I offer a one-to-one counselling service at Over The Rainbow for members of the LGBT community, (or their friends and family). There are many personal problems and traumas that can lead to you feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with life.

Sometimes talking to friends and family does not help and you feel the need to work things through with someone unbiased. There is not always a person with whom you feel safe enough to confide in and to share your intimate concerns or worries with. Counselling offers a confidential space where you can discuss and explore your personal issues with a trained professional. A therapeutic relationship can help you to move on from painful difficulties to lead a more fulfilled, healthier and happier life.

Do I need counselling?

Taking the step to talk to a counsellor can feel daunting and you may wonder whether you need counselling or how it can help you.

Maybe you are experiencing relationship difficulties or dealing with painful feelings of loss and grief due to bereavement or other life changes?

Were you emotionally, sexually or physically abused during your childhood or more recent past and are now struggling with the after effects?

Are issues around your sexuality or sexual problems causing you concern or worry?

Are you having unmanageable feelings (anger, sadness, emptiness), which are difficult to understand?

Do you suffer from low self esteem, lack confidence, have feelings of worthlessness or feel you are not good enough?

Do you use alcohol or drugs in a detrimental way or physically harm yourself to cope with painful life situations and feelings?

Are you feeling ill at ease at work, socially and/or in the family?
Is life becoming unbearable because of depression, stress, anxiety or panic attacks?

These are just some examples of the kind of things that people bring to counselling. As we are all unique individuals, no ‘list’ of reasons why people seek help can ever be fully comprehensive and your own problem may not have been described.

Whatever is troubling you, if you feel you need to talk to someone who will listen without judgement, a confidential relationship with a professional counsellor can help.

The task of counselling is to explore, discover and clarify ways of living more satisfyingly and resourcefully in the here and now. An empathic relationship based on trust and equality where you are valued and respected as an individual, can facilitate growth and healing. As your counsellor I will help you to work through your issues in a supportive, open and honest way.

How long does it take?

Each session lasts for fifty minutes and we would usually meet once a week. In our first meeting I will listen to your personal story and discover what brings you for help at this moment in your life. Together we will establish what you hope to gain from counselling, the changes you would like to make, what your goals are. If we both feel ok about beginning a therapeutic relationship we can then either agree to work on a specific issue or issues for a limited number of sessions or leave it as a more open-ended arrangement, reviewing the work together regularly. It is about what you want and need from a counselling relationship, we can discuss this in the initial session but nothing has to be ‘set in stone’ and we will work at your own pace, in a way which feels right for you.

Qualifications and Affiliations

I have an Advanced Diploma in Psychodynamic counselling and practice as a Humanistic Integrative counsellor which means I do not adhere to any one psychological ‘model’ or theory in my counselling work but integrate various ways of working to meet the needs of each unique individual.

I am a member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and have had my qualifications verified by the Association which allows me to use the designatory letters MBACP after my name. I abide by their ethical framework and fundamental values and principles of Good Practice.

Contacting Me

Phone me and we can have a brief chat about your difficulties and what you would like to work on. If I am not available when you phone you can leave a confidential voicemail message and I will get back to you within 24 hours. You can also contact me by e mail if you would prefer. An initial appointment can be arranged and the fee can be discussed (a reduced fee is negotiable for those on state benefits).

Tel: 0770 8542743 or 01202 470864
E-mail: andrearickman@counsellor.com