Rachel Tillett

My working hours are:

Monday to Thursday between 9am - 7pm

How I work

I will listen to you. Telling your story and reflecting on your experiences with the support of a caring yet objective person can help you gain clarity and valuable insights needed to enable you to work through the challenges you're facing. Counselling is time that is dedicated to you, focusing on exploration of your past, present and future. I may share practical exercises, tools and ideas which have proved helpful to others on top of helping you to go deeper into your emotional experience.

I have to be honest, counselling may not be easy at times as it requires us to challenge our beliefs and behaviours in order to grow - no doubt I will ask some difficult questions at times. But rest assured, we will work together towards your personal goals and I will be alongside you firmly rooted in the belief that you can achieve them. There will be times when you will have an emotional response to me, the more honest you can be about this the better as this can provide rich information and learning.

Training & Qualifications 

- MSc - Psychology of Mental Health & Well-Being 

- Level 4 Diploma - Therapeutic Counselling

- Level 2/3 Certificates - Counselling Skills

- Walk/Talk Therapy Training

- Transactional Analysis 101

- Safeguarding Training

- BA (Hons) - Business Management

- Continued Professional Development 

-  Clinical supervision in accordance with BACP guidelines.

Experience

I am a qualified counsellor and registered member of the BACP now running a private practice.  I have worked on behalf of non-profit organisations supporting people living with disabilities and bereavement.

Previously I worked in a law firm supporting young people and adults facing criminal charges.  I have worked in a range of manual jobs to management roles on employed/self-employed basis, providing a great foundation for my counselling work.

Counselling can help you to explore many aspects of life, some of the common experiences of people I work with are as follows:

* Anxiety & Stuckness              * Confidence & Self-Esteem

* Depressive & Low Mood       * Estrangement

* Loneliness & Abandonment * Loss & Bereavement 

* Major Life Events                    * All Relationships Issues   

* Work Stress 

For answers to some frequently asked questions about counselling please visit:

https://www.elementscounselling.co.uk/sessions-fees/

Working Together in Sessions

You may be here because something has happened in your life that you would like to discuss, or perhaps you feel like something is amiss but can't quite put your finger on what! We come to counselling for many reasons: anxiety, depression, loss/grief, family and relationship issues or low self-esteem to name a few.  From research and experience has shown that feeling safe and comfortable with your counsellor can seriously impact your progress. This is why my primary aim is to provide a supportive and confidential environment where you can talk at your own pace, safe in the knowledge you will be treated with respect and accepted for who you are.

It feels like a good place to begin by saying that, just like you, I face challenges and I certainly am not perfect. But this is great news because it means I won’t judge you for not being perfect either!

My Counselling Room

I want you to feel comfortable in our sessions. My room is set back from the roadside with plenty of natural light with a big cosy chair.  Located on the ground floor there is also a loo next door. 

There is off-street parking available and a secure space for bicycles and there is a bus stop at the road end.

Introductory Call

A 20-minute free introductory telephone/online session is offered to all clients. This is a great opportunity to have a chat about what brings you to counselling in a little more detail. 

It's also a chance for you to ask any questions you may have about counselling, but most importantly for you to gauge how comfortable you feel speaking with me. 

If we seem like a good match we will find a mutually suitable weekly or bi-weekly slot which remains your allocated time throughout our work together. I will send over the appropriate details by email ahead of the first session. 

First Session

I will guide you through a series of questions to help me hit the ground running with a reasonable understanding of your background and aims in therapy. You remain the expert of you throughout the process, my role is to provide expertise of the counselling process.

All sessions are 60 minutes in length and I will offer a reminder 5-minutes before the end so that we can wrap things up safely. 

My working hours are:

Monday to Thursday between 9am - 7pm

    “When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we          get to write the ending.” (Brené Brown)

My Approach

We all have different stories to tell, being truly heard as we do so can help us gain a new perspective. Elements Counselling offers a confidential and supportive environment where you can talk at your own pace, safe in the knowledge you will be treated with respect and accepted for who you are.

My Story

It feels like a good place to begin by saying that I too am human, just like you. I face challenges, as you do and I certainly am not perfect. But this is great news because it means I won’t judge you for not being perfect either.

Having worked in a wide range of jobs, I settled in the legal field before jumping into the world of counselling; which I dearly love and in which I feel at home.

I first sat in the counselling chair as a client 8 years ago, probably thinking something similar to you now. My world had changed, I felt beyond stuck. I desperately wanted to move forward but didn’t know how. Counselling made a huge difference to me and became a gift I wanted to share.

I hope this snapshot of me helps you know that you are not alone. It’s not easy to seek support but it is incredibly courageous, and trust me when I say, it can make a positive difference to how you feel and experience the world.

BUT this isn't about me, it's about you and how we can work together to get you where you want to be!

Some of the challenging elements of life which counselling can help us explore are:

* Anxiety            * Confidence       * Depression

* Life Events      * Loneliness        * Loss

*Relationships  * Self-Esteem      * Work

Working Together in Sessions

Above all else, during our sessions together I will listen to you and seek to understand from your standpoint what you are going through. Telling your story can help you gain valuable insights needed to work through the challenges you face. I may also offer alternative perspectives, share practical exercises and academic theories for you to consider which have proved helpful to others.

Integrative counselling brings together elements of different approaches and theories, to allow for our unique lives. The elements of your life you may wish to discuss in counselling are your choice. It may not be easy at times but we will work towards your personal goals, and I will be alongside you firmly rooted in the belief that you can achieve them.

A 20-minute free introductory telephone session is offered to all clients. This is a great opportunity to have a chat about what brings you to counselling in a little more detail.

It's also a chance for you to ask any questions you may have about counselling, but most importantly for you to gauge how comfortable you feel speaking with me.

If you decide to book in for a session, I will send you a short document to check over by email before we meet. This details things such as confidentiality, payment details etc. We will then discuss this at the beginning of a session, I will take a few personal details, offer space for any questions from you and then we will begin to chat about what has brought you to the counselling room.

All sessions are 60 minutes in length and can be booked on a basis to suit you.