Ruth Williams

Monday-Friday 9.30 am -5.30 pm

Evenings online/phone by arrangement 

Each person and situation is unique, so one type of therapy doesn't fit all. I'm a well-qualified, pluralistic therapist who will collaborate with you to create a human, bespoke and effective way to work together. I hold post-graduate qualifications in several approaches including Humanistic/Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, Gestalt, psychoeducational (CBT, TA) and Creative Psychotherapies. I've completed additional training in Ecotherapy, working with neurodiversity, sight loss/visual impairment, and trauma-informed interventions. My own life, work and therapy experience fuels a passion for providing an inclusive and accessible service for all.

I offer sessions online, telephone, in-person indoors or outdoors, respecting that different environments may support and challenge us in different ways at different times.

The duration of your therapy can be negotiated according to the issues presenting and your circumstances. Typically I work in series of six weekly sessions with review at the sixth and option to continue if appropriate.  

I have experience of working in a variety of contexts, including healthcare, older people's residential care, charitable organisations, employee assistance and private practice. Prior to working as a therapist, I worked in the education sector. I currently work with several local non-profit agencies as a sessional counsellor and I'm a registered provider for several insurance companies including AXA, Aviva and Vitality Health.

I work with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, managing emotions, bereavement, relationships, abuse, gender/sexual identity/relationship diversity, menopause, life/circumstance changes, neurodiversity, intersectional issues of power (advantage/disadvantage), work issues, spirituality.

I’ll relate to you in an authentic, empathic, non-judgmental way as you explore your situation, needs and hopes to grow towards a greater sense of well-being and fulfilment in your life.

I’ll hold a respected and resourceful space for you to connect with your thoughts, feelings, and experiences whether that’s over the phone, online, in a therapy room or out in nature. I understand that a balance of structure and nurturance is required in supportive relationships and your reflections and feedback about the space, timing, activities and my communication will inform this ongoing process of adjustment to meet your needs. 

I appreciate that sometimes words escape us, so I invite use of movement, music, materials, objects and images to bridge the gap between complex feelings and words, whilst the process and experience of interacting with them engages the body and brain differently than in discussion.

I encourage curiosity, self-care, self-compassion and connection within yourself and with the world around you, broadening perspective and equipping you for a more satisfying journey though life’s landscapes and weather.

Ahead of the first session, I'll send you an optional questionnaire to complete to help you think about the process of therapy and what you want from it. If you have particular physical, communication or sensory needs, I'll do my best to adapt what I do to help you feel safe and comfortable. 

The first session is about getting to know one another, considering whether/how we can work together. It's fee-free and there's no-obligation to continue to paid sessions. Commitment to further sessions would depend on whether you feel;

• Heard, understood and respected
• We agree on realistic goals or hopes from therapy
• The approach and methods I can offer will be useful for you

I appreciate that you might feel apprehensive about meeting for the first time. I'll welcome you, whatever feelings you may have and your interest in what counselling might hold for you. I'll ask you to tell me a little bit about yourself including; your preferences, strengths, interests, your well-being and day-to-day routines, and the significant people in your life. I'll ask, 'in a nutshell,' what brings you to counselling, what you hope for from it, and discuss the ways we might work together.

If we agree to continue, I'll send you a written contract to sign clarifying our expectations of one another, and schedule how many sessions you want and when. Further sessions can be paid upfront, or by bank transfer prior to each session.

It may become clear in the first session that working with me isn't suitable for you or that another type of support would be better. If so, I’ll guide you to access what you need elsewhere.

To make an enquiry or book an appointment, please use the text box to the left, phone or email and I will reply as soon as I can. I will reply with a brief call back to introduce myself (unless you indicate you don't want this or would prefer a different response) so it's helpful if you let me know when you're available to take this call.