Heidi Lester

I work Monday to Friday, offering sessions during the day and in the evenings. Appointments can be arranged to suit you, and around school, college or working hours. Please contact me for more information.

Hello my name is Heidi, a highly experienced and compassionate counsellor, supervisor and lecturer with over 22 years’ experience of supporting adults and young people. Welcome to my page and thank you for taking the time to view it. 

It can be really difficult to deal with different events, emotions, and thoughts and so talking it through with someone who understands, can help you normalise being human, and help share the load when life feels a little too heavy to deal with.

At times we can all experience anxiety, stress, depression, sadness, anger, or a feeling of hopelessness and fear. We can feel we are no longer in control of our lives. If this sounds like you, please be assured you are not alone. As your counsellor, it is my job to facilitate you through these challenging and difficult times. Together we can find a way to make you feel better about those worries and situations you may be experiencing. My job is not to give you advice, rather to support you in your journey.

I have got a very successful private practice based in a private therapy room in the corner of Manorbier working with both young people and adults. I have also got extensive experience of working in secondary schools and colleges.

I am also the lead lecturer for the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, and have many years experience training counsellors. 

I am the affiliated Counsellor for a number of local organisations including Milford Haven Port Authority, and ATEB and I am one of the Counsellors supporting employees at Pembrokeshire County Council. I also support managers from The Salvation Army in Wales with their reflective practice.

I am a qualified online therapist, working with clients via email, instant messenger or video call. 

It is very important for the success of the therapy to ensure you work with the right counsellor, so respecting this I would encourage you to make contact to arrange an introduction call which will help you decide if I am the right fit for you. 

I appreciate it isn't easy finding the right counsellor so take a few moments to read about me and my experience, and see if I can help you with the way you are feeling. 

I am a warm, approachable and non-judgemental therapist. I believe in fostering an environment of trust, respect and confidentiality – empowering the client to roam around in their feelings and thoughts in a safe and comfortable space.

My practice is rooted within the Person Centred approach - It is a non-directive approach to being with another; that believes in the other's potential and ability to make the right choices for themselves, regardless of the therapist's own values, beliefs and ideas. Person centred counselling focuses on the client's ability to think in the here and now, and to create their own clarity and understanding of personal issues and problems. My aim is to build a therapeutic alliance with my clients which will allow them to alter the way they think about their situations and ultimately get to a better place emotionally. Emphasis is always placed on the client, their needs and their desired outcomes.

To compliment this I have the experience and knowledge to offer an integrative approach if I feel other theories and approaches would benefit the client. Each person needs to be considered as a whole and counselling techniques must be tailored to their individual needs and personal circumstances.

My professional qualifications include:

Master of Arts in Counselling Children and Young People

Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People

Professional Supervision for Counsellors Level 4 Certificate

EMBERS Menopause-Informed CBT course

Post Graduate Certificate in Education

Diploma in Counselling Skills

Certificate in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Certificate in Online Counselling Skills

Certificate in Counselling Skills

Child Protection Training Level 1 - 3

ASIST Suicide Awareness trained

At the heart of my practice lies a commitment to meeting you where you are on your journey and tailoring our sessions to suit your unique needs and preferences. I understand the importance of finding a therapist who resonates with you, and I strive to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all my clients. Whether you're seeking guidance through challenging times or looking to explore deeper aspects of yourself, I'm here to walk with you on your path to healing and self-discovery.

If you feel we are a good match, you are welcome to contact me to arrange an introductory call so we can discuss your needs and expectations from your therapy. 

If you would like to make an initial appointment, then feel free to contact me via my mobile number or email address. 

PROFESSIONAL FEES

Face to face counselling support

My fees for counselling adults and young people are £50 per 60 minute session.

Online counselling support

My fees for counselling on Googlemeet, What’s App video/audio, Zoom, Teams,  or Instant Messenger are £50 per 60 minute session.

My fees for counselling via email are £50 per reply.  I spend 60 minutes replying to each email. You can send as many as you wish to me during our contracted work together, but I will reply once a week to you. You will work with me over a safe and encrypted email provider.

I work Monday to Friday, offering sessions during the day and evenings. I work face to face and remotely. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my profile - hello!

