Beth McCrerie

People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes something specific has happened, and sometimes it is much harder to explain. You might just know that you don’t feel like yourself, that things have become overwhelming, or that you would like somewhere to talk honestly about how you are feeling.

For me, counselling starts with the relationship between us. Feeling comfortable with your counsellor matters, so I want our sessions to feel like a space where you can be yourself, say what you really think and not worry about being judged.

I am an integrative counsellor, which means the way we work together will depend on you. I won’t sit with a checklist or expect you to talk about particular things. We might explore what is happening in your life now, experiences from your past, your relationships, or patterns that you have begun to notice in the way you think, feel or respond.

I won’t tell you what you should do. My role is to listen, to be curious alongside you and to help you explore and understand your experiences in a way that perhaps you have not had the opportunity to do before.

Some sessions may feel reflective, while others may feel more challenging. Most importantly, I want you to feel that you can come as you are.

I work with adults and adolescents experiencing a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, stress, low self esteem, relationship difficulties, loss and significant changes in life.

You may be dealing with something that has happened recently, trying to understand experiences from your past, struggling in a relationship, or finding yourself repeating patterns that you do not fully understand. Equally, there does not have to be a crisis. Sometimes people come to counselling because life looks fine from the outside, but something does not feel right on the inside.

My experience includes therapeutic work with adults alongside several years of counselling young people within a secondary school setting. Working with people at different stages of life has taught me the importance of seeing the person rather than what they arrive with.

I offer face to face counselling near Wantage, online counselling and walking therapy. Walking therapy offers another way of working together and can particularly suit people who feel more comfortable talking side by side or whilst moving outdoors.

Whether we meet in a counselling room, online or outside, the time is yours. We can use it to explore whatever feels important to you.

It is completely normal to feel a little nervous before a first counselling session. You might wonder what you are going to say, where you should start, or whether there will be awkward silences.

Our first session is simply an opportunity for us to meet and begin getting to know each other. I will ask a little about what has brought you to counselling and what you would like from our sessions, but you will not be expected to tell me your whole life story in fifty minutes.

There will also be time to talk through how counselling works and anything you would like to know about the process. The relationship you have with your counsellor is important, so this first meeting is also an opportunity to see how you feel talking to me.

Before booking a first session, I offer a free 20 minute introductory phone call. It is informal and gives us the chance to talk a little about what you are looking for and whether I might be the right counsellor for you.

If we both feel that working together is right, we can take it from there.