Fay Petcher

Hello, I'm Fay, a compassionate and empathetic counsellor dedicated to providing support for individuals, including young people, and couples. I offer a friendly and reliable approach to counselling, always mindful of the individual needs of my clients. My work is characterized by a conscientious commitment to helping individuals and couples navigate the challenges they face.

2. Training, Qualifications, and Experience:

I hold a comprehensive set of qualifications and possess over 20 years of experience in the field of mental health and counselling. My journey has been marked by continuous growth and learning, allowing me to provide high-quality therapeutic services. My core theoretical approach is person-centred, but I draw from various therapeutic modalities, including Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

• Training: I have received extensive training in counseling and psychotherapy, with a particular focus on person-centered therapy. Additionally, I've integrated the principles of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into my practice, enabling me to address a wide range of emotional and psychological issues.

• Experience: My professional journey spans over two decades. I've dedicated over 20 years to the field of education, where I have played a crucial role in supporting children's mental health to foster resilience. This experience includes two years as a school counselor and mental health lead, providing students with the guidance and support they need to overcome their challenges. I've also spent five years as a divorce coach, assisting couples and individuals as they navigate the often difficult process of separation and divorce.

My clients' well-being is my top priority, and I take pride in my ability to provide compassionate and empathetic counseling services. Here's a bit more about how I work and what motivates me as a therapist:

• Compassionate: I approach each client with a deep sense of compassion, understanding that everyone's experiences and struggles are unique. I aim to create a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals and couples to explore their emotions and challenges.

• Empathetic: My empathetic nature allows me to truly connect with my clients, understanding their feelings and perspectives. This connection is essential for building trust and facilitating meaningful change in their lives.

• Reliable: Clients can rely on me to be there for them, providing consistent support throughout their therapeutic journey. I understand that trust and consistency are crucial in the counseling relationship.

• Friendly: I offer a warm and friendly approach that helps clients feel at ease during our sessions. Building a strong therapeutic alliance is essential for effective counseling.

• Conscientious: I approach my work with great care and attention to detail, ensuring that I address my clients' unique needs and concerns with professionalism and integrity.

What I love about being a therapist is the opportunity to make a positive impact on my clients' lives. Witnessing their growth and celebrating their progress is both empowering and humbling. Every client I meet and their unique stories remind me of the remarkable nature of human resilience. I am committed to continuous professional development (CPD) to ensure I am always growing as a therapist and providing the best possible support to my clients.

I work face to face and also online with individuals, couples and young people. I offer a mixture of day times, evenings and weekend sessions.

Hi, my name is Fay - I am a BACP registered integrative counsellor and also a divorce and relationship coach, where I specialise in divorce, infidelity and narcissistic abuse recovery.

I work with people in an organic, empathetic and compassionate way, tailor making sessions to suit each client or couple in order to work in the clients best interests, at their own pace, and for the best possible outcome.

I am passionate about supporting and empowering people to overcome and make sense of what is going on for them (their experiences, emotions, thoughts and current situation) in order to get clarity and begin to see the way forward. I am a strong believer in the client being the expert in their lives and see my role as a facilitator in their growth, putting their best interests at the heart of what I do.

 I work within the BACP's ethical framework and from my core theory of person centred, integrative therapy -  using a mixture of counselling and coaching techniques like CFT (compassion focused therapy), ACT (acceptance commitment therapy) and SFT (solution focused therapy). I also use EFT (emotional freedom technique) mindfulness and breathwork within sessions if the client is happy to do so. 

My sessions are 60 min long for both individuals and couples.  

I am committed to offering a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space for clients to explore what is going on for them (their feelings, thoughts and experiences) in order to move towards positive change. I work from my dedicated therapy room at my home (overlooking the garden) but also online via various platforms like zoom and facetime, (offering a hybrid of both) for client convenience. I also offer walk and talk therapy (around the national forest), which can be a freeing and empowering experience, for people who want to explore their thoughts and emotions in the fresh air or find being indoors too restrictive. I offer both short and long term therapy which is reviewed on a regular basis.

In your first session with me, we will discuss and agree our therapeutic working alliance (which includes the contract, mini assessment and the ways in which we will work together). We will discuss your expectations and goals for therapy (what you need from me as a counsellor and what you want to get from sessions). We will also explore your initial worries and concerns. It is really important that you feel comfortable and safe with me and the way that I work.  It is normal to have questions around starting therapy so I offer a free initial discovery call (via the telephone) to all perspective clients.