Leicester Private Counselling

MARINA BROADLEY

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Psychodynamic Counsellor

Private Counselling at:

Stoneygate, Leicester (LE2)
London Road, close to station (LE2)
Peckleton, West Leicestershire (LE9)
Leicester Forest East (LE3)

Hello and Welcome,

You're likely to be thinking about coming for private counselling or feel ready to set up an initial session. Either way, you've found me, and you'll need to get a sense of me and whether I seem right for you.

It's also likely that you've never done this before and don't know where to start. Part of you may want to come and part of you may not. I'm familiar with the poignancy and delicacy of the mixed feelings. You may be hoping that it will all just go away. It probably feels really difficult to know if to do this. Essentially, where to start. If to start. Who to start with.

I can provide a free 15 minute phone consultation, which may give you a sense of how you would feel about meeting with me.

A Sensitive Time

You may have been thinking about doing this for a very long time, trying hard to go it alone, trying hard to keep yourself going, keep yourself ok. I understand that it can be hard to make that first contact. At some level you're likely to be hurting.

The main thing to hold on to is the fact that you've acknowledged something really important to yourself. You've let go of denying that everyhting is great. So what to do? You're unsure. This may help.

Even if you do nothing more at this particular time, you've made a start. By just this act of your 'looking around' - searching for 'the right someone' - you have already begun.

Who Is It For?

It matters not if you're 18 or 88. There really is no typical person, no typical age, no typical 'issue'.

I understand that you may feel unsure about how to describe your reason for getting in touch. Some people find it difficult to say why they have come. Yet they have a vague sense of hollowness, or of feeling incomplete. You don't have to attach a label to yourself, for instance, 'depression'. It's ok to say that you just don't feel happy or good about your own self or life.

Essentially people come because they want a better life - to feel differently about themselves. And if you get to this point you will want to do something about it now, not next year.

Waiting...

We are all aware that a long wait for low cost / free counselling and therapy can be commonplace. Certainly not in every case - particularly not in an emergency situation - but more in general. You don't want to hear about, for example, a 6 month waiting list, limited number of sessions, availability only on a Tuesday morning etc. etc. What about how you feel today? Tomorrow? Next week? What about your own circumstances, your own availability?

Meanwhile, what do you do whilst on the 'waiting list'? Once the wait is over it's possible that you'll be offered a limited number of free sessions, but how does anyone know if they will feel better after say 6 sessions? What if you feel it is really helping and want to continue? Or, what if you don't feel particularly comfortable with the counsellor / therapist allocated to you?

...Or Doing Something Now

This is a private practice. Which of course means you pay. And yes, we're in a recession. Which may mean things are tight.

But 'private' also means that you have control and choice. Many choices in fact. It's you who decides if, when, where, who with (very important) and for how long. It's you who can shop around. It's you who decides who and what is right for you. Having this kind of personal control matters to people, particularly when you feel as you do.

Furthermore, some people tell me that they don't feel comfortable asking their GP about (free of charge) counselling. It may be an issue about a relationship problem for instance, or something that you simply don't feel warrants talking to your Doctor about.

Relationship Difficulties

Relationship problems are a very common reason for people to come to counselling. It doesn't have to be a crisis situation. Although it may be. Or it may feel like it. You might not even be in a relationship. Maybe you know that you're not very good at them.

It may not be about loving, being loved, romance or sex. It may be more about not being able to relate well to people in general - feeling outside of life, alone, different.

There's no point in me listing a huge list of superficial 'common relationship issues'. We're too unique. Too complex. In any event you can get all that from a magazine article. I understand people in a different way.

It may be a difficult one for you to broach with friends / family. They all have an opinion based on their own perspective and personal history. Odd as this may sound, well meaning advice can feel awful. Yet people try it out. They try to 'be different'. It just doesn't come anywhere near the fundamental human issue - the core of you.

People often think they have to see a certain type of counsellor about relationship difficulties - someone who may have awarded themselves with the grand title of 'Relationship Counsellor' for instance. Why? If I've professionally trained in an in-depth understanding of the human condition will I not understand the deep complexities associated with relating? And if I understand other human issues such as the underlying pain and terror of loss (and the personally unique ways in which we defend ourselves from it) will I not understand relationship difficulties?

Papering Over The Cracks

A relationship difficulty isn't a distinct, separate difficulty / entity. The difficulty is part and parcel of who we are. It represent parts of me, you, all of us.

