Adam Ryan

My working hours are 7am - 3pm Monday to Friday.

Sessions are available in Kings Heath, both outdoors and indoors. 

Online session available nationwide.

Are there times when you dread waking up in the morning?

Perhaps you feel stuck, foggy, weighed down by a 20 tonne weight.

The world appears grey, activities you once enjoyed feel meaningless, your relationships strained, superficial, distant.

You may feel empty. Or disconnected. Maybe you have outbursts of rage, uncontrollable crying, deep dread in the pit of your stomach.

Perhaps the following phrases resonate with you鈥�

鈥淓verything I touch turns to shit鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 pathetic/useless/beyond hope鈥�

鈥淭he world would be better off without me鈥�

And to make it all worse, nobody gets it. How could anybody possibly understand...?

If any of this sounds familiar to you, it could be that you are suffering from chronic shame.

鈥�

Who I am and who I work with

I鈥檓 Adam, a humanistic counsellor specialising in nature-based therapy for adults struggling with chronic shame and its associated issues, particularly depression, anxiety and addiction.

Shame is an experience of nervous-system shutdown, usually originating in difficult experiences in our childhood or as a result of trauma. It brings with it a belief that there is something fundamentally wrong with us - "I am bad" - and can wreak havoc in our capacity to live our lives in a way that is meaningful and contented.

Shame can show up in a number of ways:

• Depression and low mood
• Suicidal thoughts and self-harming
• Chronic anxiety and negative thinking
• Addictions and other compulsive behaviours
• Auto-immune disease and other physical health complications

Through personal experience and my work in helping others I have come to see shame to be at the core of many of our most common mental health issues, particularly depression and low mood, anxiety and addiction. It creates symptoms not just of the mind, but the body and the world around us too.

It's hard to overstate just how difficult this can be to live with. But there is a way through, and I dedicate my work to helping people find that way.

How I work

Together we will:

• Build a relationship in which you can feel safe, accepted and able to share yourself honestly and authentically without fear of judgement or ridicule
• Develop an in-depth understanding of your difficulties and how they impact your life
• Begin to challenge the ways of being that are no longer serving you
• Look at and implement ways for you to move forwards and build the life you want to live

This is mostly done through reflective dialogue, but may involve other techniques such as breathwork and meditation, embodied and creative exercises, learning coping strategies or by incorporating elements of the natural world to aid with insight, awareness and regulation.

Nature-based therapy

Time spent in the natural world provides a sense of safety, of connection and belonging. It doesn鈥檛 judge us. Nature brings with it a rich sensory experience of smells, sounds and sights. It is dynamic, alive, always in process. It is a place where we don鈥檛 need to be or do anything, where we can simply be.

The qualities of nature are in many ways the the opposite of those created by shame. It is for this reason that I choose to work with people in nature wherever possible, harnessing its extraordinary capacity for healing as a companion in our work together.

Qualifications and Experience

I hold a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and have undertaken additional training in nature therapy, trauma, safeguarding, and working with neurodiversity.

I have worked in a variety of settings, including the NHS, third sector organisations, and private practice, supporting people with depression, anxiety, ADHD, addiction, identity struggles, and complex relational or familial issues.

鈥�

If anything I have written here resonates and you would like to work together, or have any questions about my practice and approach to therapy please don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out to schedule a free initial session or introductory phone call. 

I am only too aware of how daunting it can feel when searching for a counsellor or psychotherapist, which is why my first session is free of charge. I believe that having the chance to see whether we click through a lived experience without additional financial pressure is really important.

The link to my booking page is here:

https://calendar.app.google/Li7hAx7p8fdb3D7e7

Simply choose a time that works for you, and indicate if you would like the session to take place outdoors or online. You will then receive an email confirmation for the booking.

During the first session, we will explore the difficulties that have brought you to therapy. Then, together, we will establish what your aims and expectations from the process are.