Welcome to Nurture Counselling NI
Life doesn't have to be this way. Get in touch to see how counselling can help.
Counselling
Life doesn’t have to be this way. Whatever is going on for you that has led you to consider counselling, I believe that there is a way for things to be different. I hope that the space I offer in counselling would allow you to find that.
Maybe you’re not the person you want to be at the moment……things feel harder to do or make you feel anxious. Maybe you’re snappy or irritable or withdrawn with the people in your life but can’t make sense of it or find a way to change that pattern. Counselling can help.
Often when we’re finding life hard we think we ‘just need to get on with it’ or judge ourselves for finding things hard as ‘others have it much worse than me’. It’s so understandable to feel this way but it leaves us stuck in a loop where things don’t get any better. There is a way for things to be different and whatever you bring is worthy of help.
About Me
Hi, I’m Isla. Let me tell you a little bit about how I practice as a counsellor. My work is grounded in the belief that wherever you find yourself today makes sense given your life experiences. You’re not broken, you’re not doing it wrong. You’re human – we all experience tough times and need support along the way. Our sessions together would offer a safe space to explore what’s going on, what you want to be different in your life and find ways to work towards that.
I first attended counselling myself in my early 20s and since then have been passionate about the impact that it can have in people’s lives. I really believe that everyone would benefit from attending counselling at some stage in their lives and feel honoured to be a part of that journey for my clients.
I am a qualified, accredited, trauma-informed integrative counsellor. But, what does that mean?!?! It means that my initial counselling qualification covered the 3 main approaches to counselling rather than focussing on one (integrative). I bring these approaches together in my work to best meet your needs. After my initial training I gained an additional level of verification from my professional body (BACP) by demonstrating that I work safely and ethically with clients (accredited). I have completed additional training in trauma to allow me to work safely with clients who have experienced trauma (trauma-informed).
Some of the areas I’ve worked with clients on include:
Low self-esteem / confidence
Work-related issues
Stress
Burnout
Relationship issues (partner / friendships / family)
Depression / low mood
Grief
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Abusive relationships
Managing the demands of life
Bullying
Issues from childhood (abuse, neglect, bullying)
Trauma
Managing emotions
Perfectionism
Self-criticism
Feeling like an impostor
Ageing
Dealing with chronic illness or a health diagnosis
Issues with trust
Feeling stuck
Sessions & Fees
Sessions last for one hour and cost £50 per session. I offer daytime and evening appointments at a time that is convenient for you. Counselling is most effective when you attend regularly – most clients come on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
I hold a limited number of daytime spaces at a reduced rate for anyone where finances would prevent accessing counselling. Please contact me for more information about this and to check on availability.
My Location
In person sessions: I work from a comfortable, private room located at Office 8, Banbridge Business Centre, 62 Scarva Road, Banbridge, County Down, BT32 3QD. There is free car parking on site. Toilets and lift access are available in the building.
Remote sessions: I also offer sessions via phone or Zoom for anyone who prefers to work that way or is located further afield.
FAQs
How do I know if I need counselling?
If there’s something in your life that isn’t how you would like it to be counselling can help. No matter what you bring to counselling, you will be offered a non-judgemental space in which we will work to understand what is going on for you and what you want to get from the process.
How do I choose the right counsellor?
I’d encourage you to consider two aspects when choosing a counsellor: 1) their qualifications and 2) the right fit for you.
1) Qualifications: The terms counsellor / therapist / psychotherapist aren’t currently protected – that means in theory anyone can set up as one without ny qualifications. I’d encourage you to check that the counsellor you are going to see has a formal counselling qualification and is registered with a professional body (e.g. BACP / NCS). If there is something specific that you are bringing to counselling (e.g. trauma / addiction) you might want to check that the counsellor has got experience of working with those things as basic training does not necessarily cover them.
2) Right fit: there are some people we meet that we click with and others less so. Often it’s hard to put our finger on exactly why…..but we know how it feels. Research shows that the relationship between client and counsellor is a key factor in how successful counselling is. I’d encourage you to chat to a few different counsellors and decide who feels ‘right’ for you. Trust your instinct. I offer a free initial phone call to help you do this.
What qualifications do you hold?
I am a qualified counsellor, accredited with BACP. This means that I completed initial counselling training (FD Counselling, 3 year course) and then after an additional period of practicing (2 years) completed an accreditation process to ensure that I was working competently and ethicially with clients. I have undertaken additional training since qualifying to work with trauma in addition to other CPD.
Who do you work with?
I work with adults of all ages.
How much does counselling cost and how long will I come for?
My rate is £50 for a one hour session. I hold a limited number of daytime sessions at a reduced rate for anyone where finances would prevent them accessing counselling – please contact me to enquire about availability for this.
I work with clients on both a short term and long term basis depending on their needs. Some clients have something specific that they want to work on and this requires only a limited number of sessions. For other clients, they want to work together on a longer term basis to work at depth on issues in their lives.
We can discuss this at your initial appointment what your thoughts are around how long we will work together. This decision will always be led by you.
What should I expect when coming for counselling?
Initial free call (approx. 20 minutes): During the initial call I will gather some more information about what is bringing you to counselling and give you an overview of how I work. The purpose of this call is to allow you to get a feel for whether I would be a good fit for you but also to allow me to ensure that I am competent in working with whatever you are bringing. If I am not I will be honest about this and signpost other services where possible.
First session: In the first session I will talk you through our contract, explaining the basis on which we will work together. Once you have agreed to this, I will gather some information including personal details, current issues and life situation, brief life history, mental health history etc. We will discuss what you hope to get from counselling and begin to explore whatever you are bringing.
What helps to make counselling effective?
Research shows that the relationship between counsellor and client is key to the success of counselling . It's important to feel like there's a good fit between us - I offer a free introduction call to help with this.
Coming to counselling isn’t easy…..there is work involved in facing whatever issues we are experiencing in our lives. Counselling is most effective if you understand this and are prepared to engage in it fully. It is helpful if you commit to coming reasonably regularly – for some people this is every week, for others it might be every two weeks.
How do I get started?
Get in touch and we can arrange an initial call or book an initial session and take it from there. I will respond to queries within 1 working day.
Get In Touch
Contact me to book a free 20 minute intro call or your first full session. If you would prefer to call or text, you can reach me on 07599234938. I aim to respond to all client queries within 1 working day.