Counselling Service | Jackie Villars Counselling Services

Welcome

Life can feel hard and complicated these days. And we can be so busy that there is little time to stop and think. Counselling provides an opportunity to sit down for a while in a safe non-judgmental environment where you can take a minute to think, explore your feelings and express them openly.

When life gets difficult we tend to keep ourselves busy, without taking the time to consider our feelings. The feelings stay inside us until they are expressed and released. A build up of emotions can show in physical ways such as nausea, heaviness in the chest or breathlessness. We might also experience anxiety, depression, low confidence, loss of self and low self esteem.

Most of us struggle with something at some point, and tend to get by by telling ourselves that there are people much worse off than we are, and that we should just get on with it. We don't give ourselves permission to feel, or the same compassion that we give to others. Sometimes we avoid what we know we have to face because it is can feel overwhelming.

So how might counselling help?

It can be useful for gaining acceptance, dealing with loss and recovering from trauma.

It can help with problem solving and give you the confidence to deal with difficult situations.

It can help you to understand yourself and others in a healthier way.

It can provide you with skills and techniques to challenge thoughts, feelings and behaviour, which you can apply to new situations.

Many people believe that counselling is only appropriate if you are no longer able to cope with life or have been through a terrible trauma. This is a misconception. Counselling is good for anyone who just wants to understand themselves better. The ideal is that you come to counselling before you hit crisis point as this means that you are more able to engage with therapy and deal with any emotions that may come up.

If you are reading this it's probably because you are thinking of counselling for yourself or someone else. It can be a difficult decision so it's important to speak to a few different counsellors to ensure that you find the right one for you.

For counselling to work you need a good relationship with your therapist. You have to feel that you are able to be yourself and that you can be open and honest about whatever is going on for you. It is vitally important that you feel understood, heard and not judged.

Make sure that whoever you choose is registered with a governing body such as BACP or NCS as this shows that they are an ethical practitioner who is fully trained.

Counselling Directory and BACP are good places to start, as you can read a bit about each counsellor and get a sense of whether you think you can work together.

If you are thinking I might be worth a try then please have a look around my website to learn more about how I work. If you have any questions don't hesitate to give me a call on the above phone number, send me a text or email. You could also fill in the form on the Get In Touch page. If you like we can arrange a free thirty minute consultation and take it from there.

"Thank you Jackie. Your guidance helped me gain clarity, organise my thoughts, and see possibilities I hadn't considered before."

"Getting to the root of my issues. She helped me identify where my anxiety comes from especially concerning my past. She was also able to explain in simple terms the biological explanations of my anxiety."