Anita Dutton

I have availability currently within my practice.  I have annual leave booked for 2 weeks from May 5th.

I work Monday from 3pm - 8pm, -Tuesday 12pm-5pm and Wednesday 8am -1pm

Hi, I’m Anita, I’m an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, with 15 years’ experience working within the NHS as a Specialist Counsellor in palliative care and 3 years as an Occupational Health Counsellor for a local authority. I specialise in life limiting illness, from diagnosis, through treatment, to life after cancer,  disability, end of life and bereavement.  During my 20 years as a counsellor I have worked with many different issues, face to face, remotely, on home visits and by telephone.

People come to counselling for many reasons. Some arrive feeling overwhelmed or stuck, others facing a specific challenge or simply sense that something does not feel right and want space to explore it. Sometimes people come because old patterns keep repeating, emotions feel hard to manage, or past experiences are still affecting the present. There is no pressure to have the right words or know what you want to work on straight away. We can begin wherever you are.

I can offer you a calm and understanding space where you can feel heard and supportive in a compassionate, respectful and non-judgemental way. My approach starts by getting to know you, what brought you to counselling, supporting you with identifying your feelings and navigating difficult emotions, working at your pace, so that you can find a place where you feel in more control.

My approach is Person Centred, but I integrate other therapeutic methods for example cognitive behaviour therapy or mindfulness, where helpful to support each person in a way that feels right for them.

I offer short or long-term counselling which we will review on a regular basis. This can be face to face, remotely or by telephone, .  Sessions can be weekly, or two weekly whatever feels right for you.  

I offer a 15 to 30 minutes initial telephone call, so that you can  get a feel of whether I would be the right person for you as relationship is key in counselling for you to feel safe exploring difficult emotions and feelings.

The first session is a chance for us to get to know each other, and is led by you.  You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.  I will offer a safe, confidential space for you to talk about what has been going on for you. We'll explore what's important to you right now, and I'll support you in identifying what you need and how counselling might help.

It is okay to not have all the answers or even not be sure of your goals for counselling, as this can become clearer during counselling sessions.