My name is Heidi Lester and I am a qualified counsellor, supervisor and lecturer, with over 22 years’ experience of supporting adults and young people. You are viewing this page as you are looking for a supervisor, but let me share a little about my experience and skills. 

I started my counselling career in 2001, and through continuous personal development and training I have worked with both young people and adults, and specialise with working with adolescents. I have also just completed training to offer CBT informed support for menopause. This is an area of personal interest for me.  I have now got a very successful private practice based in a private therapy room in the corner of Manorbier, where I offer one to one counselling and supervision. 

I am also the lead lecturer for the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, and have many years experience training counsellors. I have also got extensive experience of working in secondary schools and colleges. I am the affiliated Counsellor for a number of local organisations including Milford Haven Port Authority, and ATEB and I am one of the Counsellors supporting employees at Pembrokeshire County Council. I also work with The Salvation Army in Wales offering their team regular reflective practice. 

I am a qualified online therapist, working with clients via email, instant messenger or video call. I would say approximately half of my client load works with me remotely. 

Supervision experience includes working with school based counsellors throughout Wales and England. I currently supervise approximately 35 supervisees - either qualified or in training. These supervisees bring a mixture of young people and adults to our relationship.

My professional fees reflect my experience and skill set:

60 minutes - £60

90 minutes - £80

I do have some availability to offer a reduced fee for student counsellors. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements. 

I work using the Person-Centred Approach to counselling as my foundation, which in essence uses the three core conditions of empathy, congruence and acceptance. I also use a range of therapeutic interventions within my counselling practice and I use this knowledge, training and my extensive experience of client work and teaching trainee counsellors when working with supervisees. My aim is to attend to four main areas in supervision and to bring the balance of these areas into awareness during sessions as needed.

I am committed to providing a safe, therapeutic environment for my supervisees. Through deep level discussions we can explore and challenge any curiosities you may have, for you to feel supported and heard from within our supervision sessions. Using my own personal and professional experiences, I will foster a safe supervisory space, showing warmth and acceptance. 

The framework for my supervision includes these four main areas:

Educative (supporting the supervisee’s ongoing learning through our sessions and signposting to CPD needs)

Responsibility (monitoring ethical and practical issues in a way to support all parties engaged in the counselling)

Supportive (to offer care and support to the supervisee balanced with challenge and insight)

Therapeutic (an awareness of the supervisees own issues and the possible impact to their work, as well as holding myself awareness).

As I work with trainee counsellors as a tutor for CPCAB Level 4 Therapeutic Counselling skills - I welcome enquiries from student counsellors. I combine my knowledge of the training courses along with my decades of counselling knowledge and skills to help support your development and facilitate your learning experience.

If you are CCYP counsellor - get in touch! I am educated to Masters level, so this is an area of expertise for me and I can share my experiences of working with such a diverse and interesting client group. 

Finding the right supervisor for your practice is crucial. The supervision relationship is a collaborative one, and I aim to support your growth, development and encourage your curiosity and congruence when discussing your caseload. 

You will quickly realise I am extremely passionate that within my work as a supervisor, the relationship between the two of us, is at the very forefront of the work we do, so much so, that the importance goes beyond the actual model itself. As your supervisor I mirror my therapeutic practice, where this relationship is at the core and my approach adaptable to meet your needs. I strive to offer a balance of support and challenge, in a manner that is respectful, empathic and congruent. 

I work to encourage openness and discovery, enabling thorough exploration of your clients' issues, whilst supporting you in developing yourself both personally and professionally. I will provide a safe and trusting space for you to bring all of your practices, dilemmas, fears, successes, disappointments, aspirations and struggles, so that you feel supported and valued. I also offer an opportunity for some lightness and humour, to give some balance in what can often be a challenging role within the work we do.

It is recommended that you receive some of your supervision in the same format as you practice as a counsellor, therefore I can work currently with one-to-one supervision either online (video/audio call) or on the telephone or you are welcome to my private therapy room in Manorbier, Pembrokeshire. 

I would encourage you to book an introductory call to make sure we are right for each other, and discuss your needs and requirements from supervision.