Marika Cook

I tend to do remote sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays at various times during the day.

In person sessions are held on Tuesday afternoon/evening, on Thursdays, and on Friday mornings. 

The clients I work with often have stresses in their lives that have become unmanageable, their relationships are difficult, or their emotions are hard to control. Or a mix of all three! That in turn can come with a lot of anxiety and self-criticism. If any of that sounds like you, I can help.

If you don't know where to begin and it all feels a bit much, I'm here to support you as you untangle whatever's going on for you. Even with the best intentions, well-meaning others may have offered you unasked for advice, minimised your experiences, and even left you feeling judged in some way - I don't do that.

My aim is to provide an environment where you can:

 feel comfortable to take things at your own pace

 think more clearly

 feel more confident

 gain the tools you need to feel more in control

I work in a way that fully respects the impact of trauma. Alongside my private practice, I am a sessional counsellor in a charity supporting people who’ve experienced domestic abuse and sexual violence in child- and adulthood. I also support professionals who come to me through their employee assistance programmes.

​If you don't see whatever is going on for you in the list above, please feel free to drop me a message. I've supported clients with many different issues over the years and may be able to help. 

I see clients in person at Hadley Community Centre, 30 High Street, Hadley TF1 5NL. There's plenty of free parking if you're driving, and a nearby bus stop if you're on public transport.

When you arrive, I'll either meet you at the door, or you can drop me a text from the car park and I'll come out to you to take you up to the room. It might be useful for you to know that the room is at the top of a small flight of stairs. If you'd prefer a slot during a quieter time of day, with fewer people around, just let me know.

I also see clients online using Whereby, which is a lot like Zoom, or WhatsApp. If you'd prefer to speak on the phone, we can do that. And if you change your mind about the format of the sessions at any time, for instance you'd like to begin on the phone but then move to face to face, that's something we can do too.

Confidentiality is a big part of counselling and part of our first session is for me to explain the limits to confidentiality I have as a counsellor. It can be a scary business, opening up to someone you don't know. It's important to me that you feel as comfortable as possible.

​There will be space in this session for us to talk about what's going on for you, and to begin working together. It's also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have about the way we will work together. It might be that you've had counselling before and we can discuss what you've found helpful - or not so helpful, and what you're looking for from our sessions.