Andrea Barton

My private practice, Humankind Counselling & Psychotherapy, is based in the convenient and historic setting of the Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells.

I am passionate about offering counselling and psychotherapy because so many of us struggle with our thoughts, our feelings, our behaviours, and our life predicament at some time in our lives. Not knowing how to overcome our difficulties can leave us feeling alone, vulnerable, anxious, depressed, angry or overwhelmed with a combination of those feelings. I believe counselling and psychotherapy helps.

I hold that each of us possesses the inner strength and resources to overcome our struggles, but that it is from within a safe, warm, trusting and fully accepting relationship that we find the capacity to heal and grow. My aim is to provide you with that relationship. A relationship that allows you to open up, explore your most inner thoughts and feelings and in so doing better understand yourself and make positive changes.

Past experience has included working within the NHS, with Fegans (now Spurgeons) in Tunbridge Wells and with As You Are in Southwick.

My previous career was in International Marketing, so I understand the stresses of working in high-pressure environments and indeed have worked with many clients who are struggling with work related issues. I have and still work with people around the globe and embrace both the cultural similarities and differences. I am fluent in German and have a good working knowledge of French.

I am a humanistic integrative therapist, which essentially means I tailor my approach based on your individual needs.  Where needed, our work will begin with any necessary stabilisation -  looking at ways to better manage your feelings and limit  overwhelm, so that we both know we can work safely. Then our work is likely to involve gently enquiring into your past and your future aspirations, but with a particular focus on how both may be shaping you in the here and now. With that understanding achieved together, we will focus on healing childhood wounds, misheld beliefs, internal conflicts as well as any ‘coping’ strategies that have worked for you in the past, but that may be contributing to your struggles today.

I hold a particular interest in working with trauma (acute, chronic, complex and vicarious). Trauma relates to any life event that is physically or emotionally threatening and causes on-going psychological distress whether it be through attachment trauma (childhood difficulties with our primary caregivers e.g. neglect, abuse, loss of parent or parental divorce), or a traumatic event or experience at any time in our lives (e.g. bullying, accidents, domestic & sexual abuse, bereavement and loss, natural disasters, war). This means I work with a wide range of struggles including: anxiety, depression, stress, anger, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, addiction & self-harm, sexual identity, lack of meaning or direction, isolation, life choices.

I am a Certified Lifespan Integration therapist (visit www.lifespanintegration.com for more info) and will, where appropriate, integrate this gentle body/mind therapy into our work if you are interested in this way of working. I believe it is a particularly effective therapy for working with trauma.

I offer an initial consultation at an introductory no-obligation fee of £35.00. This session is to help you get a better feel for whether I'm the right therapist for you, and to answer any questions you might have. It is also for me to gain a better understanding of what brings you to therapy and how you would like it to help.