Rachel Allen

I am an experienced therapist, with a down-to-earth and non-judgemental approach.  I will aim to develop a safe and supportive relationship with you where you feel able to talk about any difficulties you are experiencing now or have done in the past, and to be yourself, going at a pace that suits you.

I use an integrative counselling approach which has a basis in humanistic/person centred practice. This is informed by other theories and approaches such as attachment and family systems theory. I take a compassionate view of the struggles and difficulties that we can all face in life.

I find taking a creative approach to therapy can be helpful, alongside talking, for both adults and young people. Creative approaches can really help when it is hard to find the words that fit with what you are experiencing. 

This can be particularly beneficial for children and young people, who may not always find it easy to put their feelings and thoughts into words.  Often it’s a child's behaviour that communicates that something is wrong.  A counselling relationship gives them the opportunity to find a means of expressing themselves that is appropriate to their age and developmental stage, in a safe and confidential space.  This could be by using art, puppets, drama, stories, sand tray and play, as well as or instead of the more usual talking type of therapy.  I have worked in nine different schools (primary and secondary) and in private practice with children aged from six upwards.  If you are interested in counselling for your child, please contact me for more information and to have an initial discussion.

I also offer Sand tray therapy, which is an approach that can be used alongside talking therapy and can be a way of accessing deeply held feelings and experiences.  Please see my website for more information about this or contact me if you'd like more information.

I am qualified and insured to work with adults, children and young people. 

I have experience of working with a wide range of issues including but not limited to, family and parent/child relationships, parenting (from newborn onwards), bereavement and loss, neglect and/or abuse in childhood, addiction and its effects on family members, creativity and creative blocks, living with uncertainty and life-threatening illness, neurodiversity.

Counselling can be short-term, perhaps focused on a particular issue, or longer-term.  I would aim to discuss and review this with you as your therapy progresses.

If you are an adult or an older young person the first session is usually a more general discussion of what has brought you to counselling, what you would hope to gain from it and the chance for me to go through a few questions to find out a little more about you and how your life is at the moment.

For younger children, I would normally invite one or both parents to a discussion before meeting their child.  This can be online or by phone as well as in person.

If you're uncertain about starting counselling I also offer a free half hour introductory session, which would allow you to get a sense of whether I'm someone you'd like to work with.  This can be online or in person.

I aim to offer a supportive, constructive, reflective and creative space in supervision for you to explore your work and its impact on you.  I take an integrative approach, which is based on a humanistic view of relationship, informed by systemic and psychodynamic thinking.  In supervision I find the seven-eyed model very helpful, but also use the cyclical model, which can work well with large caseloads or in groups.

While I have worked extensively with adult clients in various settings including private practice, I also have particular experience of supervising therapists working with children and young people, including play therapists and school based counsellors.   Having worked in schools for several organisations, as a counsellor, supervisor and counselling project manager, I have a good understanding of the systemic issues that can present when working in these settings. 

I find that using creative techniques can be so helpful and, if you are interested in doing, would support you to explore this way of working in supervision.  If you are able to attend in person, I have a large and well-equipped and comfortable room which contains art materials, a sand tray and other resources.

I am a qualified supervisor, who enjoys working creatively.  I have a PostGraduate Diploma in Consultative Supervision from University of South Wales and experience of supervising both qualified and trainee counsellors, working with a broad range of issues.  I also taught counselling at degree level for several years.

I am always happy to meet prospective supervisees for an exploratory session, to get a sense of whether we might be able to work together.  Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss this further.  

I charge £50-£60 per hour for supervision and can offer concessionary rates to trainee therapists or if you are working on a very low income - please ask for details.