Sue Delaney

***UPDATE NOVEMBER 2024: Please note all sessions are full. While I have no current availability, this may change from time to time. Please feel welcome to get in touch if you would like to be placed on my waiting list***

My normal working hours are Monday-Thursdays 9am-7pm; Fridays 9am-12pm

Need help with feelings of anxiety, stress, depression or loss? Or are you struggling to heal from a traumatic or abusive experience or relationship?

If you're having any of the following emotions or ways of thinking, counselling with me can help you see your current situation in a new light and greater clarity. Feelings like 'I worry all the time – it’s exhausting', 'I feel so sad and alone', 'I get so angry – and I don’t know why', or such thoughts as 'I just want to hide away from the world', 'I hate myself', 'Why don't my relationships ever work out', or 'I just don’t know who I really am'.

Instinctively, we all know talking helps but when life’s challenges and struggles overwhelm us, and make us feel isolated and stuck, it may be difficult to open up about how we truly feel to those closest to us. 

When facing transitions, dilemmas and crises, and going through times of uncertainty and loss, we may need the insight of someone who is trained to support us to move forward.

What you can expect: 

I am a qualified, compassionate counsellor and psychotherapist based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. I work from a dedicated therapy room at my home and I provide an atmosphere of trust, empathy and confidentiality. At the heart of what I do is help you change the relationship you have with yourself. By giving you the time and space to understand what’s going on for you, the aim is to develop self-acceptance and self-compassion.  

My approach:

My core therapeutic approach is psychodynamic. This means as we look at your current problems, we will identify and explore how past experience may have affected your life today in ways that are not always apparent. At times, this may bring up painful and confusing emotions which I will support you through. 

Once you have a greater understanding and sense of the roots of your struggles, it is possible to transform unhelpful perspectives about yourself. Together, we can help you highlight and evolve your personal strengths and determine what is really meaningful for you.

It is important to me to be honest about what I do and don’t offer, so that you can decide if working with me is going to be right for you. I don’t offer specific solutions or tell you what needs to be fixed. Instead, we work together to help you identify your own difficulties and find your own answers. Focussing on what you want to get out of counselling is central to the process. This therapy may not be the right choice if you are unable to attend regular sessions or if you believe what is past is past and there is no benefit in exploring the meaning of previous experiences. 

I specialise in helping people through:

anxiety, stress, low moods, depression, grief and bereavement, low self-esteem, the effects of traumatic or abusive experiences and relationships, and finding healthier ways to relate to family, partners and friends. 

I offer:

Brief therapy (usually 10-12 sessions) – this is aimed at working with an exclusive focus on one specific issue or an important decision.

Time-limited therapy (20-30 sessions) – suited to working through difficult life transitions, such as bereavement or divorce, improving decision-making or gaining better ways of coping with emotions that overwhelm you.

Open-ended therapy (ongoing, unlimited sessions) – by working at your own pace, for as long you need, we can address more deep-rooted issues or develop ongoing personal growth. 

First Meeting:

I believe the quality of the relationship between counsellor and client is key for therapy to work. For this reason, I suggest an initial introductory meeting, which lasts between 60 and 90 minutes and is charged at my usual session fee of £55.

This is a conversation between the two of us to help me know more about your past and present experiences, what brings you to counselling and what you would like to change. Above all, this is your opportunity to experience how I work so you can make an informed decision about whether I'm the right person to support you and to ask any questions you may have.

Ongoing sessions are usually held weekly and are £55. 

My Training:

I have completed BACP-accredited training: 

Advanced Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling

Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling

Foundation Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling

Further training includes trauma-focused courses such as: 

Dr Gabor Mate's Compassionate Inquiry (short course)

Emotion-Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) Level 1 & 2 

More Than Words – a body-guided workshop aimed at regulating post-traumatic emotional states by Trauma Centre Manchester

I have practised for eight years (both as a trainee and post- qualification). As well as privately, I have previously worked for NHS-short-term counselling services, a Victims of Crime contract, two charitable therapy agencies and as a Samaritans listener. 

As a registered member, the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), I adhere to its code of ethics. My work is supervised, I hold enhanced DBS clearance and am committed to ongoing training and personal development. 

To get started, email me at suedelaneycounselling@gmail.com or call me on 07561 787662 and leave a short message with your contact details and the best times for me to return your call.