What I can help with

Anxiety may occur in response to a particular situation or may be a feeling that seems to be there all the time. As well as feelings like dread, fear and worry, you may also experience physical symptoms such as sleeplessness, ‘pounding’ heart, sweaty palms, and even panic attacks. Everyone can relate to the anxiety experienced in an activity like public speaking, but if that anxiety seems to be there all the time, it makes life feel very difficult.

Depression is an illness that can affect anybody, at any stage of life. Some people become depressed as a reaction to a specific life event and others find that, for no apparent reason, a ‘low mood’ becomes something more pervasive. 

Fear of abandonment is a type of anxiety that some people experience when faced with the idea of losing someone they care about. Everyone deals with death or the end of relationships in their lifetime. Loss is a natural part of life.

However, people with abandonment issues live in fear of these losses. They may also exhibit behaviours that push people to leave so they’re never surprised by the loss. 

If you are aware that angry emotions and behaviours are having a negative effect on your life and those around you, it can be very helpful to talk about the causes and how you can identify and manage situations where you experience excess anger. Some people ‘lash out’ verbally or physically and others suppress their anger and may not have the words to express their feelings. Talking to a therapist can help you realise that although anger is a normal emotion – if it is starting to negatively impact upon your life there are ways to help you manage your anger. 

If you are addicted to certain behaviours or substances, it is likely that something that you originally did for enjoyment or to feel better, now feels out of your control. It may affect all areas of your life in a negative way. Talking to a counsellor will be a first step towards identifying how to build coping skills to help you regain control of your life. 

The death of a loved one or the loss of something else that is significant in your life (a pet, a relationship, even a job) can leave you feeling lost and with conflicting emotions. You may not want to talk with friends and family and there is nobody to tell you what to expect and how to cope. What you have lost is irreplaceable but it can be comforting to have somebody to talk to in such times. 

The breakdown and end of a relationship can be difficult and painful for all concerned. Your partner may have been the person you would normally turn to for support but this is no longer available to you. To help with difficulties within your relationship and how best to move forward, talking to a counsellor may be useful. 

Some people are more comfortable in same sex relationships and some in opposite sex relationships. This may change during a person’s life and can be very fluid, or it may be more fixed. It may be helpful to talk to a therapist if you want to explore your feelings about sexual identity. 

If you have experienced any sort of dangerous or stressful event that made you feel both frightened and powerless, you may find that you feel unsafe and vulnerable and unable to cope with day to day life. Major accidents, natural disasters or being the victim of a violent attack may leave you feeling unable to cope. Even once any physical affects have healed, you may still experience emotional and psychological trauma and not understand why you cannot ‘get over it’. Talking to a trained therapist can help you to explore your feelings and help you to heal ‘on the inside’.

Abuse means that you have experienced behaviour that is harmful to you. It may be in the past or present and can be physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Talking to a therapist will help you to identify how this abuse is affecting you and help you feel more positive about your life now and in the future. The confidential nature of counselling means you can talk safely about difficult events or relationships. 

Relationships are an important part of life. When there are problems or when relationships ‘break down’, it can be helpful to talk to a counsellor to help move forward. Some people find it difficult to form relationships with others and the therapeutic relationship offered in counselling can be very helpful in such cases, by providing a safe space in which to learn and practice relationship skills.