Hi, I’m Amanda.
Adult, young person and child counselling.
(Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater and throughout the South West)
I am a qualified Counsellor, providing counselling for adults, young people and children. My role is to support your journey towards good mental health while understanding that in today's ever-changing, demanding world, good mental health and maintaining it, is not always straightforward. Either in-person/face to face and/or online sessions are available, whichever suits you.
My professional background before counselling includes experience of the business world with 16 years of working in retail, HR, training, and IT. More recently, 20 years’ experience as a teacher has given me invaluable knowledge of children and teenager development and insight in how to work with them in a compassionate and creative way.
BA Hons, PGCE, Adv.Dip.Int Couns., PQ Dip. Eating Disorders, MBACP, enhanced DBS.
My approach will always be about you and the relationship we develop together so that you can move towards a more positive way of life.
I passionately believe that through counselling, adults, young people and children alike can find the space and support to navigate and achieve a healthier way of life. This can support a range of mental health difficulties, for example: trauma, anxiety, depression, low moods, low self-esteem, relationship problems and coping mechanisms.
Working with you, I will help you to develop a more resilient, confident, happier future where your mental health is stronger as a result.
All adults, young people and children deserve to be heard, supported and to blossom whatever their needs or situation. Everyone has the right to live a healthy, fulfilled life.
Creating a safe, confidential space
You may be coping with a variety of mental health issues such as trauma, anxiety, depression, low moods, low self-esteem, relationship problems and a safe counselling environment is crucial. We will create a safe environment where you feel heard, cared for, valued and able to talk. Within this supportive environment, you will become more robust, resilient and reflective, while your confidence and self-esteem will grow, safe in the knowledge that within ethical and legal boundaries, everything you share is in confidence.
We will start by building mutual trust and respect, creating a safe and non-judgemental space for us to explore your thoughts, feelings and anxieties. We will work together at your pace, on the issues you choose to bring and towards the goals you want to achieve. Once we have a good idea of these issues and goals, we will follow a personalised plan that will support you in moving forward.
The style of counselling primarily offered is person centred, where we are led by you. Depending on what you would like help with, we may also include psychodynamic techniques to understand how your past might be affecting your present situation and/or focus on achieving your goals in a more structured way using Cognitive Behavioural techniques to explore how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviours.
What issues can counselling help with?
Counselling provides you with a safe space to share whatever is on your mind, providing care and compassion to help you build effective coping strategies and allow you to feel more confident moving forward.
You might feel alone in a relationship, need help processing a bereavement, a separation or struggling with work, family, friends, menopause or eating disorders and health issues. You may be living with low self-esteem, depression or anxiety. I am here to listen and provide the help you need at this time.
Whether you are an adult, a young person or a child, I am experienced with working with a variety of problems including trauma, anxiety, toxic work relationships, family difficulties, eating disorders and bereavement as well as low self-esteem, lack of confidence, friendship issues, poor body image and unpredictable emotional regulation such as anger management.
My location - Taunton
If you choose face to face, we will meet at my home on the outskirts of Taunton, at the foot of the Quantock Hills. I have a dedicated counselling room and there is private parking available on the driveway. We can also work online if you prefer or if your location means that face to face is not practical.
Terms, pricing & confidentiality
Individual Counselling: £60.00
Fees are paid by bank transfer, 24 hours in advance of each session. Missed appointments or cancelled appointments with less than 24 hours’ notice, are payable in full.
Client information is confidential and, except for ethical and legal reasons, is not shared with anyone. For example, in circumstances where someone's personal safety is deemed to be at risk, there is an ethical and legal requirement to share information with the appropriate professionals.
Further reading...
Thought of the Month
Do you like learning new things?
My thought this month is about the value and joy I find in continually learning. I often learn through the reading I do, and my most recent book has really made an impression on me. I have been reading Nick Luxmoore’s book ‘Supporting Young People through Everyday Chaos’. It has been a hugely insightful read where he shares how chaos profoundly affects our lives. Understanding the chaos helps us understand the person. I had never thought of chaos in the way he describes or its links to why many young people today struggle to live with the constant possibility of things breaking down and being out of their control. He references ‘everyday chaos’ as being core to anxiety, bullying, mental health, trauma, anger and loss. He highlights the inevitability and unpredictability of chaos and how young people strive to find a way to live with this. Some can, some find this difficult and some need support to navigate their way through. It feels as if chaos is at the crux of everything we do. This reminded me of a poem I learnt a very long time ago at school.
Rudyard Kipling's ‘If’ was written in 1895 but I feel is still pertinent today. It highlights the importance of perseverance, humility, self-belief, and integrity. Kipling advises us to maintain integrity and not let success or failure define our character. He encourages us to trust ourselves when others doubt us. I feel his advice is useful when managing the chaos in our lives. Below are some of my favourite lines from his poem.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
Chaos is not easy to live with but with compassion, empathy and understanding, it is possible to navigate it, to live the lives we want to live. This I will always hold onto. (October 2024)
Get in touch
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how therapy works or to arrange an initial no obligation phone conversation.
This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you or your child and if I am the right therapist to help.
All enquiries are usually answered within 48 hours Monday to Friday and all contact is strictly confidential. If you do not receive a response from me, please check your junk or spam folder in case it has been filed there.
Should your concern be specifically Eating Disorders, please contact the Eating Disorder Recovery Clinic where I am the Specialist Children's and Young Person Eating Disorder Counsellor.