Individual Counselling

Individual therapy provides a confidential, non-judgemental space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with a qualified professional. Whether you are navigating anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, or life transitions, therapy offers an opportunity to develop new perspectives, build effective coping strategies, and create meaningful change.

I work with adults and young people, offering both in-person and online therapy. My approach combines evidence-based therapies including CBT, DBT, and solution-focused techniques, tailored to your unique situation and goals.

How Individual Counselling Can Help You

Understanding Your Experiences

Therapy is not just about solving problems — it is about making sense of what has happened to you, whether recent events or experiences from your past. I help clients understand how their history shapes their present whilst discovering new ways of living that are not defined by past difficulties.

Building Practical Skills

Through our work together, you will develop concrete strategies for managing difficult emotions, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, and responding to life’s challenges with greater confidence and clarity. This includes techniques for emotional regulation, cognitive restructuring, and behaviour change that you can apply in daily life.

Creating Meaningful Change

My goal is to help you build the capacity to navigate life on your own terms, creating a life that feels meaningful and satisfactory across relationships, work, personal development, and wellbeing. Therapy is ultimately about increasing your autonomy and resilience, not creating dependency.

Common Issues I Address in Therapy

As an integrative counsellor, I work with clients experiencing:

• Anxiety and Worry – Managing overwhelming thoughts, panic attacks, social anxiety, and persistent worry through evidence-based approaches that address both the physical and cognitive aspects of anxiety
• Depression and Low Mood – Reconnecting with meaning, purpose, and emotional energy through behavioural activation, cognitive work, and exploration of underlying patterns
• Men’s Mental Health – Supporting men with anger, emotional expression, work stress, identity, and relationship difficulties in a non-judgemental space that acknowledges the specific challenges men often face
• Relationship Patterns and Communication – Understanding repeated patterns in how you relate to others and developing healthier ways of connecting, setting boundaries, and expressing needs
• Trauma and Difficult Life Events – Processing experiences that continue to affect daily life, using trauma-informed approaches that respect your pace and readiness
• Self-Esteem and Confidence – Building a more compassionate relationship with yourself, challenging self-critical patterns, and developing a more balanced self-view
• Life Transitions and Stress – Navigating major changes and periods of uncertainty, whether career shifts, relationship changes, bereavement, or other significant life events
• Personal Growth and Goal Setting – Clarifying values and creating meaningful change, even outside crisis. Not all therapy is about distress; some is about becoming more of who you want to be

  If you are specifically looking for counselling in your local area, you may wish to visit my Wokingham Counselling page for location-specific information and availability.

My Therapeutic Approach

Integrative and Evidence-Based

I draw from multiple therapeutic approaches to create a flexible, personalised treatment plan. Rather than adhering rigidly to one model, I integrate techniques and frameworks based on what will be most helpful for you. This includes:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Examining and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours, with practical homework and skill-building
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Particularly effective for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, especially when emotions feel overwhelming
• Solution-Focused Therapy: Identifying strengths, resources, and small achievable steps towards your preferred future, particularly useful when you want practical progress
• Person-Centred Therapy: Creating a therapeutic relationship characterised by empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness, which itself can be healing
• Psychodynamic Approaches: Exploring how unconscious patterns and past experiences influence current difficulties, when deeper understanding is helpful
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings whilst committing to values-based action
• Coaching and Goal-Oriented Work – For clients who want structured support in achieving specific personal or professional objectives

Tailored to You

This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Some clients benefit from structured techniques and homework; others from reflective exploration; and many from a blend of both. Our work together will be shaped by your preferences, your goals, and what proves most helpful as we go.

I adapt my approach based on what you bring. If you are in crisis, we focus on stabilisation. If you are seeking understanding, we explore patterns. If you want practical change, we build skills. Therapy should fit you, not the other way around.

Collaborative and Practical

Therapy works best when we collaborate. You bring your lived experience, your insight into what helps and what does not, and your commitment to the process. I bring professional training, therapeutic perspective, and evidence-based techniques. Together, we work towards insight, resilience, and practical change that persists beyond our sessions.

What to Expect in Individual Counselling Sessions

First Session

Your initial session is an opportunity for us both to understand whether working together feels right. I will ask about what has brought you to therapy, what you hope to achieve, and relevant background information. You will have space to ask questions about how therapy works, confidentiality, and what to expect. There is no pressure to commit after this session.

Ongoing Sessions

Sessions typically last 50 minutes and follow a structure that balances check-in, exploration, skill-building, and planning. Early sessions often focus on understanding your difficulties and establishing goals. As therapy progresses, we work on developing insight and implementing practical strategies.

Frequency and Duration

Most clients attend weekly sessions initially, though this can be adjusted based on need and preference. The duration of therapy varies considerably — some clients find a few sessions sufficient for specific issues, whilst others benefit from longer-term work to address deeper patterns. We review progress regularly and adjust our approach as needed.

Between Sessions

Many therapeutic approaches involve practice or reflection between sessions. This might include trying new behaviours, noticing patterns, or completing structured exercises. The work you do between sessions often determines how quickly you progress. However, this is always collaborative — I will not assign tasks that feel irrelevant or burdensome.

Who I Work With

I work primarily with adults, including a particular focus on men’s mental health. I also work with adolescents in residential care settings, though this specialist work is generally arranged through care providers rather than individual referral.

My practice is inclusive and I work with people from diverse backgrounds, identities, and life experiences. What matters is your willingness to engage in the process and our ability to establish a productive working relationship.

Practical Information for Therapy

Sessions are available both in person and online. The specific location for in-person work, fees, cancellation policy, and current availability are discussed during an initial consultation. I maintain professional standards of confidentiality in line with BACP ethical guidelines.

Taking the First Step: Free Consultation Call

Starting therapy can feel daunting. You might be unsure whether therapy is right for you, whether I am the right therapist, or whether now is the right time. These uncertainties are normal.

The best way to find out is through a brief initial conversation. This can be by phone or email, and there is no obligation to proceed. I can answer questions about how therapy works, whether I have experience with your particular concerns, and what working together might involve.

If you would like to get started or simply explore whether therapy might be helpful, please use the contact form or get in touch directly. I aim to respond within one working day.

Working with a Male Therapist

As a male therapist, I recognise the unique barriers that men often face when seeking help. Many men find it easier to open up in a therapeutic space led by someone who understands masculine socialisation, emotional suppression, and the pressures society places on men. My practice welcomes men who are ready to explore their emotions without judgment or expectation.

Ready to Start Individual Counselling?

If you are considering therapy, that curiosity itself often signals readiness for change. Whether you are dealing with specific difficulties or simply want to understand yourself better, I am here to support your journey.

Contact Me Today:

Phone: 07585 119298
Email: [email protected]

I typically respond within 24 hours and am happy to answer any questions about how individual therapy works, what to expect, or whether counselling might be right for you.

Book your free consultation call today and take the first step towards the change you are seeking.

Further Reading and Resources

Interested in learning more about therapy approaches? Explore these related pages:

• Relationship Therapy in Wokingham – Couples counselling and relationship support
• Clinical Supervision – Professional development for therapists
• About Michael Lipo – My qualifications and therapeutic philosophy
• Therapy Blog – Insights on mental health and therapeutic techniques