Counselling with Rhiannon Palmer
Life can feel bloody hard at times, maybe it feels that way most of the time for you right now. You may be anxious, stressed, grieving, depressed, or perhaps something just doesn’t feel right and you’re not sure why. Either way, you don’t have to face it alone.
I offer a space where we can think together about your experiences and make sense of what feels painful or confusing. I believe that understanding yourself more deeply, especially those parts of yourself that may not be conscious or feel hard to look at, can help you develop greater self-compassion, ease your emotional pain and improve your overall mental health.
Hello, I'm Rhiannon, a psychodynamic counsellor with a background in the creative arts. I see counselling as a creative process and am continually struck by the mind's remarkable ability to find inventive ways to protect us, sometimes serving us well, and sometimes leaving us feeling stuck in patterns that no longer help. I became a counsellor because I wanted to help people who are suffering and support them in finding relief from emotional pain. What my work has taught me, however, is that lasting change and healing don't come from something I give to you; they come from within you. My role is to provide a safe, thoughtful space where you can better understand yourself and facilitate your own growth and change.
With all honesty, there were many reasons why I decided to become as a counsellor but a big part of it was because I had to partake in my own personal therapy as part of the training. I had wanted to try therapy for a while but there was always a reason not to do it, time, money, and not feeling quite ready to face things. So, I know what it’s like to be in your shoes, to feel uncertain and have so many questions. What I can tell you is that therapy helped me a great deal and that experience motivated me to help others on their own journey.
To find out more about what I offer and hopefully answer some of the questions that I know I had when first thinking about counselling, please see the ‘What to Expect’ section below.
About Rhiannon…
What to Expect…
A counselling room at The Practice Rooms Bath
What is the difference between counselling and therapy?
Good question! The two are often confused and while in theory there is a relatively straightforward answer, in practice it’s not so simple.
Counselling is generally thought of as short-term, once weekly sessions for a few weeks or months. There is a focus on helping you cope with one particular life event or challenge that you are facing at present.
Therapy is long term, usually at least a year but often years. Sessions can be anywhere from one to five times a week with the aim of addressing deeper emotional challenges and relational issues to find their root causes.
What I offer is psychodynamic counselling, which I view as something in-between. Sessions are 50 minutes, once a week, on an open-ended basis. Whilst it is often a current event or challenge that might bring you to seek counselling, our focus will be to try and put that into the context of your life as a whole.
How do I know if counselling is right for me?
There are as many different styles of counselling and therapy as there are people and it can seem intimidating to know where to start. I believe that no matter what type of counselling you choose, what makes the difference is the counselling relationship. Counselling can be challenging, it’s not an easy process and building trust with someone takes time so your gut feeling is important, listen to it.
Don’t be afraid to ‘shop around’, you can always have a first sessions with a few different counsellors to get a feel for what is right for you. In the first instance I provide a free preliminary phone call to answer any questions you might have and for you to get a sense of who I am and what I offer. After that, we would start with a couple of initial counselling sessions to see whether we’re a good fit for each other before deciding to work together on an ongoing basis.
Whoever you choose, please do make sure they are a member of an official regulatory body with a clear code of ethics. My recommended top four for talking therapies are BACP, BPC, UKCP and NCPS.
Who do you work with?
I work with adults (18+) with a range of mental health and emotional challenges from anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, depression, loneliness, bereavement, family and relationship issues. If in doubt, please get in touch to see how I could help you.
How much do you charge?
My sessions are £56 per session payable by bank transfer. I will invoice you weekly for the first initial sessions then on a monthly basis once we have committed to working together on an ongoing basis.
Is counselling confidential?
Yes, everything you say during our sessions is confidential, however, in accordance with my regulatory body’s code of ethics I do partake in supervision. This is where I meet with a more experienced therapist to discuss my work with clients which may include you. This is to monitor and aide my practice to help me become a better counsellor. My supervisor is also bound by the same code of ethics so will also keep any information confidential.
I am registered with the BPC and BACP and uphold their ethical standards.
What if I need to miss a counselling session, do I still pay?
Yes, you still need to pay for the session, no matter how much notice you give. It is representative of the commitment you make to the counselling, my time and the space I hold for you.
I do take breaks about 3 - 4 times a year and will always give advance notice of this. You will of course not have to pay for any sessions when I am away.
Where do you provide your counselling sessions?
I hold counselling sessions from The Practice Rooms in Bath (BA11 1RH) and a private room in Frome (BA11). Both are central locations with paid parking nearby and are accessible by public transport. Please note however that both locations have a lot of stairs with no lift so are unfortunately not fully accessible.
Do you offer online counselling?
I do not offer online counselling at this time.
If it’s open ended counselling when will it end?
Everyone’s journey is different, it’s about what feels right for you. There will always be an ongoing conversation about how the counselling is going and when the time comes that you wish to end we can plan that ending together.
If I want to start counselling with you, what do I do next?
If you would like to start counselling with me, please get in touch using the contact form below. I will get back to you as soon as possible to arrange an introductory phone call, where we can talk things through and book your first session.
Find out if I can Help…
I understand that reaching out can sometimes feel difficult and a first session may seem daunting so I always offer a free initial phone or video call to see if we are the right fit for each other and to answer any questions you might have.
If you would like to arrange an initial call or have any other questions please fill out the form and I will get back to you as soon as I can.