50 per session and can be paid either by bank transfer or in cash on the day.

Issues I can help with include:

• Lost sense of self

• Low self-esteem

• Anxiety

• Loneliness

• Grief

• Depression

• Relationship challenges

• Feelings of general overwhelm

I offer an initial free 20-minute phone consultation so that we can get a sense of whether we might like to work together. I will ask you about the reasons you are seeking counselling, and I will tell you more about the way I work. I will invite you to ask any questions you may have about counselling or about me as a counsellor. If we decide we would like to try working together, then we can arrange our first session - either in person, online or over the phone.

During our first session, we will discuss in greater detail how our time together in counselling will work, and you will have the opportunity to begin talking about whatever it is that has brought you to counselling. I understand that meeting someone for the first time in a one-to-one counselling setting can feel strange or a bit intense. I will always do my best to help you to feel at ease and give you the time and space you need to explore things at your own pace.