Denise Caruth

My routine working hours at my private practise in Lymington are on Wednesdays, but I do offer alternative times and days.

"I am not defined by my scars, but by the incredible ability to heal." Lemn Sissay. 

Qualified, experienced, BACP accredited counsellor offers a confidential space to talk, and to be heard. I work with anxiety, depression, trauma, loss amongst others.

Are you feeling lost, depressed, anxious, tormented, lonely, without hope?

These are normal, if uncomfortable, parts of the roller coaster of life. Many individuals experience periods of despair throughout life, sometimes knowing why, and at other times not understanding at all. I am an experienced BACP accredited therapist offering you a space to explore yourself and your life, and a space for you to be heard. With experience of working at Oakhaven Hospice, Compass Counselling, Brockenhurst College, NHS and in my own private practice, I have worked with alcohol, anxiety, depression, cancer, loss, relationships, addiction, trauma, Covid, difficulties with food and many other themes.

The work involves shuttling between the here and now of daily life, and the past. Often, this leads to an exploration of childhood and previous experiences that have shaped how we are in the world in relation to our own self and to others. This gentle exploration allows individuals to gain insight into their true self, often buried. This awareness brings acceptance, integration and ultimately choice about how to be in the world.

The therapeutic space can provide a real refuge to the soul and I feel privileged to have shared many people’s unpacking and unpicking of their most hidden self. I strongly believe that with time, compassion and understanding, the self can flourish. 

How I work:

Therapy is a much used term, but it is often unclear what the process actually entails. Much of it depends on the therapist’s way of working. I am a relational, integrative therapist, drawing on different approaches to offer each client the most appropriate therapy for them. My foundation is attachment theory and the person-centred approach, and it rests on the belief that the most important element of successful therapy is the relationship between the client and the therapist. This is based on empathy, lack of judgement and authenticity.

With the right therapeutic relationship, the client feels able to trust and thus, to reveal elements of themself that they may never have exposed before. This often brings immense relief for the client. With the therapist’s non-judgemental acceptance of the client’s “whole self”, clients learn to accept themself and to integrate all parts of themselves. Thus, the client can move more easily through life treating themselves with compassion and self-acceptance and experiencing that from others.

I offer 50 minute sessions on a regular basis.

The initial consultation is an opportunity for you to meet me to get a sense of whether you would like to work with me. It also offers me a chance to get to know a little bit about you and how I might be able to help you. Normally, we discuss what is going on for you at the moment, as well as getting a sense of your history. If we would like to work together, we discuss what that might look like.

Training and Qualifications:

Having graduated over 20 years ago, I spent the first half of my working life in business and TV. However, my own experience of therapy, along with a passionate interest in people and helping others, led me to start my training as a therapist around ten years ago.

More information:

I studied at the Iron Mill College in Exeter and I have attended many courses over the years to support my professional experience and development. Particular interests include attachment theory, neurobiology, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, relational therapy and existential therapy. Key figures inspiring my work include Irvin Yalom, John Bowlby, Donald Winnicott, Russ Harris, Jon Kabat Zinn, and Richard Erskine.

I am accredited with the BACP, the organization overseeing Counsellors and Psychotherapists in the UK. The BACP ensures its members work ethically with the client’s best interests at the heart of their practice. As part of this I attend regular supervision.