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Elaine Benson Counselling, Psychotherapy and Clinical Supervision

Elaine Benson MSc in Trauma, Dip, Couns., Adv. Cert. in Bereavement Counselling. Adv, Cert. in Supervision. Reg. MBACP (Accred.)

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Counselling

Hello and welcome to my website. If you are interested in accessing counselling or psychotherapy this section is for you.

Are you experiencing emotional difficulties, stress or anxiety?

Have you had very difficult and distressing experiences in your life, either as a child, teen or adult?

Has something happened in your past that still affects you negatively in the present?

Have you lost touch with who you are and what you want from life?

Are you ready for things to change?

It is important to remember that we all struggle at times, this is part of being human. But sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by life, by certain experiences, or by feelings and emotions that just never seem to change. No matter what we try we can't seem to get over it. This doesn't mean that there is something wrong with us; it just means we are reacting normally to unusual or frightening events that were overwhelming. Deciding to have counselling can be the first step in addressing this, the first step in beginning to understand the sources of your struggles, and the first step to taking back some sense of control in your life.

Counselling is very different from talking to friends or trusted colleagues, simply because a counsellor is an objective person in the relationship with you. They are not a friend who wants to make you feel better. They are not someone who will advise you on what to do. A counsellor is there to help you explore the issues that are causing you distress. To help you find a way forward that is right for you.

I am an experienced, BACP-accredited psychotherapist and counsellor and have worked with adults, children and young people since I qualified in 2006. Since I graduated, I have continued to broaden and update my knowledge and skills by attending an extensive variety of training courses. Through these I have developed my interest and passion for working with individuals who have, or are, experiencing overwhelming life experiences. Experiences which have left them feeling worthless and lacking in confidence, often feeling at the mercy of their emotions and feeling unable to progress in life. I know these types of experiences because I have been through similar myself. Counselling helped me find my way back to myself.

In my sessions with you, I work alongside you to explore any difficulties and unhelpful patterns in your life and tailor your therapy to meet your individual needs. In addition, I bring to my therapeutic role a wide range of experience gained in various therapeutic and supportive settings. For example, I worked in the field of domestic abuse for 18 years. This included working in a women's refuge with women and children who were escaping domestic abuse and later working with men who wanted to change their violent and controlling behaviours.

I am experienced in counselling face-to-face, via telephone and online using the Zoom video platform. I hold an Enhanced DBS. My practice is informed and guided by the BACP Ethical Framework for Counselling Professions. For further details see www.bacp.co.uk.

If you need immediate help, please call The Samaritans free on 116 123, visit www.samaritans.org, or contact your GP.