Rate Sarah Burton

Life can throw a lot at us sometimes, we are all human after all and 'not all wounds are visible.'

We may feel overwhelmed, alone, anxious, stressed...to name but a few, as well as maybe not knowing or understanding how we feel....feeling numb....stuck.

The fact you are here, reaching out and looking for support is a wholehearted step forward and I myself know how valuable it is to find someone you feel comfortable with. Often the toughest part is the decision to start acknowledging your own needs and that in itself is a sound starting place.

On working with me (adults 18 plus), I offer a friendly, warmhearted presence and together we will bring to light more of an awareness of yourself, in a compassionate, nourishing way- furthering your own wellbeing.

We will look to address whats getting in the way of life right now and how this may be impacting on day to day life, whilst looking at your own resources and learning some new ones along the way.

We will look to understand your own stress/survival responses (coping mechanisms) and how they show up for you at times. Our bodies react to the environment based on our past experiences.

You will learn more about how these symptoms present in your nervous system- such as fight or flight which can appear as anxiety, anger, fear, hyper-arousal, tension, on edge etc. Or when our nervous system is in a freeze response a person may feel, helpless, empty, no motivation, alone, no energy, unworthy - all symptoms of stress/trauma responses, taking on board a greater understanding about your own coping skills, leading to more of a kindhearted view towards yourself, building on comfort through recognition.

A large part of trauma-informed counselling involves the normalising of these symptoms through the understanding that what you may be experiencing are normal responses to abnormal events/situations-coping mechanisms. Your body and mind are reacting to certain situations and can affect how you think, feel and behave. This can be very enlightening for people and they can begin to start making sense.

Also, through compassionate inquiry we can look at the stories you tell yourself unconsciously and recognise how these may direct your life. Once you recognise the belief(s) you have been carrying and where they originated, you can question the validity of those beliefs.

At the heart of my own counselling approach is being person centred- this centres around the idea that we all have a natural drive towards our own possibilities. Throughout life itself, we come under the influences of certain experiences, situations and/or people, therefore taking us away from our own sense of self, affecting our character as a whole.

As your counsellor we will work together towards reconnecting with your own skillsets and values, beliefs and qualities, building on self-awareness, strengths and your own personal expertise.

“Much of what we call personality is not a fixed set of traits, only coping mechanisms a person acquired in childhood.” Gabor Mate

Please reach out if you have any questions at all or want to see if we are a good fit for working together.

Availability on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays - not available for evening sessions after 6pm.

For urgent crisis support please contact the Samaritans on 116123, the NHS on 111, or contact your GP directly.