All of our behaviour has a meaning. There is always a sad, poignant meaning behind the way we act - sometimes hard to uncover particularly if we're riddled with shame and guilt. So for me it's about delicately and sensitively understanding the man / woman you are behind the problem - not only seeing your manifest symptom such as 'commitment phobia' or 'the affair' or 'the sex problem' or whatever else it may be.

Trying to address just your surface issue would be like painting over the rising damp / papering over the cracks on the bathroom wall. Do we do this? Yes, sometimes. As a temporary fix. But we know that it won't go away and will keep on coming back. More about relationships

What About Men?

It may be unchartered territory. Yet somehow men are finding themselves in counselling in increasing numbers. As little as 5 years ago only 15% of the people I saw were male. And currently? It's 50%. More

Who I am

I provide confidential counselling and therapy for men and women who are experiencing personal, emotional and relationship difficulties in their lives.

Several years ago, 'Primary Counselling' my first private practice was formed in the village of Peckleton, West Leicestershire. Referrals and recommendations steadily increased which lead to the development of Leicester Private Counselling in Stoneygate.

Not only have I years of experience as a professionally qualified psychodynamic counsellor but I've also worked with several hundreds of private clients who have either come directly or been recommended.

The kind of professional training I embarked upon took several years to complete. This was not a superficial, quick fix, 'counselling skills course'. It was much much more. A deeply complex psychological understanding of human beings, how we develop, who we become, how we cope, how we heal. Attachments, loss, pain, recovery.

I mention this because as in many professions, there are different levels of training. Does this matter to you? Maybe, maybe not. What will always matter however, is the type of person the counsellor is - the type of personality, the humanity, the humility, the sensitivity, the capacity to understand you in a way that you've possibly never experienced. And kindness. Kindness matters.

Why did I gravitate towards this profession? It may sound banal; because for me, nothing in life is more crucial than being ok with who we are and were always meant to be. If that's not right then internal stresses are ever present. We all to some extent unknowingly twist ourselves out of shape. And we all pay for this one way or another. It's the tragic loss of living a life that's hampered by (often underlying) misery and suffering that really gets to me.

My core professional training was undertaken within the Counselling and Psychotherapy department at the University of Leicester, a training body renowned for clinical and academic excellence. I am a registered member of the BACP, a regulatory organisation which seeks to maintain high standards of ethical clinical practice.

I've worked professionally as a counsellor within many different contexts. My experience is wide: from counselling with hurting children and young people within schools and colleges to counselling with adults within organisations specialising in cancer care.

Finding the who and the what that feels right for you is absolutely crucial. It's your money, your choice, your decision More

Perfectly Placed

Located on a quiet road within the heart of Stoneygate Leicester, close to the University of Leicester, De Montfort University and the LRI, the practice is easily accessible for people who live/work in the city and the Knighton, Clarendon Park areas. There is a small car park and ample on-road parking.

Open 8.00am - 8.00pm. Convenient early morning, lunch-time, after-work and evening access
My other practice in Leicester is nearer to the city centre. Close to University Road and De Montfort Street this practice offers you the opportunity to come for counselling in a beautifully restored Victorian building and professional therapeutic setting.

Additionally, my main county practice is located in the pretty and peaceful little village of Peckleton in LE9.


Counselling for Teenagers and Young People

Young people struggle. There are times when the right kind of support can be of great value. I hold an enhanced CRB and I am highly experienced in this field of practice. Find out more


Personal Therapy for Counselling and Psychotherapy Trainees

There is no denying that this training is emotionally demanding. Facing previously unknown aspects of yourself cannot be experienced as anything but. I'm highly attuned and sensitive to the needs of trainee psychodynamic students. More

Company, Employee and EAP Counselling

My other practice, Primary Counselling, is the preferred provider of confidential counselling and support for a growing number of public and private sector organisations, both in Leicestershire and throughout the UK. We work with both national EAP's and also directly with companies, providing face to face or phone counselling for their employees. More

How Soon?

This is a private practice and I'm a private practitioner. Therefore unlike other services out there 'waiting lists' don't exist. Introductory Sessions can usually be arranged at short notice.

Referral or Self-Referral?

Whilst I sometimes accept referrals from Doctors, EAP's, Solicitors, Occupational Health specialists and other professionals, most men and women choose to confidentially self-refer.

You do not need to come via your GP or indeed via anyone! Just call or mail and we can think through what feels ok for you right now.

Kind regards,


Marina




Leicester Private Counselling: Marina Broadley, Registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy



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