Meet Your Counsellor
Hi, I'm Grace
A COUNSELLOR, BASED IN ASHFORD
Sometimes life can feel so lonely and overwhelming, especially when challenges keep coming your way, and even more so when the people around you don’t really get what's going on for you.
My counselling training opened the door for me to seek support for heavy feelings I had normalised. Looking back, I can see that what I really needed was simply a safe space to talk. I couldn’t recognise that at the time, but perhaps you do, and that’s why you’re here now.
In our sessions, I offer support that’s effective but relaxed, so you can access counselling in a way that fits your life, without extra stress or pressure.
I’m here for you. Together, we’ll get you to the place you want to be, at your pace.
Whenever you feel ready, I’d be glad to hear from you.
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Welcome
Come On In
Comfortable, cosy and calm. The counselling space for in-person sessions is based in the Ashford town centre, with plenty of nearby parking and public transport options. Clients have use of the waiting area and toilet facilities.
How Counselling Works.
(In a nutshell)
Today...
You might be:
- Feeling stressed, overly anxious, continuously low or depressed, or wrestling with guilt
- Navigating a bereavement, break-up, job loss or another big life change
- Having overwhelming or racing thoughts
- Wanting to find more confidence, improve your self-esteem, or figure out what you want in life
- Ready to put down some old behaviours and start moving forward
- Coping with a long-term problem, like chronic illness or caring, and need an outlet
The Future...
You deserve to:
- Take up some space and be heard.
- Be yourself, without apology.
- Feel empowered to be bold in your own life.
- Be a little lighter and less weighed down by worry.
- Feel more grounded and steady in yourself.
- Find more ease, clarity, and be confident in everyday life.
Together, we’ll work towards the small but meaningful shifts that can make life feel calmer, more hopeful, and more your own.
The Journey...
Counselling with me is a calm, supportive space where you can:
- Talk openly, without judgement or pressure.
- Share things that might feel “too silly” or “too small” to say to anyone else.
- Be met with kindness and understanding.
- Explore your experiences at a pace that feels right for you.
- Feel heard and supported, unconditionally.
- Gently untangle the thoughts, feelings, and challenges that feel too heavy to manage alone, or to share with your loved ones.
This is your space to pause, breathe, and begin making sense of things.
Ready To Begin Your Journey?
Still Feeling Unsure?
It’s completely normal to have questions before reaching out for counselling. Many people wonder what it will feel like, whether they’ll know what to say, or how it might fit into their life.
That’s why I’ve answered some of the most common questions here, so you can get a clearer sense of what to expect and decide if this feels like the right step for you.
- What is counselling?
- Where do I have the sessions?
- Could you help me?
- What is your approach?
- What happens in counselling sessions?
- How many sessions will I need?
- How often will we meet?
- What if I don’t know what to say?
- Is it normal to feel nervous about starting counselling?
- What if I’m not sure counselling is right for me?
- How do we get started?
What is Counselling?
Counselling is a safe, confidential space where you can talk openly about what’s going on in your life without fear of judgment.
You don’t need to have a specific problem to start counselling. Maybe you’re:
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Feeling stuck or overwhelmed
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Struggling with relationships or emotions
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Looking for clarity, support, or someone outside your circle to talk to
Whatever you’re going through, counselling offers you the chance to be heard, understood, and supported.
Where do I have the sessions?
You’ve got a few options, depending on what works best for you:
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In-person: I see clients in a cosy, private space in the Ashford town centre.
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Online: We can chat over Microsoft Teams. You just need good internet connection and a quiet, private spot.
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By phone: Prefer not to do video? We can talk over the phone instead.
- Hybrid: We might decide that a mixture of face-to-face and remote sessions are more convenient, i.e. if sometimes you have to travel for work but want to keep attending sessions consistently.
If you're unsure what works best for you, we can consider this during your introductory appointment.
Could you help me?
I work with a wide range of issues in my private counselling practice.
- Anxious adults frequently find their way into my counselling chair, particulary those with social anxieties or Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), so this is a predominant area of experience for me.
- My approach can be effective for those with or without anxiety, but also for those who are a bit nervous about coming into counselling, or feeling generally out of sorts.
- I do have professional experience working with carers and the bereaved in a palliative care setting, and have a special interest in eating and food related problems (aka disordered eating).
I also work well with...
Food related difficulties
Childhood traumas
Healing from past/current abuse
Emotional spending/money difficulties
Avoidant personalities
All clients are assessed individually.
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In some cases, such as with complex trauma or eating-related difficulties, I may recommend additional or more specialised support, either alongside our work or instead of it.
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I do not currently offer couples counselling, and I don’t work with children or young people under 18.
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I understand it’s not always clear whether your situation fits within my knowledge and experience, but it’s absolutely okay to ask and we can work that out together.
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If your needs fall outside of my expertise, I’ll always be honest about that and offer guidance to help you access the right kind of support.
I'm an LGBTQ+ ally
This is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. While I don’t specialise in sexuality or gender identity, I work with warmth, respect, and full affirmation.
