About
Hello and Welcome.
I’m Susan Gray, a counsellor and psychotherapist living in Yorkshire and working from my counselling room in Pateley Bridge and online across the UK so that you can engage in counselling from your own home or safe space.
In visiting this page it's possible that you have had enough of feeling the way that you do. Many people look for counselling when they are feeling overwhelmed, unable to cope or feeling stuck. You may be facing a specific challenge or perhaps have the feeling that things just aren't right; that you're working very hard just to appear ‘okay’. You may be already searching for solutions or simply know that you need someone to listen to you without judgement.
Do your thinking patterns no longer seem to work for you? Are you in a difficult relationship or perhaps having difficulties setting boundaries that keep you safe within relationships? Perhaps you have you suffered trauma or emotional neglect in the past and are struggling with the way you now see yourself? Are you are investigating the possibility of neurodivergence e.g. ADHD or autism? Are you struggling to come to terms with loss or bereavement?
Through counselling, I offer you the opportunity to better understand what is going on for you. Pretending to be 'fine' can be exhausting. I believe that recovery from mental distress requires compassionate understanding as well as a valuing of your experiences and of who you are. I offer a space where you can be heard, really heard, in a non-judgemental, supportive and compassionate manner and I will work alongside you to find the solutions or changes you are seeking.
If you're ready for support and change, feel free to get in touch with any questions or to book an appointment.
How I work:
I am trained in Integrative Counselling which means that I have access to a range of therapy techniques and can draw on a variety of approaches to suit you. Above all I work in a relational way, as much academic research upholds, which means that I believe that it is through our relationships with one another that we are shaped and it is within a therapeutic relationship that we can heal and grow.
I provide a warm and non-judgemental space in which you can be heard and where you can explore what you are experiencing, notice things about yourself of which you may have previously been unaware and work to open up new perspectives and choices.
I may help you to develop strategies to manage unhelpful thoughts, feelings and behaviours and their associated physical effects; seek to understand more fully how the past might colour the future or simply listen to you talk about difficult experiences about which you would not wish to talk to family or friends. I will work alongside you to untangle overwhelming thoughts, process emotional pain and help you discover the strengths you have to move forward.
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - a regulating body that ensures that I am fully qualified. I look forward to working with you.
How long does counselling last?
Counselling can be short term - lasting a few weeks - or much longer, depending on the kind of things that are impacting your life and the pace at which you are comfortable to explore. We will regularly assess together how things are going and when the right time might be to move towards completing our sessions.
What To Expect:
Once we have made contact and decided to work together I’ll send you information about accessing an appointment in person or using an online platform. Working remotely, it is helpful if you can find a place where you will be uninterrupted and feel free to talk. It doesn’t matter to me what your screen background is- it is more important that you feel comfortable and private in the place you choose.
In the first session we will talk about what has brought you to counselling and what you hope to gain from it, and you can ask any questions you may have. It is a chance for you to get to know how I work and decide whether you’d like us to work together.
Taking that first step takes courage, but if you’re feeling that now is the time to find the change you really want then booking a first meeting (with no obligation to book again unless you feel we’re a good partnership) will give you the confidence to begin to take the control you deserve.
Confidentiality
A foundation of counselling is strict confidentiality. This means that you can discuss the things that are troubling you in a way that is sometimes hard to do with family or friends. I will treat what you tell me in strict confidence, working within the BACP code of ethics, and will only share any details in exceptional circumstances such as if you tell me that you or another person is in danger. In this case I would work with you to involve a relevant authority to ensure safety.
All regulated counsellors undergo their own supervisory provision to make sure that we are working effectively, which means that I sometimes discuss my work with another highly qualified practitioner. This is always done anonymously and supervisors work under the same strict code of ethics and confidentiality.
Your personal details will be kept under GDPR regulations (the authority responsible for legislating about keeping personal details safely).
My Qualifications
I hold a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling Skills and a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP Accredited, Level 7).
I also have a degree in psychology and a post graduate teaching certificate, and have worked in education and in adult pastoral care for over thirty years.
I have extensive experience of working with people of all ages particularly with bereavement and childhood trauma; generalised anxiety; relationships and issues surrounding life stages such as parent-, midlife- and later in life- identity.