Fiona Lenton

I work on Thursday and Friday from 10.30a.m until 4pm.  I work face to face, online or with phone counselling.   Payment can be made with bank transfer. 

Are you feeling out of your depth, struggling to make sense of life, or finding that your situation leaves you feeling defeated?  I would like to help you with those feelings and bring solace to your weariness. I have been working as a counsellor for over ten years. It has been my privilege to work with a wide range of people and young adults through my local GP surgery and in private practice. I know that counselling can feel overwhelming, but at various times in life, it can make a huge and positive difference. 

  I have worked with issues such as depression* anxiety* self-esteem* bereavement* childhood abuse and trauma* domestic violence* spirituality * identity and image*  sexual abuse* arranged marriages* and cross-cultural issues. I particularly like working with young people and students and have worked as a university counsellor.  My first career as a musician has enabled me to empathise with the impact of performance stress and anxiety in public.  As a child of immigrant parents I have experienced the struggles that many people in my situation face.

I would aim to help you to find a path through your troubles that feels comfortable for you, and to help you to keep your dignity while we look at the areas in your life that you want to re-assess.

I am available on Thursdays and Fridays between 10.30a.m and 4pm.

I am an Accredited BACP counsellor, with training by Relate in working with Young People.  I abide by the ethical framework of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

I would be greatly interested in getting to know your story, and in helping you to come to terms with the things you may have been through.  Each one of us has a unique perspective on how we cope with life and all it's complexities.  My aim would be for us to unpack your life or the parts of it you want to bring to therapy, and to look at them with compassion and gentleness.  Sometimes, challenge is required, but my hope would be to bring dignity and hope in any challenge we would embark upon together.

My approach would be described as integrative, where I use parts of the person-centred, psychodynamic and CBT theories to inform my counselling in a way that is tailored to help you. 

Testimonial: ‘Fiona made counselling accessible to me as I had never had counselling before. She gave me permission to talk about the things that were worrying me in the here and now, but managed to keep track of where we wanted to get to as well. Every time I left I had a sense of progression , after having had a life time of feeling that things were never going to change.’   D, W Midlands.

‘My GP referred me to Fiona due to very strong anxiety. During my time of working with her I first learned how to better cope with the anxiety so it became less crippling and then to understand the traumatic and complex reasons behind these anxieties. Fiona non-judgmentally helped me to put these things into a context and I have come to a point in life where I can understand that some of these anxieties and aftermath of abuse will never go away, but now I can have a better quality of life. During this process Fiona understood exactly what type of therapeutical approach I needed in any given situation and her warmth and compassion made everything better' A, W Midlands.

In my first session with you we would aim to get to know each other and to discuss the issue that is troubling you. I aim to provide a safe space for you to talk without feeling judged or criticised.  It will be a chance for you to ask questions about how I work and how we could work together to help you on your current journey. I will collaborate with you to find a suitable approach to our counselling sessions that enables you to feel comfortable working with me. 

My sessions are 50 minutes long, and at the start we would meet together once a week if possible, until we feel comfortable to change that pattern.  I also welcome feedback if you do not agree with what I am saying and want to discuss it further. 

I will require certain details from you like your name and address, what support you have at the moment, your GPs phone number and an emergency contact number if you feel ill in the session.  You will need to agree to the ground rules of counselling which I will send you by email or discuss with you in person, and then sign a form showing your consent. 

 Children and pets are not allowed in the session. 

I require payment by bank transfer or in cash.