Louise Brock Counselling Service (Pronouns she/her)

I have been working as a qualified Person Centred Counsellor/Psychotherapist since 2008 working with adults and young people (11 Years plus ) on a individual basis.

I have experience of facilitating therapeutic group work, psycho-educational workshop's, wellbeing, relaxation workshops and creative art sessions to both young people and adults. I have worked within a variety of settings including primary and secondary Mental Health services, University student support services, and also charitable organisations including Mind, Women's Aid and also for an Essex Carers Centre. Currently I also work within a secondary and sixth form school offering counselling to students that are between the ages of 11 to 18 years old.

Qualifications

Dip (HE) in Person Centred Counselling (2008)

BA (Hons) in Person Centred Counselling & Psychotherapy (2009)

PG (Cert) Primary Mental Health with CBT interventions (2010)

Person Centred Creative Art Counselling Certificate (2019)

I have been a fully accredited Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy since 2015.

I have also been a registered member of the Association for Person Centred Creative Arts since 2019.

I have regular supervision on a monthly basis to ensure ongoing professional and ethical practices within my therapeutic work. I also attend regular continual professional development courses and workshop's to further enhance my skill's and knowledge in the field of counselling and psychotherapy. Currently I am attending an Introduction to Play Therapy course due to complete at the end of 2022.

I offer a safe, empathic and non judgemental space working from a Psychotherapeutic perspective called the Person Centred approach. I uphold the belief that as human being's we all hold the potential to grow and fulfil our full potential. Working in a non directive way offers the opportunity for my client's to become more open with their true authentic self, trusting their own inner radar and encouraging client's to seek changes in their lives that feel right for them. In my way of working, I am led by the issues that my client wishes to focus on each session, allowing my client to set the pace of therapy.

Through offering a safe, non judgemental, honest and genuine therapeutic relationship can help with connecting with difficult emotions without the need to distort or deny them. Gentle encouragement in exploring my client's feelings and utilising their own strengths and personal identity throughout the sessions can also help promote long term psychological changes.

If you wish to find out more about the Person Centred Counselling approach https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/person-centred-counselling/

Further information regarding Person Centred Creative Art's Counselling can also be found at https://www.apcca.org.uk/about-apcca

I have a special interest in peri-natal mental health, working with creative arts in therapy and also working with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES).

Why access counselling?

Sometimes life can bring us unexpected and difficult challenges which can affect the way we think and feel about ourselves and the world in which we live. We may stop doing our routine day to day activities and it may become difficult to find enjoyment and happiness in life, which over time can maintain a vicious cycle of common feelings including stress, anxiety and low mood. Anxiety and depression are currently the most common disorder in Britain and 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of emotional distress during the course of a year, so if you can identify with these experiences, you are certainly not alone.

Many life situations and experiences can trigger emotional distress including bereavement or loss of financial income, breakdown in a relationship, domestic abuse (financial, emotional/psychological, physical or sexual abuse), work stress or family conflict.

Sudden life changes such as becoming a family carer, coming to terms with a loved ones health diagnosis (this could be a physical, neurological, or mental health condition) becoming a parent, redundancy or being diagnosed with a chronic health condition can understandably have a huge impact upon how we feel. Unresolved issues from childhood, upsetting or traumatic events that may have happened during our life can affect our mood or sometimes it can be difficult to pin point the trigger or cause for the distressing feelings you maybe feeling. Whichever reason you are seeking support at this time, counselling maybe beneficial for you.

As a result of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic you may have felt feelings of being overwhelmed, isolated, or bereaved with many people having been affected through bereavement or experiencing the virus directly, some times resulting in long term and chronic after affects (referred to as long Covid). For some people the returning to normal work life or experiencing changed employment status or redundancy would understandably have a fundamental impact on ones mental health and emotional wellbeing. You maybe experiencing the lessening of restrictions quite anxiety provoking, re-connecting and transitioning to a sense of normality with busy schedules and juggling family life could be triggering feelings of stress and anxiety that you may wish to gain emotional support with.

I also offer the opportunity for clients to use art materials should they wish to during sessions which can offer an alternative and gentle approach in connecting with and acknowledging difficult emotions. This way of exploring our feelings can be very insightful and healing whilst always working at my client's pace from their perspective. Working with expression through creative art's is available to anyone and you do not need any artistic skill's or training to participate.

If you would like to enquire if counselling is for you, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you for taking the time to read my profile.

Adult Client Feedback quotes from creative art counselling sessions & Creative art group work:

"I have been able to acknowledge myself & and my needs more-It has been beneficial to allow my emotions to surface explore their meaning"-M

"Using art helps me to relax and release difficult feelings-my therapist has been great and is very kind and supportive"- J

"I am understanding my feelings and emotions more and I am not bottling things up now"-K

"The creative course has been a revelation to me! I have been able to start unlocking buried thoughts and feelings and art has given me new ways to connect within my self more creatively. Thank you!" -M

Feedback from young people following one to one Counselling-

" I have learnt how to handle my panic attacks and I am understanding my emotions more. I have not felt judged while talking about how I honestly feel"-I

"I have gained self-confidence and I am blaming myself less for things. Having someone neutral to talk to has really helped me, and I am feeling that I am really listened to" -C

"Thank you so much, I have really learnt ways of managing my anxiety" -J

"I learnt that I can control my own emotions and actions. I have noticed that I have felt happier and less worried in general. Being able to meet weekly really helped me to feel safe and understood during my counselling" - J