Michael Purvis

Thank you for taking the time to visit my profile. I believe that counselling can be both restorative and transformative allowing us to process difficult experiences with all the associated thoughts, feelings and learnt behaviours that result and explore our sense of self. This can only be achieved if the right environment is available, I hope I can provide that environment for you.

If you experience intrusive thoughts that undermine your sense of self-worth, make you question the acceptance of others or make you behave in ways not consistent with who you really are, you are not alone. Many of us repeat behavioural patterns that are not in our best interests without knowing why, we live with anxiety or self-doubt despite being able to rationalise away the source of the fear or we learn to survive in depressive mood states often with very low self-esteem. If this resonates with you therapy can help you to better understand the source of these experiences and allow you to live a richer more authentic life.     

The goal of therapy is to work with you to alleviate distress, by enhancing your sense of wellbeing and resilience underpinned by an understanding of self that is meaningful to you. Ultimately, we all want to be the best version of ourselves, but it can be difficult to find the courage and support to achieve this. Taking the first step is not easy but living a less than authentic life isn’t a picnic either. 

I specialise in working with a broad range of anxiety related conditions, such as obsessive compulsive; stress and burnout; challenges socialising or a difficulty building relationships; panic attacks; phobias; anger management; loss of purpose following retirement, redundancy or long term illness and occupational trauma. Often these are associated with low mood or depression and can be debilitating. I can also help with setting and achieving goals in many areas of your life including business, health and wellbeing, career, relationships, and work-life balance.

I work with adults only, using a range of therapeutic approaches and always in a collaborative manner accepting that you are the expert in your own life. Sessions last for 50 minutes and are most commonly on a weekly basis. Everything discussed remains confidential and is conducted either in our offices, by telephone, online or by arrangement outdoors as part of a walk and talk approach, depending on what works best for you. The aim is to offer support without lengthy waiting times or a limit to the number of sessions.  

I offer new clients a free 20 minute telephone/video call introductory session, which gives us the opportunity to talk about how therapy might help and how I practice.