Counselling and Mindfulness
Anxiety Depression Trauma Loss
Relationship Issues
I offer a space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings & challenges in life, to release the past and find deeper fulfilment, joy and connection. I bring warmth and compassion, with insight gained by many years' experience and training.
Spaces on Monday and Thursday
Counselling and Therapy for Individuals
About Me
My name is Ruth Martin and I am a counsellor with over 15 years' experience. I'm also a registered Mindfulness teacher, mental health consultant and personal development coach. My work is founded on the belief that we all have the capacity for lasting change: to heal the wounds of the past, to live a life that is fulfilling and connected, to develop deeper self-compassion and awareness, and to give and receive love whole-heartedly.
Counselling and Therapy
We all have times of difficulty and loss in our lives, when events feel overwhelming or relationships are strained. We may experience anxiety or depression, feel low self-esteem,
sense a loss of direction or purpose, perhaps as we go through a life transition or crisis.
Sometimes our issues have roots that go back to childhood, when we didn't get the love we needed or if we have experienced trauma. We build defence mechanisms that served an initial purpose, but these can stop us from allowing vulnerability and intimacy, from letting love in.
Talking to a trained professional helps us make sense of the challenges we face and offers a way through them, releasing us from the grip of the past so that we can be more present and relate more authentically. As the therapeutic relationship between client and counsellor builds, so we can move towards better understanding of ourselves, owning both our shadow aspects and our talents as we integrate and develop who we are.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness in the therapy room can be especially effective with anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. Mindfulness is a life-enhancing technique that can help us to remember our natural state of happiness and health, being fully alive to ourselves and to our potential. While we may not be able to control what happens to us in life, with mindfulness we work with our bodies and minds, learning how to live with more appreciation and less anxiety. By being with our thoughts, feelings and body sensations we gradually learn to let go of our ideas about what we should or shouldn't be thinking or feeling and we can create space to respond more wisely to stressful situations and negative automatic thoughts.
Training and Experience
Diploma in Integrative Transpersonal Counselling - Re-Vision London
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction & Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy - Bangor University
I am an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and abide by their code of ethics.
I'm recognised by Bupa and Aviva Health Insurance as a counsellor.
I draw on a diverse range of other teachings from both Western and Eastern traditions that I have explored in my own journey of personal and professional development over 30 years.
I have worked in a variety of professional contexts, from a bereavement counsellor at a hospice to an Employee Assistance Management Consultant at a FTSE 100 company.
I am also a facilitator and coach for the Hoffman Process and a member of the UK Hoffman Institute team. The Hoffman Process is a transformative 7 day residential course that brings together Gestalt, NLP, CBT, mindfulness, bioenergetic and psychodynamic work.
"We have all been placed on this earth to discover our own path and we will never be happy if we live someone else's idea of life" James Van Praagh
How Can Counselling and Mindfulness Help?
As a counsellor my role is to provide space and guidance to help you on your journey of self-discovery; to enable you to examine your life, find greater awareness and acceptance, and make new, meaningful choices.
I offer a chance to reflect on the difficulties or problems you are experiencing in a safe and confidential environment, with someone from outside your day-to-day life. Counselling isn’t about giving you solutions or advice, but empowering you to make your own changes. Mindfulness can provide powerful and effective tools and techniques to complement and embed the changes and insights gained from the therapeutic space.
My approach to therapy is integrative, so that I bring together elements of different treatments & approaches to improve your wellbeing holistically. At the core is a non-judgmental way of working, where the counsellor creates the right conditions to help someone increase their self-awareness; to move towards - and reach - their fullest potential.
People come to me for help a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling and mindfulness:
Stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Problems with addiction
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Abuse or neglect
Depression
Learning to love and accept oneself
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger management
Issues relating to sexuality
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Lack of fulfilment or purpose in life
SPEAK IN CONFIDENCE
In the therapy space thoughts and feelings can be expressed freely and in confidence. I will listen with sensitivity and empathy - and without judgement - as I offer insights and warmth. The relationship of trust that builds over time between counsellor and client is at the heart of effective therapy.
