Debra Bell

I have availability for new clients. *evenings and weekend availability* I offer face to face sessions in a private counselling room in Cottingham near Hull/Beverley (East Yorkshire), and online sessions throughout the week including late evenings, Saturday & Sunday. I work flexibly around work commitments so if my hours don't suit, please get in touch and we can find something that works.

I'm a BACP registered counsellor and ICEEFT certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist based in Cottingham, near Hull, East Yorkshire, working with couples and individuals face to face and online.

I came to counselling after a long career in senior leadership, and I still work in that world alongside my practice. I know what it's like to be the person holding everything together at work and at home, to feel the pressure of a demanding role while something in your personal life is quietly unravelling, or to sit in a meeting performing fine when you're anything but. That experience sits in the room with me and I think it makes a difference.

I'm not a formal or distant therapist. I'm direct, warm and easy to talk to, and clients often tell me that was the thing they weren't expecting. For couples I use Emotionally Focused Therapy, which is one of the most well researched approaches to relationship work available and gets to the heart of what's actually going on between two people pretty quickly. 

This includes couples who are working through an affair or betrayal, which doesn't have to mean the end of a relationship. In EFCT terms, betrayal is understood as a rupture in the sense that your partner is a safe place to land, and there's an established path through it, building safety, being properly heard, real accountability, and rebuilding something lasting rather than just moving past it. I also work with couples who've separated and are finding their way back to each other, which happens more often than people expect.

For individuals I follow the person in front of me rather than a fixed model whether that's anxiety, burnout, or working through a big life change.

I completed a placement with a domestic abuse and sexual violence service, and I hold ASIST and Mental Health First Aider accreditations. I've volunteered with Samaritans and Cruse, and currently support Hey Mind East Riding's mental health crisis line.

My practice is based in Cottingham, near Hull and Beverley, East Yorkshire. I see clients face to face and online, including weekends. Sessions are 60 minutes for individuals, with a 90 minute option available. Couples sessions are 60 or 90 minutes.

Fees are £80 per session for couples and £60 for individuals, or £110 and £90 for 90 minutes. Concessionary rates are available. A free 20 minute initial consultation is offered with no obligation

I work with people who are navigating relationship difficulties, life pressures, grief, workplace stress, redundancy and the kind of mid-life weight that builds up quietly over time. I also work with organisations, supporting HR teams, Mental Health First Aiders and managers who are holding a great deal for their colleagues without always having the clinical support they need themselves. Having spent 30 years in senior leadership myself, and being an accredited Mental Health First Aider, I understand both the weight of that responsibility and how easily it goes unsupported.

My room is private, comfortable and easy to access in Cottingham. Online sessions run via a secure video platform. I work flexibly including late evenings and Saturday and Sunday, because I know that for many people stepping away during the working day isn't straightforward.

Fees are £80 per session for couples and £60 for individuals, with a 90 minute option available for both. Concessionary rates are available. A free 20 minute initial consultation is offered with no obligation.

I offer a free 20 minute consultation before we commit to working together. This is a chance to have a brief conversation, ask anything you want to know about how I work and get a feel for whether we're a good fit. There's no pressure to commit beyond that. You can book this directly through my website at debell.co.uk.

If you decide to go ahead, I'll ask you to complete a short intake form before your first session covering what's brought you to therapy and a little background. This helps us use the time well rather than covering purely administrative ground. Sessions are £60 for individuals and £80 for couples. Throughout August, all sessions are available at a reduced rate of £50 for individuals and £70 for couples, so if you've been thinking about it, now is a good time to get in touch.

For couples, I'll usually see you together first and may suggest individual sessions with each of you as part of the early assessment process, which is standard in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.