Neurodiversity Affirmative
I work with people of many different neurotypes, including autistic clients. I don’t specialise in autism, but I do have experience supporting autistic people and I’m committed to offering a warm, comfortable space.
What is your approach?
No one person is the same, and so I believe that your therapy should be as individual as you. That’s why I work integratively, drawing from several therapeutic models to find a balance that suits you and your unique needs.
What does “integrative counselling” look like?
I combine the strengths of different approaches to support you in the most effective, personalised way, so that can look and feel a little different for each person. Let me break down some jargon for you and explain how each perspective plays a part:
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Person-Centred Therapy
Offers a warm, non-judgmental space where you feel safe to be yourself. It puts your voice and experience at the heart of our work. -
Transactional Analysis (TA)
Helps you make sense of patterns in your relationships and behaviour, especially the ones that feel automatic or hard to shift. It’s a practical, empowering approach to change. -
Psychodynamic Therapy
Brings insight into how past experiences may still be influencing your present. It helps uncover deeper patterns and create lasting emotional understanding.
Why use an integrative approach?
By blending these approaches, we can:
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Tailor therapy to what’s most helpful for you at any moment
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Explore your present experiences, past influences, and relationship dynamics
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Shift between gentle reflection and more structured tools when needed
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Work in a way that feels flexible, collaborative, and deeply respectful of who you are
What’s the benefit for you?
Integrative therapy offers you:
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A personalised experience that evolves as you do
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Support that adapts to your needs, not the other way around
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A holistic way of working that supports both insight and change
What happens in counselling sessions?
Your first session
Our first session is a chance to:
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Get to know each other
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Talk about how therapy works
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Discuss confidentiality and boundaries
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Explore what you’d like to get out of our time together
It’s a relaxed conversation where you can ask questions and decide whether counselling feels right for you.
Session length and structure
Appointments are booked in one hour time slots, with sessions lasting around 50 minutes, and a few minutes at the end to:
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Check in on how you're feeling
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Talk about what came up
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Plan any next steps together
Ongoing sessions
After that, each session is your space to bring whatever’s on your mind. There’s no set agenda—some sessions might feel light, others more emotional. We go at your pace.
During our sessions, I might:
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Ask reflective questions
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Help you notice patterns
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Introduce techniques or tools to support you with difficult thoughts, emotions, or situations
Ending sessions
When you feel you've reached your goal or have gotten what you can from sessions, or if I notice that things have shifted, we can discuss drawing our regular sessions to a close.
This can be a gradual process if we've been working long-term.
How many sessions do I need?
It really depends on you and what you're looking for. Some people come for a few weeks, others for years. There’s no pressure either way; we’ll check in regularly to see how things are going and what feels right for you.
As a general guide:
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Short-term counselling- typically ranges from 6 to 10 sessions
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Long-term counselling- often involves 20 or more consecutive sessions
The number of sessions you might find helpful can be influenced by several factors, including:
- the nature of what you’d like to explore
- how deep you’d like to go
- the length of time you've been affected by the problem
- how you respond to therapy
- what’s happening in your life outside of our sessions
You’re free to pause or end therapy whenever you feel ready.
How often will we meet?
I always recommend weekly sessions for new clients, especially if you haven't had counselling before.
With time, weekly sessions would be reduced to a bi-weekly, three weekly, or monthly frequency, otherwise known as a 'maintenance phase', and can eventually become ad hoc.
Benefits of weekly sessions:
- Provides consistent support & accountability
- Maintains momentum
- Builds a stronger counsellor-client relationship
- Creates a sense of safety & reliability
- Generally considered most effective
If you have something else in mind, we can have a chat and find a frequency that works for you; whether it's twice a week, weekly, fortnightly or even monthly.
What if I don't know what to say?
That’s completely okay, many people feel that way. You don’t need to arrive with a plan or the “right words.” Sometimes just showing up is enough.
We can start wherever you are, and together, we’ll gently find the words as they come.
Is it normal to be nervous about starting counselling?
Yes, absolutely. Most people feel some nerves when they take this first step, especially if it’s their very first time in counselling.
It’s a brave thing to do. I’ll do my best to make you feel comfortable.
You're welcome to let me know if you're feeling worried, uncertain or hesitant so we can talk it out.
What if I'm not sure if counselling is right for me?
That’s a valid concern.
Counselling doesn’t have to be a big commitment. You’re free to try it out, and you’re in control of whether you want to continue.
My role is to offer support, not pressure.
How do we get started?
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, so I try to make the process as simple and comfortable as possible.
STEP ONE:
Get In Touch
Send your full name, contact details and a short description of what your seeking counselling for by email, WhatsApp, or through my contact form.
STEP THREE:
Let's Chat
We'll chat briefly about what’s bringing you to counselling and what you’re hoping for. It’s also a chance for you to get a feel for how I work and ask any questions.
STEP TWO:
Book Your Introductory Appointment
I'll get back to you within two working days to offer you a free introductory appointment at your convenience. You can choose to extend this for a small fee if you'd prefer extra time.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Get In Touch
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