Lorna Grounsell

I offer online appointments on Fridays.

As an experienced BACP Accredited Therapist (MBACP Accred) with over 20 years' experience, I provide professional, compassionate therapy for adults, couples, and young people experiencing a wide range of emotional and personal difficulties. I have a particular interest and expertise in working with anxiety, shame, self-esteem, relationship difficulties and life transitions.

I am also a qualified counselling supervisor and work in accordance with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework, maintaining high standards of professional practice, confidentiality and ongoing development.

I offer a warm, supportive and non-judgemental space in which clients can explore difficulties, gain greater self-understanding and develop new ways of coping and relating. My approach is integrative, drawing on a range of therapeutic models and techniques to meet the unique needs of each individual. Alongside talking therapy, I may incorporate creative approaches where appropriate, helping clients access thoughts, feelings and experiences that can be difficult to express in words alone.

When working with couples, I provide focused, short-term therapy, typically over 6 to 8 sessions, designed to identify and interrupt unhelpful patterns of communication, strengthen understanding, and support more constructive and satisfying relationships.

Whether you are seeking help with a specific issue or looking for a space to reflect and make sense of life's challenges, I aim to offer a collaborative therapeutic relationship that supports meaningful and lasting change.

As a therapist, I am interested in the patterns that emerge in our relationships, with family, friends, partners, colleagues and, importantly, with ourselves. These patterns often shape how we feel, how we cope with challenges and how we experience the world. Exploring them can help us better understand ourselves and create meaningful change.

I also recognise that the therapeutic relationship itself can offer valuable insights, particularly as we explore deeper feelings, longstanding difficulties and ways of relating that may be causing distress.

My work is informed by mindfulness and Gestalt approaches, which place importance on increasing awareness of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and relationships. Together, we will explore your experience with curiosity and compassion, helping you to develop a greater understanding of yourself and the choices available to you.

Through therapy, I aim to support you to:

Develop greater self-awareness and understanding.

Recognise patterns in thoughts, feelings and relationships.

Build confidence in managing difficult emotions.

Take ownership of your experiences and choices.

Develop practical skills and resources for everyday life.

Create more fulfilling and authentic relationships with yourself and others.

I offer a warm, accepting and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly about whatever is troubling you. My role is to listen carefully, support you in making sense of your experiences, and work collaboratively with you towards your goals.

Alongside exploration and reflection, I use psychoeducation where appropriate, helping you understand the psychological processes that may be contributing to your difficulties. I also support clients in developing practical strategies they can use beyond the therapy room, empowering them to build resilience and create a life that feels meaningful and worth living.

Your first appointment is an opportunity for us to meet, explore what has brought you to therapy, and consider whether we feel like a good fit for working together. Research consistently shows that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors in successful therapy, so it is important that you feel comfortable, heard and understood.

During this initial session, I will invite you to talk about the difficulties you are experiencing and any relevant background or history. This assessment process helps me understand your needs, goals and hopes for therapy, while giving you the chance to experience how I work.

We will also discuss the practical aspects of therapy, including:

The frequency and potential duration of sessions.

Fees and payment arrangements.

My cancellation and missed-session policy.

How your privacy and confidential information will be protected.

The rare circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be broken.

The use and storage of clinical notes and records.

You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have about my qualifications, experience, approach to therapy, or how we might work together. Choosing a therapist is an important decision, and I believe it is essential that you have the information you need to decide whether I am the right therapist for you.

By the end of our first meeting, we will have a clearer sense of whether working together feels beneficial and how therapy may support you in moving towards the changes you would like to make.

I offer online appointments on Fridays.

A spirit of enquiry underpins the supervision I offer. Using a clear and accessible framework, I encourage curiosity, reflection and creative exploration, helping supervisees develop insight, confidence and a deeper understanding of their therapeutic work.

I offer clinical supervision using the Cyclical Model of Supervision, providing a clear and supportive framework for reflection, learning and professional development. Working collaboratively, we explore the issues you bring, deepen understanding, develop insight and integrate learning into practice.

My approach is grounded in the three core functions of supervision: supportive, educative and managerial, with the balance tailored to your individual needs, level of experience and client work.

The supervisory relationship is rooted in Rogers' core conditions of empathy, respect and congruence, creating a safe, reflective space in which you can think openly, challenge yourself and explore uncertainties without fear of judgement.

The managerial function supports safe, ethical practice through accountability and adherence to professional standards. The educative function promotes professional growth through reflection on client work, therapeutic relationships, theory and interventions. Where appropriate, I may suggest reading, training or other resources to support development.

The supportive function acknowledges the emotional impact of therapeutic work, providing space to explore challenges and dilemmas while building resilience and sustaining professional wellbeing.

I also incorporate creative approaches, including metaphor, imagery and symbolism, to facilitate deeper reflection and fresh perspectives, particularly when work feels complex or stuck.

Whether you are newly qualified or an experienced practitioner, I aim to provide a reflective, supportive and professionally challenging supervisory relationship that fosters confidence, competence and growth.

I offer an initial supervision session to help both supervisor and supervisee assess whether we are a good fit for working together. Choosing the right supervisor is an important part of effective supervision, and this first meeting provides an opportunity to explore what you are looking for and what I can offer.

During this session, we will discuss your professional background, current practice, developmental goals, expectations of supervision and any particular areas of support you are seeking. We will also consider practical arrangements such as frequency of sessions, contracting, fees and preferred ways of working.

Supervision can be provided online or by telephone, offering flexibility to suit your location, schedule and individual preferences.

My aim is to create a supervisory relationship that is supportive, collaborative and professionally enriching, enabling you to practise with confidence, integrity and ongoing curiosity about your work.