Welcome
Hi! I'm Georgina, I am an Integrative Counsellor working in Private Practice in Bristol and online. You can be assured of a warm welcome whatever brings you here.
I am a therapist with 15 years' experience, I am also a clinical supervisor. Being integrative means that I have an extensive toolbox of theories and resource to ensure that you have the therapeutic experience which will best suit you.
You will experience therapy which is tailored to you, I love getting to know the person in front of me and figuring out what will work best in this situation, at this moment in time. I am skilled in working with wide range of presentations - anxiety, depression, ADHD and neurodiversity, family or relationship difficulties, nervous system dysregulation, trauma, grief and loss. I offer a safe, supportive space to process issues around gender and sexuality, and aim to be alert to the real-world context in which we find ourselves, and the implications of that for you.
WHAT IS THERAPY LIKE?
If you haven't had therapy before, you might wonder what it is like -
what do you actually do? What might your therapy with me look like?
I am a Person-Centred talking therapist, so there will definitely be some
talking! However what I won't do is sit and watch you as you struggle to figure out what to talk about. Here are just some of the ways I have incorporated movement, creativity and activity into sessions with clients:
- Sitting in a room, talking at the right pace for you.
- Walking alongside one another beside the river
- Sitting on the floor looking at or creating images
- Sat by a campfire in the colder months
- Knitting as a aid to nervous system regulation as we talk
- Experimenting with movement to help you feel grounded and enhance mind-body connection.
- Using a model to structure our work, e.g. Transactional Analysis with its focus on different ways of being internally and in relationships.
- Reading through some writing you have done, and reflecting on it together.
- Using objects to explore dynamics between family or friends.
Click here for more details about starting off in therapy, and how I work.
what stops people from getting therapy?
'I don't want to rake over everything, I'm fine really.'
Some people might avoid therapy as they think they'll have to go over everything and the therapist will leave no stone unturned and will keep asking questions. In my experience, going at a manageable pace is paramount and in our first session, I will give permission to keep yourself sufficiently regulated. This permission stands throughout our work. So there is no 'raking over', what we might do is explore over a number of sessions how some of your past experiences have formed your approach to life - and how you might want that to be different.
That's not to say that therapy will be easy, it's not. However, because you will be supported without judgement, you will be able to process difficult emotions and experiences, and work towards your goals. And sometimes, we can even find laughter in amongst the challenges.
'There are people much worse off than me.'
Yes, this will almost always be true, but it never means that you are not deserving of help and support - if you are reading this, you are likely in need of some of that, so please don't let this pesky phrase stop you from accessing therapeutic (or other) support.
Hang on, did you say, therapy outdoors? And campfire?
But therapy happens in a room, sat down.
My outdoor work takes place at Eastville Park, which is 10 minutes from the city centre and easy to get to from Fishponds, St George, Downend, Emerson's Green, Horfield and Filton.
It is a lovely park with a wide range of habitats - lots of woodland, lakes, streams and the river Frome. The birds we spot bring joy and excitment - especially when we catch a glimpse of the jewel-blue kingfisher.
I did say that! I do work in a room, usually in a chair, but most of my work takes place outdoors at which I have done for over 5 years, in various locations. Some people like to Walk and Talk, others prefer to find a spot where we can sit. Napping babies and toddlers are welcome if finding childcare is difficult. I've had chilled dogs join us in the past!
You must be super outdoorsy then?
Well, no. I LOVE being outdoors, in nature and in all weathers, but I also love being indoors on a comfy sofa. I chose to take my work outdoors because I could see that I, and others, would benefit from connecting with nature more and it brings more richness to the work -and yet more choices and variety.
Who does this work for?
Most people - but of course I would say that! I do mean that, but to give some examples:
- People with ADHD can find working outside regulating, this might walking or being able to sit in one spot, but have nature scrabbling and twittering around.
- If you're someone who loves nothing more than going for a long hike at the weekend, this way of doing therapy will likely feel very natural.
- Do you work at a desk for long stretches? Doing therapy outdoors will give you some outside time - hello sun! - and bring a some movement into your day.
- Being outside when we're working with trauma gives lots of hands-on opportunities to regulate your nervous system
- Spending time outdoors, in nature, is beneficial for our mood but something we often don't find time to do. This way you get to do therapy and lift your mood by being outside.
I offer an initial session so you can get a feel for both this way of working, and how we might work together. If it doesn't feel like a good fit, there is no obligation to continue.
So that's who it works for, how does it work?
The first step is to agree where to meet, and to give you an opportunity for any questions you might have. I will ask you to fill in an Outdoor Working Questionnaire so that I am aware of any health conditions which we need to bear in mind. If you know that you would prefer to sit, or need to be seated for health/mobility reasons, I will guide us to an area of woodland. We can either sit on the ground, benches or I have camping chairs available. If you're unsure, or if you know you would like to walk, our first session will take us on a route around the upper and lower areas of the park. We will go round the lakes and beside the river, then come back to our starting point. This usually takes about 50 minutes. In subsequent sessions you might want to continue walking the same route, vary it and explore some of the many paths, or you might want to walk some weeks and sit others. If you prefer to be seated we will probably have a campfire in the colder months. It is a public space so I might suggest a faster/slower pace occasionally to ensure that you have sufficient space around you to feel reassured of confidentiality. This hasn't impacted on the session.
Writing as Self-Care
I've had a journal or diary on and off since I was young, and I have always found it useful but I've gotten stuck at times on how I could use it. I wanted more than 'just write', and there have been times when free writing has been unhelpful and took me deeper into a dark place. This led me to look into different ways of writing, including journalling, but also other ways to write creatively. I have written poems, flash fiction, silly stories, life writing...my ADHD brain loves variety, so I like experimenting with different modes of writing.
What I've discovered is that there is therapeutic value in almost all writing, the distinction between 'creative writing' and 'therapeutic writing' is small. Of course, some of us write with the aim of others' reading it, which will have an impact on the process, however the processes of crafting, editing, experimenting are all fantastic for our wellbeing (except when there's a very tight deadline.)
Writing therefore makes its way into some of my work when it seems like it would be helpful for the therapy. See my page about Writing for Self-Care to find some ways to use writing in your day to day, whether you are in therapy or not.
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