Stephen Manning

I offer a non-judgemental relationship where you can feel supported, listened to and safe enough to explore whatever you are facing. I will treat you with respect, take time to understand you and your experiences, and offer a genuine and open relationship. You will have an opportunity to ask questions about how the process works and share what your best hopes are from working with me.

You may be dealing with something specific that is troubling you, or you may be seeking support during a particularly difficult time. Sometimes people come to counselling without a clear problem in mind, only a sense that things don't feel quite right. People bring a wide range of concerns to counselling but you do not need to identify a specific issue before coming. What matters is having the space to talk and to begin making sense of what is happening.

I will encourage you to express your thoughts and feelings, explore the issues that are troubling you, and discover ways of living more resourcefully. The work is centred on self-discovery and finding solutions that feel right for you, rather than being given advice or told what to do. Together, we focus on supporting your own understanding and choices, at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

Coming to counselling can be like stepping into unfamiliar territory. You may know exactly what has brought you there, or you may simply feel that something in your life needs attention.

You can take your time. You can talk about what is immediately on your mind, return to something from the past, struggle to find the words, change your mind, or sit with something that is not yet clear. Whatever you share will be treated in the strictest confidence, allowing you a space in which you can speak openly.

I want you to feel safe enough to be honest with yourself. Counselling is not always comfortable: looking closely at our lives can bring us into contact with feelings we would rather avoid (therapy is challenging work rather than a light chat); but I will not rush you - we will work at a pace that respects both the difficulties you are facing and your capacity to deal with them.

Sometimes the work will be direct and practical; at other times, we may work with images, memories, sensations or metaphors. Some experiences and feelings are difficult to express in everyday language, and finding another way of approaching them can give us insights into our internal ‘world’. You may find yourself seeing familiar situations differently, recognising patterns you had not noticed, or discovering strengths that have been obscured by difficult circumstances.

The process is different for everyone. There is no fixed route that you are expected to follow. What matters is that the work remains connected to your life and to what you need from it. The aim is to keep it real and relevant.

I will accompany you while you explore, question, make sense of things and, where change is possible, help you find ways of moving towards a life that feels more genuinely your own.