Being a highly sensitive person (HSP) has many positives, but sometimes the impact of deep processing, emotional intensity and sensory sensitivity can be really overwhelming. As a highly sensitive person myself, a proud dad of sensitive children and an experienced integrative counsellor, I know what it’s like to be highly sensitive.
How can I help?
I integrate my knowledge, experience and counselling skills to provide clients with a therapeutic relationship. This can really help highly sensitive people and parents of highly sensitive children with the issues that being highly sensitive can bring, such as anxiety, depression and family relationships problems. High sensitivity has a massive impact on a person’s life, and coming to understand the trait is truly transformative. Before you understand high sensitivity, you may be bumbling about in the dark; but with some help, you can step into the light.
What therapy is like with me
I provide a mindfulness-based relational approach to therapy, which means aiming to be fully present with your true self moment by moment. My approach is also relationally-centred, which means I focus on developing a supportive relationship that integrates empathy, authenticity and emotional support without judgement. Therapy can be by telephone or online video call using Zoom.
For the highly sensitive person:
I can help you to deepen your knowledge of high sensitivity and explore what being a highly sensitive person really means for you, so that you can build greater awareness of your true self and reach your full potential. With my counselling skills and experience, I can offer you emotional support by providing a safe relationship in which you can talk through difficulties. Having regular dedicated time to focus on tuning in to your inner world and reflecting on experiences, thoughts, feelings and sensations can greatly improve your self-understanding, your relationships and your personal growth.
For parents of a highly sensitive child:
By focusing on the parent-child relationship, I can help you to further deepen your knowledge of high sensitivity so you can better understand your highly sensitive child. As I can get to know how things are between you and your child, I can offer a different perspective. In my experience there is no one fix-all strategy, as all family dynamics are different. My approach is to use my counselling skills and experience to walk alongside you as a parent, using our relationship to explore the relationship between you and your child and perhaps other family members. This process can help you find new ways of being, understanding and relating that can improve things for you all.
Testimonial:
“Finding the right counsellor who can understand high sensitivity is not an easy task. As a highly sensitive parent of a highly sensitive child I was very lucky to find James. Working with James was like a journey full of discoveries which I wasn’t even expecting to find. Throughout our work I always felt amazingly supported, understood and guided in the way which gently but surely stimulated a progress of the therapy. James’s approach is very holistic and crafted to the individual needs of the client. This allowed me to progress in at my own pace and go deeper within to better understand myself, my children and the dynamic of the whole family. My work with James helped me to learn how to see high sensitivity from a different perspective and kicked off a process of transforming myself as a person and a parent.” -Urszula.
Please feel welcome to get in touch to discuss any questions you may have about counselling with me. I am happy to arrange an introductory session this can help you to get a feel for whether I might be the right therapist for you and gives you an opportunity to ask me any questions. It also allows me to understand your needs and issues more thoroughly and to see whether my approach is appropriate for you.
Where I work
My therapy room is in the village of Stoke Gabriel near Totnes in South Devon, UK. I offer telephone and secure online video counselling using Zoom.
Training and Qualifications
- Certificate in Counselling, Iron Mill College, Exeter, Devon
- BACP Accredited Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling, Iron Mill College, Exeter, Devon
- Mindfulness for Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, The Sharpham Trust, Totnes, South Devon
- Existential Therapy Workshop with Mick Cooper, Iron Mill College
- Psychotherapy and The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) licensed therapist with Dr Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person and The Highly Sensitive Child. Also listed on Elaine’s Highly Sensitive Person website as a resource for parents of highly sensitive children: https://hsperson.com/resources/for-parents-of-hsps/
- Parenting from the Inside Out – Course for Mental Health Professionals, Mindsight Institute, Dr Dan Siegel
- The Highly Sensitive Person in Psychotherapy – A workshop with Dr Elaine Aron, Dr Art Aron and Dr Michael Pluess
- Emotion Coaching: The Heart of Parenting – The Gottman Institute
BACP Registered Member 377147. I aspire to follow the BACP Ethical Framework, a copy of which is available online at www.bacp.co.uk
Fees & booking
I work with people for one hour sessions on a weekly basis either in person via telephone or Zoom. Payment by bank transfer.