Simone and I started counselling sessions during a dark period in my life following a car accident and new motherhood. I was struggling with a selection of post-trauma symptoms and helplessness as a new parent. Simone gave me a safe space – both online and then in person – to disentangle my feelings, voice them, cry over them and finally to respect and own them. I was given many coping strategies that continue to help me with anxieties in everyday life and that keep me regulated, improve my perspective and increase my overall happiness.
I decided to see Simone after realising that events I had experienced in my life were impacting my overall levels of happiness. I was scared of talking about things that had happened, for fear of these things overwhelming me. Simone offered me a safe and calm place to talk and reflect. I didn’t feel rushed or pressured, but was gently and compassionately encouraged to face some of my challenges. We laughed quite a bit – and that was important to me as the sessions felt real. I learnt a lot about myself through therapy and now feel much more in control of my emotional life.
After six months of various levels of COVID lockdown, I was slipping into a near permanent state of anxiety and my normal coping mechanisms were nowhere to be seen. I found Simone, and within a couple of weeks of contacting her, was lined up with a video call appointment. She somehow sifted through the garbled, disordered explanations I was making, and at the end of the very first session had a first suggestion of something very small and very manageable I could think about over the next seven days. And that’s how the next few weeks went: very small, very manageable ways of pausing to look and see what I was doing. She was so calm, so measured, and so capable of seeing through all the human chaos I brought to the call and help me to find order, understanding, and a way forward. Through practice during counselling and continuing into the future I have the tools to manage myself when faced with difficult situations. I feel like I’ve got the best version of me back.
I started to see Simone after a long period of difficult family events . I have never considered counselling before but recognised that I had reached the end of my reserves . Simone was reassuring and able to pick some key themes that ran through my current situation, and also my management of stressful events throughout my life .Helping me to find these patterns and giving me practical tips on how to change my understanding and actions has changed me. I no longer have anxiety, I am a better parent and daughter; I know that I can say no and have some boundaries that put me first . I know that my parent did the best she could and my anger no longer needs to taint that relationship. I know that my children are stronger than I think and I can let go. Simone has been professional but empathic and skilled . I could not recommend her more highly . Thank you
Simone is a very level headed person. I appreciate her insights and her understanding of others. On the occasions I have turned to Simone for support with my teenage daughter, she has helped me understand where challenging behaviours might come from, and some solutions to deal with them. She is a good listener and showed lots of genuine empathy towards both myself and my child.
I could talk totally freely to Simone who was there just for me, and she helped me unravel how I was feeling after the death of my father.