Are you ready to make a change?
If your usual way of doing things isn't working for you, let's find a way that does.
Hi, I'm Hayley, and I'm a counsellor who supports people to make the changes they want in their life
Originally from Essex, I've lived in Brighton and Hove since 2008. Having my own struggles with anxiety led me to seek out therapy: to understand myself better, to find ways to cope and to live my life the way I wanted to. My own experiences of therapy are what drove me to become a counsellor.
My Experience
I have experience in counselling a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), phobias, panic attacks, low self-esteem, sleep issues, relationship issues, women's issues, bereavement and loss.
My background is working within the NHS. Since 2018 I have worked as a counsellor with several charities and organisations:
As You Are in Southwick - offering support for stress and anxiety (2018 - 2019)
Martlets in Hove - bereavement counselling (2019)
BIMM Brighton (British and Irish Modern Music Institute) - providing counselling for students (2018 - 2019)
Psychology Sussex - counselling for a range of issues (2020)
Drop-in group facilitator with Survivors Network (rape crisis centre) (2017-2018)
My Approach
I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and a Professional Member of the Association for Counselling & Therapy Online (ACTO). I am a Humanistic Integrative Counsellor, with a special interest in anxiety.
Humanistic Counselling means that I recognise the uniqueness of you in our work together, rather than trying to use a one-size-fits-all approach, and that we all have the capacity to grow towards being our best self.
Being an integrative counsellor means that I draw on various approaches when I work, which includes Person-Centred, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis (TA) and Solution Focussed Therapy. I am trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety and OCD, which includes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). I also offer CBT techniques and creative work when I feel they may be of help to you.
I believe that as humans we need to be considered in the context of our environment, so when we work together we can look at all areas of your life, and consider your physical and spiritual needs as well as your psychological and emotional needs. I also follow the Health At Every Size ® (HAES®) approach, have received training in the non-diet approach, and provide a size-inclusive and body-positive experience.
Being able to talk to a professional about your experiences and problems can be liberating and help change happen. The focus of our sessions is always on you, and you will be heard and supported without feeling judged or criticised, which may be different to what you experience when you talk your problems over with friends or family.
I will help you to better understand your feelings and the thoughts and worries you have, and I can help you to find your own solutions to problems. I work in a warm, understanding way. We will work at your own pace to make sense of any challenges you are facing in your life, while being curious about how your past may influence your current life.
My Qualifications
I trained at Wealden College of Counselling and Psychotherapy and qualified as an Integrative Humanistic Counsellor in 2019. I am qualified to work online providing counselling by phone and by webcam, having received training by an ACTO approved provider.
Additionally, I have recently attended training in CBT for Anxiety and OCD, Introduction to the Non-Diet Approach, Mindfulness and Stress Reduction, and LGBTQ Awareness.