A PROBLEM SHARED...
Anxiety or low self-esteem; mood swings or depression; bereavement or relationship problems - many people face difficulties in their everyday lives that can be hard to navigate alone. Counselling helps us gain a better understanding of what's causing these problems - and how you can can move towards managing or resolving them.
MAKE BETTER, HEALTHIER NEW CHOICES
Working together I can help you gain greater insight into the difficulties you are facing, help you understand why you act or react to them the way you do, and see how you can start to make better, heathier choices moving forward.
CONTACT ME
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07787512805 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
MY LOCATION
I work either online or from my practice in Forest Row, East Sussex. I see clients face to face from the surrounding area - East Grinstead, Lingfield, Crawley Down, Hartfield and further afield in Surrey, Kent and West Sussex. I will provide location details when we arrange our first appointment for face to face sessions.
I have sessions with clients from across the UK online by Zoom.
FEES & AVAILABILITY
Counselling sessions for individuals last 50 minutes, usually taking place on a weekly or fortnightly basis, and cost £100 per session. I also provide a limited number of concessions and spaces for counselling students; contact me to enquire about availability.
Note that if you want to cancel an appointment I require 24 hours’ notice; otherwise you will still need to pay for any sessions missed. I accept payment in cash, by cheque or by bank transfer.
TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE YOURSELF AS YOU’VE ALREADY TAKEN THE FIRST STEP...
It can be daunting or confusing making the decision to contact a counsellor or therapist, but often people struggle with a mental health issue, a personal crisis or problems with a relationship for much longer than is healthy. Sometimes a friend has proved a source of comfort, but this help can only go so far. Realising that resolving a problem requires something more means you have actually already taken the first step towards improving your life.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Counselling is usually a good way to help with a current problem; something that can be discussed and - hopefully - resolved within a limited number of sessions. Over a certain number of weeks the understanding of the problem improves and away forward becomes clear. Therapy often describes work that goes a bit deeper, towards more substantial life issues and problems having a deeper effect on the client’s life. Therapy often requires a long-term approach, so the number of sessions can be open-ended.
Which option is most suitable depends on the client and the difficulties they are facing. In some cases counselling works well as an ongoing, longer-term option - or therapy can manage to resolve an issue in just a few sessions.
How long a period of counselling lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. For some people a couple of sessions helps to bring their problems into focus, and they feel ready to move forward; other problems may require more of an open-ended approach.
Before we begin any work we will agree on the number of sessions we’ll undertake, and at the end of that number review our progress. As long as we both agree further therapy will be of benefit to you, sessions can continue.
At times when I have availability for new clients, my aim is to offer a first appointment - known as an initial assessment - within 2 weeks. Then we would arrange counselling sessions to take place either at the same time every week (at a time that is convenient for you and where I have availability), or sessions that are arranged on a weekly or fortnightly basis .
How quickly these sessions can begin will depend on my availability; daytime sessions are often available quicker than evening sessions.
Everything that is said within the counselling room is private - this is one of the main ways counselling and therapy differ from talking to a friend or relative. Once you are comfortable with the format of weekly sessions and the safe space they provide, you will find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value.
Note that there are some situations where you may be a risk to yourself or others, and there the law requires that I notify an authority; in these cases I may not be able to keep total confidentiality. Breaking confidentiality is very rare though, and only happens after the person concerned has been informed.
Usually I am asked this question by people who are nervous about entering into counselling, or when they are looking for support in coming to see a therapist. This anxiety is understandable, but a key aspect of therapy is that you should feel free to talk about any issues you feel are important to you. Having someone else with you who can be connected those issues makes this opening-up more difficult, so for this reason I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family.
©2022 Ruth Martin
Powered by WebHealer