Psychotherapy and Counselling

Psychotherapy and counselling provide an opportunity for people to discuss personal difficulties and challenges with someone who has the professional skill to help make sense of things. The therapist or counsellor offers a quiet, confidential space to explore all aspects of the problem, its roots and origins, with an aim of finding ways of moving forwards.

Counsellors are generally trained in empathic listening and through reflective support can help you gain clarity and insight while you tackle life's difficulties.

Psychotherapists have the full range of counselling skills, but in addition are trained in particular techniques aimed at addressing specific, hard-to-shift problems.

At the Bridge, our psychotherapists and counsellors are fully trained and accredited, have been in practice for many years, and have worked in the NHS and similar clinical settings. They are all registered with their appropriate professional associations - the UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy), BACP (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy), or the BPS (British Psychological Society).

People seek psychological help for a wide range of problems.

Typical problems can include difficult, hard-to-manage feelings, unhelpful or intrusive thoughts and worries and negative beliefs about self or others. Simple social habits or ways of relaxing may become addictive, or there may be problems with food or sex. Often people come wanting to change lifelong patterns of unsatisfactory interactions with others, at home and at work. Sometimes, unexpectedly, emotional pain surfaces which may be due to a loss, bereavement, disappointment or rejection. Such pain may have its roots in childhood issues, trauma, or difficult family dynamics and skilled exploration can help.

Others feel the need to explore meaning, or spark new growth.

Sometimes people just feel suddenly 'stuck', and life begins to feel grey. Others become very curious about themselves and others. At such times it can be extremely helpful to have another mind and heart tuned toward us - it can get things moving in new and often unexpected directions.

Who am I? What is life for? What does this strange dream mean, if anything?

Making life richer.

Sometimes people seek psychological help to simply become better at what they do, to know themselves and their motivations more fully, to improve their enjoyment and competence at work; or as a parent or partner at home. We can help with this too.