Rachel Bollen

I offer short and long term therapy, face to face in Newcastle upon Tyne and also offer sessions online. 

I currently work with clients on Tuesday afternoons, Thursdays and Friday mornings.

I am a therapist working with adults to better understand and improve the relationship they have with themselves and others. As a person-centred, psychotherapeutic counsellor, I work with clients contending with various issues. This may include anxiety, depression, grief and anger or be in relation to a personal or global situation or event, family or a specific relationship. You might feel stuck, unable to imagine a time when this will change.

Carl Jung said: “Problems are not solved, they are outgrown”.

Seeking support reflects your continued desire to grow. Whatever brings you to therapy, you will be met with a compassionate ear and genuine connection, supporting your journey toward a more autonomous and joyful life.

I take a holistic view, understanding clients as whole individuals, beyond the immediate struggles that brought them to therapy. I believe in nurturing our innate drive towards self-realisation, healing and growth—what the Greeks called Physis. I encourage clients to explore existential questions, reflecting on life’s meaning, human freedom, isolation, mortality, connectedness, and personal identity. This helps to clarify their core beliefs and values, deepening their understanding of themselves and their life's purpose.

My approach is shaped by my artistic background and extensive experience working in cooperative, community, and DIY settings, and as a wellbeing artist for a charity dedicated to promoting equal access to arts and culture for disabled people. This has given me a deep understanding of the interconnectedness between our personal wellbeing and the systems in which we exist. 

I understand that many of us find it hard to ask for our needs to be met. However, I believe we can achieve great things while working in collaboration with others. I am an inclusive therapist, welcoming all clients regardless of cognitive or learning differences, race, sexuality, gender, class or religion.

I engage in both long term, relational work and short contracts.

Choosing a therapist can feel daunting, given the wide range of terminology used to describe different approaches.

• My practice is integrative, blending methods and philosophies to meet each client’s unique needs.
• I am person-centred, believing in people's innate capacity for self-healing and personal growth, and that this can be realised within the therapeutic environment.
• I don’t believe in an “us” and “them” approach to therapy. Client and therapist meet as equals, each bringing their own unique skills and expertise.
• I am interested in both the here and now, and earlier experiences that shaped us.
• I encourage clients to tune into their body’s sensations to better understand and regulate their physiological and emotional states.

In a non-judgmental, secure and respectful setting, we work to create a therapeutic relationship where clients feel able to express themselves fully. Through honest reflections and collaborative exploration, clients are empowered to examine their beliefs, feelings, and behaviours, encouraging self-acceptance and supporting their journey toward a more autonomous life.

For me, therapy is a collaborative exercise. I work together with clients to help them understand their inner world and identify the changes needed for positive growth. With a trauma-informed perspective, I draw from Transactional Analysis, Gestalt Therapy, Existential Therapy, neurobiology, attachment theory, mindfulness and meditation.

I can also work creatively to access and explore feelings. In session, we may use methods such as guided meditation, therapy cards, imagery and clay to help bring implicit memories into conscious awareness, where we are able to examine and work through them more effectively.

Through insights gained in the therapy room, I support clients to reshape the relationship they have with themselves. As this self-acceptance deepens, clients become more open to spontaneity, awareness, and intimacy.

I offer an initial 15-minute consultation free of charge. This provides clients with the opportunity to ask any questions and to get a feel about working together. Initial consultations take place online or a telephone call.

Prior to our first session, I will ask clients to complete an assessment. This will provide me with some basic information and, should they wish, an overview of what brings them to therapy.

In our first 50-minute session, we will review this assessment and I will ask questions to help clients share their background and explore what they hope to achieve through therapy. There will also be the opportunity to get to know me, and ask any questions about therapy and my approach. This helps clients determine if we are a good fit, and we can decide whether to work together.

Dependent on what clients hope to achieve through therapy, we may agree a timeframe to work within, or work in an open-ended way. We will do this through our (verbal) therapeutic contract, which we will regularly review. The therapeutic contract ensures that we are both clear on the focus of our current work and what this may involve.

If my approach sounds like what you are looking for then please do get in touch. I look forward to working with you.