Charlotte Howard-Jones

I work in Central Taunton on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturday mornings. I also have availability in West Somerset (TA4) on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Qualifications: 

BA (Hons) Business & Psychology

Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling

Advanced Certificate in Couples Counselling

I'm sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment and would like to help you.

I am an integrative humanistic therapist drawing on a variety of psychological therapies to best support the individuals I work with. I help clients work through difficulties and issues that cause pain and distress bringing flexibility and breadth to my counselling style.

I have extensive experience working with people affected by loss, whether through bereavement, loss of self esteem, or major life changes.

I am also qualified to work with couples and offer support with communication and relationship challenges.

Are you about to go to a counsellor for the first time? Whatever your reason for seeking help, you will be more at ease and get better results if you know what to expect.

In your first session, I will typically will ask certain questions about you and your life. This information helps me to make an initial assessment of your situation. Questions I might ask include:

Why you sought therapy? A particular issue probably led you to seek counselling. I would like to understand your surface problem(s) before I can get to the deeper issues.

Your personal history and current situation. I will ask you a series of questions about your life. For example, because family situations play an important role in who you are, I will ask about your family history and your current family situation.

Your current symptoms. Other than knowing the reason you sought therapy, I will attempt to find out if you’re suffering from other symptoms of your problem. For example, your problem might be causing difficulty at work.

I will use this information to better understand your problem. And, while she may make a diagnosis at the end of your first visit, it’s more likely that a diagnosis will take a few more sessions.

Therapy is a team effort. If you don’t take an active part in the session, you won’t find the counselling experience valuable.

Be open and honest about your feelings. A lot will be going through your head in this first session. Listen to your own reactions and feelings, and share them with me. We will both learn from these insights.

Be prepared. Before you get to the session, know how to describe “what’s wrong,” and to describe your feelings about your problem. One way to prepare is to write down the reasons you’re seeking help. Make a list and then read it out loud. Hearing yourself say it a few times will help you describe things more clearly to the therapist.

I'm here for you and want to help. It's hugely courageous of you to take these first steps.