About Me
Online Counsellor based in Harrow
My journey into counselling came from a place of needing to learn to love, accept and be kinder to myself.
On reflection I wish I would have began my own therapy earlier but I was not ready to ask for help. Over the years I have had various types of therapy and all of it was helpful in its own way. It was my own therapy and seeing the value in it that led me to choose to become a counsellor. I still find my own therapy sessions so useful. On a personal and professional level I have extensive experience of many of the areas that I offer to work with. I feel this enables me to really build a level of empathy, understanding and helps me build successful, safe and trusting relationships with all my clients.
My Experience
My experience is extremely diverse and I have been fortunate to work with a wide range of client groups. I began my career working in a Primary School setting. I have since worked with adolescents, young people and adults. I have completed many CPD courses and continue to do so. Although I am a Person Centered trained counsellor I have attended various training and workshops that include using other techniques including Gestalt and CBT and I will always work therapeutically in whatever way works best for my client and will always follow my clients lead on how they want to work as I believe every individual is unique and one size does not fit all. Building trust and enabling a person to feel safe, empowered, valued, seen and heard are the foundations for any good therapeutic alliance and relationship. I myself have had several different therapists and counsellors over the years, each bringing different qualities and things to our relationship.
‘’In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you"
Andrea Dykstra
This is a quote I have found helpful and relate to as during my training we looked at Conditions of worth which are examples of how things that happened or more what may have been said to us or taught to us by our parents/carers or people in our lives still have an impact and influence our self esteem and actions today. I myself worked hard to overcome some of my own but there were and still are times where I have to work hard to accept that these all shaped who I am today.
Working With Me
Although I am currently only working with over 18's in private practice, my reasons for this are because I work 4 days a week at a secondary school counselling 11-18 years old hence wanting a bit of variation. That said, my extensive experience and skills with Young people then sets me in good stead to work with parents, carers and families of young people.
It is by no means an easy journey to begin and not without its challenges as spending 50 minutes talking and opening up, sometimes, very painful feelings, memories and events can be mentally exhausting. However with my sessions I will always follow and respect your lead and you will always have the choice and control of what direction the sessions go in. I will regularly check in and if I sense that something is troubling you, the pace is too fast or you simply need time to process or pause then I will always encourage and notice that. Avoidance and internalising difficult and painful feelings is a totally normal coping mechanism but in therapy/counselling my hope for you is that in time or when you are ready we can begin to unpack some of these feelings. This is another reason I am not always a fan of limiting the number of sessions.
''Thank you so much for all of your support over the time I saw you, it made such a difference knowing that there was someone that properly understood me and cared''
Poppy, Pinner
''I have been seeing Naomi for a while now, and always come away from the sessions feeling like a load has been lifted and that I am not crazy. She genuinely understands how I am feeling and helps me to realise that things that have happened to me are not my fault and how to cope with that. Honestly I can't recommend her enough''
Caroline, Bushey
''I would also like to thank you for helping me and providing me ways in which I am able to deal with my anxiety as without you I don't think I would be doing as well as I am mentally here without all the help you gave me Naomi throughout 6th Form.''
Maya, Harrow