Helen Arnold

I have some weekday spaces available for new clients.

Hi I'm Helen. 

I've learned, both as client and counsellor, that counselling can be a fantastic way to work out what you need to do to feel better. That may include exploring your past and what you're experiencing now as well as equipping you for the future. I believe that a strong relationship between client and counsellor is a secure base for therapeutic change so you have the freedom and space to be yourself and say what needs to be said, with the security of someone professional, yet real and caring, holding your story with great respect.

Get in touch for a chat by phone or email about what you'd like to achieve through counselling. We'd start with a free, no pressure, consultation  where we'd discuss your needs and the way we might work together. You're welcome to ask questions about counselling and me as a counsellor, and I'm interested to hear all about you, your hopes, feelings, experiences and expectations. 

If we decide toward together therapy would be weekly, either in my office in Oker, near Matlock, at the Matlock Therapy centre or on-line, and each session is 50 minutes long. As everyone is unique, every therapeutic journey will be different. There will be ups and downs, plateaus and maybe 'lightbulb' moments during therapy, but the safe space and reliable, non-judgemental relationship remain steady. 

 You'll do most of the talking. I don't tell you the answers or give advice, but I'll ask questions and reflect back my perception of what you are saying from time to time to clarify for us both. I welcome your responses to me doing this whether you think I'm right or wrong, and whatever emotions that raises. You don't need to stand on ceremony or expend energy trying to please me or be be someone you are not. Therapy is your time to be absolutely you.

I'm a humanistic therapist because I believe in the potential of people to thrive and live the best life possible. And that includes you.

I work in private practice seeing clients in-person either in my home office with panoramic views over the Peak District National Park or at Matlock Therapy Centre in central Matlock. I also work with many people on-line, or a combination of both where that’s useful and appropriate.

I believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is the most secure base for effective counselling so it’s important that our first meeting is relaxed and informative and that there’s no pressure to continue. I offer a free half hour consultation so you can ask me questions and we can get a feel for how it might be to work together.

If we agree to work together we’ll run through our counselling contract in the first session. That covers areas like payment, cancellations, length of sessions, breaks and endings and whether you’d like to work to a fixed number of sessions or a more open-ended approach. You can change your mind at any time.

After that I tend to be guided by you, your feelings, whatever it is that brings you to counselling, your history, your style. You are unique so your experience of counselling with me will be too and I’m curious about you, your experiences and how you’re feeling in sessions. All of you is welcome, the good, bad and ugly. I’m experienced and trained and as a member of the BACP I’m committed to the BACP Ethical Framework and maintaining high standards of personal and professional development and best practice.

An important part of my job is work with you towards a point where you don’t feel the need for counselling any more. It’s most therapeutic to plan endings together. Many endings in life are unsatisfactory so I’ll always suggest an ending session. That way we can say goodbye and finish our work with nothing left unsaid.

As well private practice I assess incoming clients and am a volunteer counsellor at Nottingham Counselling Service. NCS offers short and long-term counselling on a sliding payment scale and offers placements for trainee counsellors.

I offer a free 30 minute consultation in-person, online or over the phone so you can ask me any questions you may have and I can assess whether I feel I'm the right counsellor for you. It's an informal chat rather than a full counselling session and there's no pressure to continue counselling if you decide not to go ahead.