Gabriella Benson

I am available for private sessions on Thursdays and sundays . I offer evening sessions on both those days. 

I am an integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist. My main model is Person Centred therapy which is great for helping someone accept and learn to love themselves for all they are . What this means is, that I have not just one therapeutic theory or skill that I work by. My day job is working for the NHS doing assessments and treatments of common mental health problems and providing low intensity CBT. 

I incorporate skills in Mindfullness, Method of Levels, Transactional Analysis, Motivational Interviewing and some other theories and skills in have gained over my years of practice. 

I tend to work well in helping those with self esteem issues, anxiety and depression. I offer assessment session to help people understand what type of therapist would be best to support them with their issues. 

I have special interest in working with those accepting  and exploring their sexuality and race and culture . 

I have had training and have special interest in working with people who are in the perinatal period , so technically this is pregnancy or within 2 years of having a baby . But I also support those trying to get pregnant or having suffered pregnancy loss . 

I work with a lot of teenagers and young people at the moment , assisting them with accepting and forming the people they become . 

I’m my work my clients are the expert of their experience , not me , I sit with them , exploring their world together with them . 

When appropriate I share skills and metaphors to help my client manage challenges they face, or just unpick them. 

I offer unconditional positive regard , empathy and honesty in presence. 

In my work I always aim to be warm and accepting of my clients . 

I keep an eye on the safety of my clients , often reviewing safeguarding and self harm concerns .

I am focussed on building the confidence and resilience of my clients , helping them feel more able to cope with the stresses in their lives . 

I our first session, I will do some questionnaires with you and ask you about the issues you face . We will create a ‘contract’ together, and this ensures good boundaries and safety for both of us within our work . The contract is something we produce together to make the conditions of our therapy specific to our joint needs . 

I check in with safety of yourself and others around you , and ask you questions about your goals for therapy. 

If a person chooses to have the first session as an assessment , I suggest as I would for the NHS, what NICE guidelines would recommend as a treatment model for the issues you face , so I could suggest particular types of therapy that would be helpful. 

Overall , I just try to be kind and accepting of the world that person brings with them , their views and personality is the truth in the room with me , and I just want to build a trustworthy therapeutic relationship . 

I have sessions available on Wednesdays between 9am and 3pm.

I provide sessions online, or in two local therapy centres for face to face sessions. 

I currently have higher availability on this day.

I am an integrative Counsellor , working with Low Intensity CBT, Counselling for Depression, Person Centred Counselling, brief skills in transactional analysis. Method of Levels, mindfulness and countless other skills, with a trauma informed approach for helping you centre yourself through those difficult moments.

I enjoy assisting those with anxieties and low mood. 

I am experienced in working with life phase changes, whether that be menopause, school leavers, pregnancy and post natal, career change, losses, age and health related changes.

I have found myself working with great enthusiasm and empathy for those recently being diagnosed with neurodiversity , or questioning elements of their identity and diversity.

I have a specific passion for working with those managing changes in their identity and roles later in life. So those who have settled into parts of their life, then questioning what comes next and where they fit into the life they live. 

I like to be creative, flexible, adaptable, kind, warm , curious and reliable. 

I would want to help you explore you, with you being the expert and me being a caring and curious, safe partner in this. I want to be able to hold your emotions and allow you to rest into trusting yourself. 

I am warm, I have a sense of humour and enjoy building my professional and therapeutic relationships with my clients . I can follow with a person's darkness , sit with their pain and help them process and come through it. Whilst also tuning into their world and accepting them for who they are and for who they want to be. 

I like to be responsible and reliable, checking in on the safety of my clients and being strictly boundaried to create predictability and security. 

In my first session I offer you an assessment as I would in my NHS capacity. This is not a psychologist or diagnostic assessment , but is one that helps to align those with common mental health problems with what their recommended treatment would be according to NICE guidelines. 

However I do this in an informal way where I will ask you about yourself, complete a contract with you that we will adapt together, and I will learn about your ways of connecting with your emotions and your communication language. 

I will align my therapeutic offering with the goals we set. 

It's very important to me to see you and notice what your therapeutic need is, but in this I will advise you on a different type of therapy if I think my style isn't well matched for the help you want or need. 

I take safeguarding of my clients and their families very seriously, so I will ensure your safety for yourself and others within this session too, but this is something we will ensure in our contracting.