"I entered therapy with cynicism and despair unable to fathom how it could help. Ros lead me through my own depths and experiences. Her humanity gave me the confidence to explore some uncomfortable places. Her wisdom shone light for me to see unseen reality. Her huge heart warmed me towards a safer place. Since personal therapy, my husband and I spent time with Ros in couple’s therapy. Her humour and “tell it as it is” approach have opened up a gold mine for us. A 24-year marriage, which should never have worked, is now glowing brighter than ever.Ros, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"We came to Alison with our daughter aged just 13, who was fast tracking down a scary road to anorexia and all its emotional pitfalls. Alison, who is very experienced in the field of eating disorders, was able to turn things around in a relatively short space of time and, after three or four sessions our daughter was beginning to come back to herself, after ten sessions she felt ready to have a break from counselling and to manage herself again with the assurance that she could go back to Alison if she needed to. Alison is calm, kind and reassuring, and we are extremely grateful parents."
"After a previous experience with a counsellor that left me feeling shamed, isolated, and more anxious than when I started, meeting Ros was a point of light in a very dark time of living with my anxiety. It was difficult to find the courage to trust a counsellor again, but I quickly felt reassured and confident in the therapeutic relationship we developed. Ros knew when to listen and when to gently challenge and push. For the first time in a long time, I felt heard. I would highly recommend Ros to anyone who is unsure about therapy or feels they would benefit from a listening ear. I am so grateful for my time with Ros and feel reassured every day that, if needed, I have someone trusted to return to - that feeling is like gold dust!"
"I came to see Alison following a serious illness and in response to health anxiety and depression. Alison worked with me carefully, sensitively and professionally and gave me space to talk through my issues. With her expert guidance, encouragement and impressive CBT and counselling skills, I feel happier than I have felt in years and can finally enjoy my life."
"Ros has helped me over the past 4 years though the some of the most challenging experiences you could ever go though. She is the first therapist who I have stuck with and will always go back to when I know I need support. Ros is sympathetic but no nonsense! She understands what you need and how to get to the core of what you are experiencing. I am so grateful for what she has done for me and would recommend her to anyone who is looking for support and help."
"I went to see Alison as I was suffering with severe health anxiety and depression. It was having a hugely negative impact on my life. I got to the point where I was unable to take any joy from life, could not work and was having some very dark thoughts.
I had suffered from other anxieties in the past such as OCD but nothing like this. I had tried multiple attempts at therapy/counselling in the past to get me on track but nothing seemed to give me anything other than a "quick fix"
My first session with Alison was not what I expected. In previous experiences with therapy it had been very much an unstructured, free flow conversation. There were no real rules, guidelines or set goals. Alison however took a very different approach. One that I felt had the possibility to really help me.
Through goal oriented sessions, learning more about the origins of anxiety and completing homework, I was able to progress further than I ever thought I could.
Alison showed me how to understand the negative cycles I was in and how to break them. Over time I was able to "rewire" my brain and learn to recognise these negative thought processes that would lead to increased anxiety, rumination and worry.
As the sessions went on, I quickly saw that the more effort, time and focus I put in, the better I felt. I was finally able to start taking control of my life and making towards moves on a daily basis.
I cannot thank Alison enough for what she has shown me and I just hope that anyone reading this thinking "will I ever feel normal again" gives her a call. It saved my life. "
"My partner and I participated in couples counselling with Rosalind. At first, I was unsure of what to expect and slightly nervous, but Rosalind immediately put us both at ease. Whether it's a natural skill or something she has developed through years of practice, Rosalind is extremely talented at what she does. She's a fantastic listener, she asks insightful questions, and she really understood the dynamics at play in our relationship. She made a sincere and genuine effort to help us understand ourselves and each other better. Working with Rosalind had a tremendously positive effect on our relationship. I also found myself feeling more confident and mindful in areas outside my relationship, as I became more aware of my emotions."
"Little did I know when I first met Alison what a huge impact she would have on my life. Do not doubt your decision to contact this very clever, understanding and kind lady. I called her because I was terrified. I was terrified sat on my sofa, terrified to be alone, to be in crowds, to be in the house or away from it. I had hit rock bottom and felt like I should be locked up and the key thrown away. I was locked in what felt like a permanent panic attack. In our first meeting Alison diagnosed what was wrong and how she could show me the way to feel better. I had to trust her, I had no other option and placing my trust in her was the key to my happy future. Be brave and make the call. I did and I can now drive again, be alone again, attend social events and not fear the panic. Thank you Alison from the bottom of my heart."
"If you've decided to seek therapy, you can trust that you are in good hands with Ros. I cannot recommend her highly enough. I wasn't sure about whether therapy was right for me, having tried it before and felt that it hadn't made much of a difference. I was struggling with anxiety and a friend recommended Ros to me. Ros was very welcoming from the start and in our first session I felt very comfortable talking to her and we even had a giggle. I knew Immediately that she was the right fit for me. As the sessions progressed, I felt that I learnt so much from Ros. She really knows her stuff. Ros helped me to understand how childhood experiences can shape our thinking and view of ourselves and we do have the power to change for the better. I never felt judged, patronised or uncomfortable with Ros and felt I could be completely open. I cannot thank Ros enough as I now face life with more confidence and reduced anxiety."
"It is very apparent to me that Alison cares about what she does, is genuine, has empathy, reflects and strives to be the best she can. She has set me up for the next part of my journey and I am sorry to be leaving!"
