Lisa Hayes

Contact me for available appointments:

IN ROOM:

Monday: 3-5pm  The Arches Therapy Rooms, 178 Cheltenham Road, Bristol

Wednesdays: 9am-1pm- Home office, Hutton, Weston-super-Mare

Thursdays 10.30am-5pm- The Therapy Rooms, 147 Whiteladies Road, First Floor Clifton, Bristol

ONLINE:

Monday-Thursdays  Daytime and evening sessions

Are you feeling lost, anxious or sad, depressed, or have a sense that something isn't right and you aren't sure why? Talking about it with me may help.

Are you feeling misunderstood or worn down from trying to fit in, feeling too much or not enough and maybe struggling in your personal or working relationships?

Or are you experiencing disappointment and loss or bereavement, which leaves you feeling numb, angry, guilty or exhausted?

Whatever has happened or is happening, I will listen to you so you can explore your feelings and, alongside you, better understand yourself and remove obstacles that are getting in your way.

I am a psychotherapeutic counsellor who has walked through the triumphs and heartaches of life, which has sparked my motivation to accompany others.  My journey includes being a full-time mum and carer, often within a hospital setting. I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and I parent two children, both of whom are neurodivergent. I have been a teacher, foster carer, and, for the past 4 years, a counsellor. 

All of the above means I am passionate about striving for neurodivergent-affirming, anti-ableist and anti-oppressive practice.

Whatever motivates you to seek a counsellor right now, I will meet you with compassion and non-judgement. There is no right or wrong way to show up in therapy. I will go at your pace and direction, integrating a range of counselling, based on what I believe will be best for you, involving you in this process as we go along.

My training and background

I hold a Master's Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy and a Level 3 Counselling Diploma.

Before training as a counsellor, I volunteered for Mindline as a call handler and trained with Cruse to offer bereavement support.

I am a qualified and experienced teacher, and have also been a Foster Carer, so I have an understanding of the education and care systems.

I have an in-depth understanding of Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), which include chronic nail biting, skin picking or hair-pulling, all of which have overlaps with ADHD and Autism.

I have lived experience of chronic hair-pulling (trichotillomania).  

Sessions

Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly and cost £60 or £75 if fortnightly works better for you. Fees are payable in advance.

I keep two slots reserved at any given time for concessionary rates of £50. There may be a waiting list for these.

Cancellation policy: fees are reimbursed if you cancel your session with 48 hours notice. 

Disabled access:

The Arches Therapy Room, on Cheltenham Road, is a ground-floor room and is wheelchair accessible. 

My Therapy room in Hutton is on the ground floor, with toilet facilities, both wheelchair accessible. It is an air-conditioned room with entry via a side door directly into the room, to respect your privacy.

Client car parking is always available on the driveway at the front of the property.

Please do get in touch if you are considering working with me, via email, text message, or we can arrange a phone call.

You can ask questions and explore what you want and need from counselling, and I will be as honest and open with you as I can.

If you decide to book a first session with me, I will email you a copy of our working contract and ask for some basic information relating to safeguarding and health, all of which will be securely stored in accordance with data protection laws. I am a member of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for data protection.

All of this means that when we meet for our first session, we have already completed the required paperwork. I will briefly outline the contract about how we will work together, so you have another opportunity to ask questions, and I may ask you a few questions. I will likely re-explore with you what has brought you to counselling, and you want to change.

The counselling part of the session can then begin. I will check in with you at the end about how it feels, whether you would like to continue, and for how long, so we can review, as we go along, how the process is going in the time we have together.

I understand that it can feel daunting to begin counselling, and I will be with you every step of the way. This is your unique journey, and I will travel alongside you, shining a light on areas I believe may be helpful.