CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE'S COUNSELLOR

Since 2017, I’ve been working as a certified Counselling Professional who specialises in helping young people cope with their issues. I work with a person-centred approach aimed at giving a child/young person greater self-belief and self-worth involving a range of techniques and approaches such as play and creative therapies to encourage and help the child/young person name their feelings whilst normalising their worries in a safe confidential environment without judgement.
I notice how my young clients are coping through the process of doing their artwork or a task they have set themselves, maybe their work is contained, neat and mature, other times it may be messy, confusing and directionless. I help them name how they are feeling through the metaphor and storytelling whilst observing the child’s capacity to focus on both the task and myself, I notice their avoidances, their independence and experiences of trusted adults.
I have worked with young clients that like to stay in the metaphor where it is safe, I interpret their magical stories that only they get to control because they may not have control of anything else in their lives, I notice any changes in their play and encourage them to reflect and express what that is really like for them, helping them in developing their self-awareness.  
I am passionate about early intervention in working with children and promoting their well-being, I know that children and young people are faced with many difficulties that can leave them feeling isolated. The pressures and challenges of children in different family situations can experience may emerge through low mood, poor self-esteem and confidence, anxiety, poor focus, dealing with change, grief & loss, loneliness, bad attention seeking behaviour, self-harm or issues related to body image, whatever the child needs I operate within a therapeutic framework in which one of the core principles of being trustworthy underpins the relationship that supports them through the difficulties they feel. I offer the core conditions with care and support where they are able to explore their concerns, to be reflective, be positive about their abilities, recognise their perception of themselves and develop understanding of others around them. I give each individual complete autonomy to move forward in a created safe and contained environment