Andy Meads

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays I offer Face to Face counselling and on Mondays I offer Telephone  and some Face to Face counselling. 

My name is Andy Meads and I am a qualified Humanistic and Integrative counsellor. I have a wealth of experience built up over more than 25 years of working with people in a wide range of both voluntary and statutory health and social care settings.

Since November 2016, I have worked therapeutically with adults who have been experiencing difficulties, including depression, stress, anxiety, relationship worries, abuse, childhood and adult trauma, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, loss, and bereavement.

For some people, therapy can offer a space, some time and a place away from the crowd to talk through any worries or fears or explore what they may need. Counselling can offer an opportunity to be heard and listened to without judgement.

Reaching out and seeking support can feel daunting particularly if you don't know what to expect. Taking the first step in finding some help may be the beginning of a new and healing journey. It may also help you find a different way to relate to yourself and others, and to find a different way of being in this world.

As a qualified Humanistic and Integrative counsellor, if you choose to work with me I will value your uniqueness, listen to you and witness your story. Through counselling, you can find the way through the challenges you are currently facing by talking openly within a safe and confidential space.

As your counsellor, I will not tell you what to do or give you the answers but rather I will 'walk alongside you' without judgement. Metaphorically, as I 'walk alongside you', I may hold up a torch as you explore along an individual path of self-discovery. I always aim to work in a way that shows compassion.

As part of my Continuing Professional Development, because I value empowerment, I continue to explore my own identity within my conscious and unconscious attitudes. I practise as an ethically and culturally responsible counsellor with Anti-Discriminatory and Anti-Oppressive values.

The venue

My Face to Face sessions currently take place in a wonderful practice room in Corsham, which is within easy reach of surrounding areas including Bath, Melksham, Chippenham, Trowbridge. There is free parking at the venue and there is also free parking on some of the nearby roads. At the venue, there is a small kitchen area where you can access a cup of tea/coffee or a glass of water, and there are toilets if needed.   

Scale of charges

People are currently facing lots of financial pressure due to the cost of living crisis.

For this reason, I have decided to offer a scale of charges and my hope is that this will enable people to continue to access support during these difficult and uncertain times.

My scale of charges ranges from £30 to £70 per session depending on individual financial circumstances.

What Next?

Reaching out to someone you don’t know and taking the next step and arranging an Initial Phone Call can feel daunting. Choosing the right counsellor for you can feel hard and even confusing. Well, I have been there and know what this can feel like, looking at the many different faces of counsellors offering services.

When I needed to find a counsellor either for personal therapy or therapy as part of my professional training to become a qualified counsellor, it took a bit of time but to help me make my decision, I considered questions such as:

1) What experience does the counsellor have?

2) Is the counsellor qualified?

3) How does this counsellor work?

4) Are they a member of a professional organisation like BACP?

5) How much does each session cost, and can I afford it?

6) Where is the counsellor geographically located? (Important if you want face to face).

7) Do I feel ready to challenge my defensive behaviours?

8) Do I feel ready to explore my difficult lived experiences?

9) Do I have the time to regularly attend sessions?

10) Is it the right time (emotionally) for me to start counselling?

I offer these list of questions simply as a guide that might help you think about what is important as you search for a counsellor.

If you decide to contact me and we arrange an Initial Phone Call, these questions are explored as part of this, and you may have your own questions to explore as well. 

Next Step - Do you want an Initial Phone Call?

If you are interested in working with me as your counsellor, then email me and I will offer a couple of dates/times for an Initial Phone Call. 

An Initial Phone Call will last up to 50 minutes.

There is a charge of £30 for each Initial Phone Call, which needs to be paid in advance, and is non-refundable.

On occasion, more than one Initial Phone Call may be needed to establish whether we can work together at this time.

If we agree to work together, then we can arrange the start date and time for your counselling.