Emma McArthur

My clinical experience and professional training in psychology, counselling, trauma, psychoeducational groupwork and cognitive behavioural therapy informs my ability to offer effective individualised therapy. My training enables me to work collaboratively with you to develop an evidence-based therapeutic approach to empower you to manage the mental health difficulties and life challenges that you may be experiencing. Most importantly, I offer a safe, confidential and non judgmental listening space where you can explore your present experience and personal history at a depth and a pace that feels right for you and your circumstances as they are now.

I am an integrative cognitive behavioural therapist with clinical experience working with traumatic stress responses and neurodivergence from a growth and strengths based perspective. My focus is to empower you to become aware of the inner strengths and resources that will help you to tap into your brain's natural neuroplasticity and your mind's natural capacity for growth.

I aim to develop a space in therapy where you can feel safe enough to explore your internal and external experiences with curiosity and compassion. A space where you can uncover and acknowledge the impact that your experiences have had on you and how you have learned to cope with and respond to your environment. Within a safe therapeutic alliance you can consider how you are currently coping with the impact of your experience and take some time to explore alternative ways of coping and responding. This can help you to replace coping strategies that are no longer helpful to you and to restructure any unhelpful automatic patterns of response that may be keeping you feeling stuck. Often this process helps to provide you with the emotional space and compassion that you need to replenish your resources and reassess the meaning you took from your experiences in a way that recognises and values your strengths.

Raising your awareness of your capacity to compassionately reassess your beliefs about yourself and your experiences in this way can bring new meaning to your present sense of self. This process can allow you to bring your personal values into alignment with your future aims and empower you to discover the way forward that feels right for you.

So you know what to expect, In my introduction sessions I always complete a questionnaire with clients which will ask you about your experience over the last week. This often helps to highlight any areas in your experience that may need our attention first. I work with clients, face to face, online or by phone and usually advise on regular weekly sessions so we can build a strong therapeutic relationship and alliance. Duration of therapy is usually collaborative, some clients have a fixed number of sessions in mind which we can work to while others like to keep it open with regular check ins. The type of therapy and nature of concern also influence the duration but it is always a choice. 

If we choose to work together going forward my focus will be to support you on your counselling journey. My goal is to assist you to find what you need to make the adaptations that will help you grow through your difficulties and move towards where you want to be in your life.