Vicki Coombs

I understand from my own experience of being a client that attending counselling and finding the right counsellor can be incredibly difficult, but also unbelievably fulfilling and healing when you meet the right person to work with.  I am happy to answer any questions you have about the way I work or talk through any concerns you may have before booking your first session.  

I have over 11 years’ experience as a counsellor working with people who seek counselling for all sorts of reasons.  These have included anxiety, depression, attachment & relationship issues, obsessive compulsive disorder, bereavement & loss, abuse, addiction, self-harm, living with autism, post-traumatic stress, dissociation, issues around self-worth and much more. 

My experience as a counsellor has taught me that distress turns up in our lives in many forms; we can feel fear, vulnerability, shame, worthlessness, anger, isolation & disconnection.  I understand from working with clients and from my own life experiences that we sometimes try to cope by turning away from distress, by numbing or avoiding it and as a result can find ourselves in even greater difficulty.   I respect these defences and believe that we all do our best, but they can lead to us feeling lost to ourselves, lacking authenticity and cut off from our innate wisdom.  As researcher and storyteller Brené Brown states, “When we deny the story it owns us. When we own the story, we can write a brave new ending.” 

Counselling is a step into the unknown, a journey into uncertain territory and this requires a sense of trust in the working relationship.  I understand that this trust is built over time through compassion and understanding rather than judgement.  I aim to offer a relationship that welcomes you as you are.  You may have clear goals and know what needs to change in your life or you may arrive distressed and directionless.  Either way you are welcome.  

I believe the most important relationship we have in life is the one we have with ourselves. How we treat ourselves, the things we say to ourselves and the permission we give to ourselves shapes us and all other relationships.  My aim is to enable you to feel safe enough to share your emotional distress and express difficult feelings fully,  in a space that offers compassion, a sense of human connection and understanding.  I believe that a mutually respectful therapeutic relationship which holds and values you is an essential part of allowing you to move towards healing and innate emotional health and wellbeing.     

I am passionate about my work as a counsellor; my approach is relational, integrative, intuitive and creative.  I am willing to follow where you lead, stay with you and adapt to meet your needs.  The emphasis is on a transparent and collaborative enquiry which is not prescriptive and does not overly pathologise your distress.  Instead I welcome and accept you as you are and encourage you to meet your emotional pain in a way that gradually enables you to witness your emotions and allow them to inform you rather than feel overwhelmed by them.

          "The dragon is not slain or even fought against, but drawn out and fearlessly nurtured." 

           TSULTRIM ALLIONE

I aim to use my theoretical knowledge and experience to help you discover what you need from your counselling process.  I will also be very much myself in the relationship as I believe we need to pay compassionate attention to our shared humanness as well as our sense of uniqueness.    

During your first session we will talk through what brings you to counselling and together we can decide if I am the best person to help you.

There is no obligation to continue after the initial session and no judgement if you decide not to. I will not ask you to enter into a long term counselling contract and you can leave at any point.  That said, in my experience, regular sessions allow us to enter into a counselling process that is more likely to bring about a meaningful change.  I will endeavour to address and work through the issues that you are experiencing difficulty with at a pace and depth that is right for you.  It’s important to me that you feel in control and that we are working towards change that has meaning for you. I welcome feedback and offer regular reviews to make sure you are getting what you feel you need from your counselling process.