Welcome
We all go through tough times. When you feel stuck, lost or in crisis, the supportive space of counselling can help you find a way forward.
Sessions with Susan
I am a counsellor based in the Lisburn area (near Belfast in Northern Ireland) who especially enjoys working with people in the creative arts and industries and those wishing to develop their creative side. I provide online and telephone sessions for adults based within the UK. For more details about online and phone counselling, please see the "Online and phone counselling" page of the website.
My approach
My style of counselling is rooted in the person-centred approach. This means I work on the principle that every human being has their own innate potential for growth and healing. My role is to help the person access that potential, so they can flourish and thrive. In particular, I focus on developing a counselling relationship which is warm, understanding and honest, and which respects the pace of the individual.
In 2020 I completed a Level 2 practitioner training in Richard Schwartz's Internal Family Systems (IFS). This way of working offers a very safe and effective means of improving self-awareness, acceptance and self-esteem. IFS sessions often increase a person's sense of inner harmony and balance. Many find that their relationships with others also improve. If you are interested in doing IFS sessions, please see the Internal Family Systems page.
As mentioned above, I always listen carefully to what my clients tell me about their creativity, and I aim to foster and encourage this as a powerful source of wellbeing.
Finally, I draw on other ideas and theories, depending what is required by the person and their circumstances. If you are looking for practical strategies, then I am happy to talk about this in a down-to-earth way.
News: Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes
In 2022, I completed Metanoia Institute's Practitioner Certificate course in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes (CWTP). This approach focuses on the process of writing as a valuable means of self-expression. I was excited to learn that CWTP helps us befriend ourselves. The outcomes often include increased self-knowledge, acceptance, and the accessing of our own inner wisdom.
What issues can counselling help with?
Counselling may help you cope with the following:
- Change
- Bereavement
- Relationship issues, including separation & divorce
- Stress-management
- Confidence, assertiveness and self-esteem
- Work problems
- Redundancy
- Anxiety and depression.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all
Emily Dickinson
What people say...
On completing his set of counselling sessions, one person said,
"My mental health has taken a quantum leap forward. I like being me."
Another client commented,
"It's been amazing!"
For an informal chat about online/telephone counselling or online IFS sessions, please call: +44 (0)7581 325846 or click here to email me. Alternatively, you may find answers to some of your questions on the Contact & FAQ page of this website.
(Central portrait image copyright Hannah Mitchell, 2021)