"Ros provided the perfect level of support in the perfect environment to help me untangle my problems. Her gentle and empathetic approach allowed me to feel completely at ease. She was instrumental in helping me get through my difficult patches. I would highly recommend her."
"CBT has helped me immensely. Before therapy I was in a complete state mentally and now I feel back to normal again. My confidence is back, I’m happy and my work and home life have improved."
"I went to see Alison during a time in my life when I was feeling very down about myself. I was sceptical about seeing a counsellor but Alison put me immediately at ease. She listened to my problems, without being judgemental and helped me work through them. She helped me take control of my life and, for the first time, I began to make decisions designed to make me happy. Her calm manner meant I felt comfortable talking openly to her about any subject. I will always be grateful for how Alison helped me. I owe her a lot"
"If I had to describe the process of working with Ros, it would be simple. From discovery session through to the point you feel you can end your sessions; everything was explained in simple terms. Ros will explain from the outset that she may not be for you, or you for her. Thankfully not the case for me. If you are looking to reach out for help and clarity, you will lose nothing by making contact. If I had to say just one thing I’d learnt, it was to think about things in a way I never have before."
"Alison gave me the tools to help me overcome anxiety. I literally didn’t believe that I could get better, that I would be able to overcome a specific anxiety, but Alison helped me to face it and free my anxiety. I feel so much better about the future."
After suffering with a needle phobia for 8 years, I truly believed my only option was to avoid any blood tests or injections for my whole life. I obviously very soon realised this wasn’t possible! From my first session with Alison I told her that there was no chance of me ever being in the room with a needle yet alone having an injection or a blood test. 2 months later she came with me for my first successful blood test in 8 years! Therapy with Alison has changed my life for the better and I would recommend her to anyone. (female, 20s).
"After falling back into a state anxiety in recent months I am delighted to have come through this period mentally fitter & stronger with Alison's expert help & direction.
Alison's approach was refreshing, thought provoking & enduring allowing me to revaluate my goals & needs moving forward in a positive way".
"I am very grateful for Rosalind’s help during my counselling sessions. I started being quite scared and I felt safe enough with Ros to open up. Through our sessions I learned to look after myself which gave me the confidence to change how I parent my 3 children. Our counselling relationship enabled me to plan my future and invest in myself and others positively. I found myself again."
"After suffering from bouts of anxiety for almost 2 years & with it only getting worse & panic attacks becoming more frequent, getting some help was my only real option. I'd been putting it off for a long time, thinking it would go away or I could deal with it. I had hit a real low in my life & I knew it was time to take control. Contacting Alison was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I had a course of cognitive behavioural therapy, who knew it was so effective!? I felt like Alison really understood my worries, she taught me lots of useful techniques & ways of logging my anxieties; some really simple ideas but unbelievably effective. To anyone thinking about having any sort of therapy, I truly believe Alison is the lady to see. I've had therapists previously and none were as understanding, supportive & as helpful as Alison. I have found my happiness and confidence again. Thanks for all your support, Alison."
"I came across Ros when I was going through a difficult time, both personally and professionally after leaving university. Ros was brilliant from the first meeting, always attentive, never judgmental and helped me develop not only coping strategies to get me through a difficult time but helped develop my awareness and resilience to difficult thoughts and feelings. I was sceptical to the idea of counselling at first, however, with Ros’s professional and compassionate attitude, therapy became one of the best decisions I had made. Her expertise and knowledge were outstanding, as was her ability to fully understand my anxieties and needs. She developed a very suitable therapy for me over a two-year period, which involved facilitating my understanding towards the insecurities and beliefs I developed during my childhood and how to manage my unhelpful thoughts. A truly fantastic experience, I would highly recommend."
" I was slightly sceptical about any kind of therapy as I have always been of the opinion that you should be able to resolve any kind of mental problems yourself, however, my view was completely changed after just one session with Alison.
The main thing for me is that she is able to break down the cause of the trouble into bite size pieces in such a fantastic way and get you to understand why you are feeling how you are and what you try to do to fight it which ultimately makes things worse. I am now in such a good place and able to live my life again and I can't recommend Alison highly enough, she has changed my life."
"Before seeing Ros, I was really struggling but I wasn’t sure that counselling was going to be for me. I’m so glad that I decided to give it a go, because having met with her on and off for the last nine months I feel better than I have in a long time. She has helped me to heal from my past trauma and face the difficulties that are current in my life. I always feel released after a session and have been able to take what she as taught me into my everyday life, and ultimately my mental health has strongly benefitted from her help."
"I first saw Ros for couples therapy and sometime after that contacted her again for one-to-one sessions. In the midst of the pandemic, she advised me that these sessions would have to be conducted over video call and, if I'm completely honest, I wasn't sure if this would be an effective medium for therapy. How wrong I was. There was something very comforting about being able to take part in the sessions from the solace of my own 'safe space' and in no way was the video call a barrier to communication. If anything, I was probably more relaxed and more willing to share my thoughts and feelings with her. Ros is such a supportive therapist. She is kind, warm, and motivating, whilst also being gently challenging. She has helped me enormously over the past few months to understand the reasons behind my thought patterns, actions, and behaviours - without 'blinding' me by the psychology behind them. I couldn't recommend her highly enough."
"We are so very grateful for the way you supported and guided us with the utmost skill and care over the last 6 months. I’m confident we would not be in such a harmonious situation or positive mental health had we not shared our time with you along the way - thank you doesn’t seem enough."
If you’d like to find out more information or enquire about our services, please contact us.
