Halina Pytlasinska

Counselling can help you to feel seen and validated when you are at your lowest ebb. When problems seem overwhelming, you can feel isolated and stuck. Counselling can help you to find a way forward. Through someone listening compassionately to your unique experience, counselling can help you to uncover resources that you didn’t know you had.

I have worked with people who experience depression, low mood and anxiety or bereavement and have helped people to rekindle a relationship or part amicably. I have supported people who manage health issues, addictions, work stress, esteem issues, loneliness and difficulty coping. Many of my clients are on the autistic spectrum or experience ADHD.

I have been a counsellor and psychotherapist for thirty five years, working in private practice charities, EAPs and universities. I work as a general counsellor and as a relationship counsellor with individuals and couples.

Relationship Counselling 

All relationships have their ups and downs but sometimes you become stuck in a cycle of arguing or being distant from each other. The initial love and passion you shared seems lost. When you both feel abandoned or misunderstood in your own corner, relationship counselling can help you to rekindle a deeper connection so that you can live life to the full.

Common relationship difficulties occur around financial stress, health problems, transition points such as having a first child or retiring. Having an affair can leave a partner feeling betrayed and not knowing how to forgive. Once you have felt deeply hurt by a partner communication can seem impossible. 

Relationship counselling can help you to gain a new perspective and learn skills to move your relationship to a better place. Once you have the relationship you deserve then all aspects of life seem to flow more easily.

I welcome people from all cultural backgrounds, from the LGBTQI+ community and people who may be gender diverse or questioning.

 I am a humanistic-integrative practitioner. At the heart of my model is a person-centred approach. This is integrated with transpersonal, transactional analysis and systemic principles. I also work as a supervisor, supporting other experienced  therapists as well as those in training.

I offer a heart-centred therapeutic approach that is ethical and robust. My view is pluralistic, which means that I respect that we are all unique, different therapeutic styles suit different people. Although I have a working model, I may use varied aspects of my training and skills to respond to individual need. 

Usually, we begin with a brief phone call where you can tell me what you would like help with and ask me questions about my practice. If you decide to try counselling then we make an initial counselling appointment.

At this first session, you can go into more depth about the challenges that you face and what you would like the outcome of therapy to be. We discuss practicalities such as number of sessions and times and days that are convenient for you to have appointments. by the end of this first session you will have an idea of how we work together and then you can decide if you would like a series of sessions to help you to move forward.

Payment is made at the end of each session when we agree the next appointment. Some people like to have the same time each week whereas others may need more flexibility, depending on your lifestyle. All appointments last for one hour.

I have worked as a trainer for 33 years in workplace settings across all three sectors. I design and facilitate bespoke courses for small and large groups.

Areas of expertise include team work, leadership, conflict transformation and cultural change for counsellors and non-counsellors.

I have also designed and delivered stress and resilience workshops within the private sector, charities and educational settings. For colleges, I have designed and facilitated counselling skills training for non-counsellors and professional training for counsellors from L2 through to L4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling accredited by the CPCAB. 

I write and deliver CPD events for counsellors including Working with Dreams, Using Creativity in Therapeutic Practice;  The You and Me Stuff- Working as a Team Outside the Therapy Room; How to Facilitate Groups.

From Relationship work, I run groups for couples to Learn to Argue Well; Helping You to Use the Drama Triangle; Starting with Self-Love.

I create safety for trainees by developing a relational space where participants can be themselves without the fear of being judged. Relationship and appreciation of divesity is key to groupwork and appreciating that everyone will go at their own pace and have their unique experiences to bring and unique way of seeing things.

I use creativity to help participants experiment and express themselves in fresh ways. I research my topics well and have over three decades of experience of designing and delivering training groups. Students have described my style as direct and playful. We laugh and cry together. People are inspired by the depth of the work to find deeper confidence to be self-compassionate and authentic.  

If your training needs are not listed here then I can negotiate with you to design training on your unique needs. I have confidence with most topics that are around relationships and working together.

My training packages are bespoke. I expect to visit you to discuss your training needs and spend time to explain the training beforehand. After the training I then collate feedback for you. If your team has a specific problem or need then please feel free to discuss your options with me. If I feel that I cannot help then I will try to signpost you to organisations or individuals who can.

As a supervisor I have worked with a variety of humanistic supervisees since 1991. My core practice is person-centred. I can help with individual and couple case work as I am also an experienced Relationship Therapist. I offer supervision to experienced counsellors as well as those in  training. As I have trained counsellors I understand the demands on trainees. I can help you to gain clarity in formulating your model and finding your unique style. Concession rates are available.

My practice is integrative, humanistic-transpersonal. I integrate the Transpersonal and Transactional Analysis alongside Systemic principles. I am confident in supervising integrative practitioners or those who are person-centred or transpersonal.

My supervision style is heart-centred and pluralistic, focusing on the supervisees needs and adapting to their unique way of working in a person-centred way. Developing a professional relationship of mutual respect will provide your clients with safety and best outcome. Looking after the supervisees needs and valuing their self-expression is a key focus. I may use creativity, in a way that suits you, to stretch and challenge and help you when you are stuck. Supervision will be the place for you to be authentic, to celebrate, feel supported and reflect, and reinvigorate your practice.

As with counselling, the first session will be a trial where you can see if we work well together.