My Approach

I am a Relational Integrative Practitioner. Relational means that I provide a therapeutic relationship that supports and fosters your healing and growth. I offer you both the opportunity to risk being yourself with me - and to discover who you can be when you feel truly accepted for who you are. Integrative means that I draw on a number of therapeutic approaches, psychological theories and research to enable me to respond flexibly to your therapeutic needs and serve your best interests. Working this way enables me to adapt the way I work to suit you, to ensure I am meeting your individual needs in a way which feels comfortable for you.

I work primarily from a foundation of Humanistic principles informed by Rogerian person-centred theory, and incorporate into this psychoanalytic thinking, attachment theory, existential philosophy, phenomenology and transactional analysis. I take a special interest in early life experiences, since applying such a developmental approach can bring profound and lasting change. In addition, I draw on a wide body of knowledge from psychology, philosophy, feminism, spirituality, sociology, neuroscience and trauma and health research. It's not necessary for you to be familiar with these terms to benefit from therapy and ultimately what is important is you and your experience.

At the heart of my working style is a lively inquisitiveness around how my clients use metaphor and imagery. As a result I like to work with dream, myth, story, and symbolism. For those who find it especially hard to express their feelings, and find 'talking therapies' sometimes too challenging - using the imagination, and working with objects or art, can offer a new dimension. There is no pressure to find the exact words to convey a feeling and there is no pressure to talk in detail about difficult or painful experiences - an image or object can 'speak' for you. Often ‘light bulb’ moments of recognition and understanding, triggered as subconscious feelings, are brought to the surface using creative therapy techniques.
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Fundamentally, I believe in the primacy of the here and now relationship between you and me, client and therapist. There is ample research showing that what ultimately heals and brings about change are alive, exciting and meaningful relationships, and this is what we would seek to find and build together in the therapy space. This is because I believe that our deepest emotional and psychological wounds occur within relationships, and that is where they also heal. Gentle, non-judgemental exploration in a safe therapeutic relationship yields important insights, healing and growth, particularly in the areas of self-esteem, confidence and relationships. I like to consider the therapy room as a place for 'safe emergencies': somewhere you can be all of yourself, perhaps for the first time. It's a rehearsal space too, ideal for trying out new ways of communicating and presenting yourself to the world. The therapeutic relationship is a key factor in helping us to understand patterns in our lives which can be unhelpful or destructive and for working through these. This will lead to improvements both in your day to day life and relationships (with yourself and others) outside of the therapy room.
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I offer open-ended, exploratory therapy where you will gradually come to understand and accept yourself more fully leading to positive changes in your capacity to live. Alternatively for those looking for more focused work aimed at increasing their here-and-now coping, we can focus carefully on a particular problem, assisting you to use your existing strengths and resources in new ways.

About Me

Hi, I'm Angharad, an experienced UKCP registered integrative psychotherapist and BACP senior accredited counsellor offering professional long or short term psychotherapy and counselling to adults and young people. My office is conveniently located in a peaceful, private and discreet location near to Conwy town centre in North Wales. It is fully wheelchair accessible, there is ample free parking and I am able to offer flexible appointment times.

Life can be hard going and, at times, most of us experience some form of distress or difficulty. Perhaps you are feeling anxious, depressed or confused about relationships or work. Perhaps you are facing painful experiences through illness, bereavement or family breakdown. Perhaps you are feeling stuck or have lost direction or a sense of who you are. Alternatively, it might be that things just don’t feel right and you may not know why you are feeling as you do and want to better understand yourself or your situation. It could be that you are seeking to pursue personal exploration or growth.
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Whatever your reason for getting in touch, I can provide a consistent, supportive and highly confidential space for you to speak freely about your concerns within a warm and secure relationship. Although therapy can feel challenging at times, it can also be immensely rewarding and enable you to begin to understand what underlies your current difficulties, gain relief from what is troubling you, make different choices and move forwards. The goals of therapy are many, and chief among them are enhanced self-understanding and self-acceptance, better relationships and more joy and contentment in living.
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Taking the first step in seeking help can be difficult, especially if you have never had counselling or psychotherapy before, this is why I have detailed as much information on my website (www.conwycounselling.co.uk) as I can to give you an insight into counselling and psychotherapy, who I am and how we can work together. Another good way to find out more about who I am and what I can do for you is to get in touch with me either by phone, text or e.mail to explore how I may be able to help. I will always aim to get back to you as soon as I can.

I work with

• Individuals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Types of Therapies Offered

• Integrative Psychotherapist

What I can help with

• Abuse
• Anxiety
• Bereavement
• Bullying
• Cultural Issues
• Depression
• Divorce
• Domestic Violence
• Eating Disorders
• Employment Difficulties
• Family
• Identity Problems
• Infertility
• Mental Health Issues
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Online Counselling
• Phobias
• Physical Abuse
• Post-Traumatic Stress
• Private Practice Issues
• Race Issues
• Relationships
• Separation
• Sexual Abuse
• Sexuality
• Stress
• Suicide
• Telephone Counselling
• Trauma