Karen Proctor

I offer sessions from 9am to 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

I am considering including Wednesday sessions, so please let me know if this is suitable for you.

Hello. I offer compassionate and non-judgemental counselling in a private and calm counselling room. Starting with a no-obligation, free 20-minute call, I aim to help you to better understand yourself, your relationships, your past and the present to reduce emotional distress and gain greater contentment or direction.

Qualifications & Professional Standards

I am a qualified Counsellor with a Masters Degree in Integrative Counselling and a BSc Degree in Psychology. I have Certificates in Online and Telephone Counselling, Counselling Studies (Level 3) and Counselling Skills (Level 2). I have undertaken further study and experience in adolescent & school counselling. Other qualifications include a Masters (MSc) in Public Health and a Certificate in Health Service Management.

Being a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (Â鶹ԭ´´), I adhere to the highest professional standards, providing ethical, evidence-based counselling grounded in current best practice. I engage in regular supervision and continuous professional development.

I have spent over 30 years working in the NHS at a senior level before training to become a therapeutic counsellor.

Counselling Approach

You may or may not wish to identify goals. You may wish to gain insight or acceptance, develop coping mechanisms, find solutions or determine direction. You may be struggling to make sense of your emotions, thinking, circumstance or ways of doing things. Maybe you want to share something confidentially and feel truly heard, understood and valued. Or for you, it may be something else. And sometimes, it is hard to know what the issue is – something just doesn’t feel quite right.

As an Integrative Counsellor, my practice is to tailor counselling for your needs and preferences, using counselling approaches based on various therapeutic techniques. Clients can benefit from a specific approach or a combination of approaches.

Service and Location

My service is for adults and older teenagers (aged 16 years and older). I offer in-person sessions between 9am and 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays. I am considering adding Wednesday sessions so please let me know if this is suitable for you. Sessions are 50 minutes long.

Online or telephone sessions for existing clients are an option.

My counselling room has an accessible entrance and is on the ground floor. Car parking is available. It is located on a bus route and the nearest train station is a 20-minute walk.

Counselling Practice

My manner is respectful, calm and sensitive, grounded in relational person-centred counselling. Depending on your need and preference, I may integrate other approaches and techniques, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Psychodynamic Therapy or others.

Example concerns that I can support:

Relationship problems, stress, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional distress, depression, family illness, bereavement (including pet bereavement), life changes, carer support, self-identity, menopause, domestic abuse, traumatic experiences, negative thinking, phobias, OCD, low self-esteem, low self-worth, self-doubt, complex emotions and more.

Our sessions are yours to choose what to share and at a pace you are comfortable with. I will not direct or put pressure on you, though I may offer ideas, information and support, helping you to find a way forward. I am happy providing both short-term and long-term counselling. You decide on the number of sessions you wish to have.

I take your confidentiality and privacy seriously. I have a privacy policy, complying with the terms of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), ensuring the responsible and secure use of your data. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, abiding by data protection standards.

I maintain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate.

I understand that finding the right counsellor can feel challenging and the first step daunting. My no-obligation, confidential and free 20-minute initial discussion aims to help. This can be arranged for any day of the week, subject to availability. You can ask about my counselling, its arrangements and briefly tell me about yourself and what has brought you to counselling. This will hopefully provide a sense of what counselling will be like and if you are comfortable with me ahead of booking a full session.

At the start of counselling, you will be asked to complete a registration form to collect necessary information and a consent form. I will provide an information booklet, including important aspects of our time together such as confidentiality. We will briefly discuss its contents at our first session which is charged at a reduced rate (£40) so this administration may be completed. There will be time to answer any questions and explore how we can work together moving forward. 

This first session is also an opportunity to further explore your concerns, challenges and any goals. You may initially not know what to say or where to start and that’s okay. I'll be with you as you think, share, remember and find the words, helping to gain awareness, clarity and direction. 

Most importantly, this first session is about making sure you feel comfortable and supported as we begin your therapeutic journey.

Please email me to arrange an initial call, book a session(s) or to ask any questions.