Counselling in Chard
My counselling practice, Counselling South West, is situated in Axminster, six miles and about 15 minutes driving time south of Chard. If you live in or around Chard and want counselling a short distance away then I would be happy to offer you an appointment. The bus stop is at the train station five minutes away, as is Axminster town centre should you wish to visit the shops or cafes whilst you are here. My practice is easy to find and there is parking outside on the road or nearby.
Welcome to Counselling South West
Counselling is something you may have had before and so are familiar with the process. If not, you may be unsure what to expect and how it will feel to talk to a stranger about your problems.
In order to make it as easy as possible, my counselling practice is calm, quiet and comfortable and an environment where I hope you will feel at ease. Although it can feel strange talking about personal issues if you aren’t used to it, I hope you will quickly feel relaxed and confident about continuing.
I can offer a one off appointment if that is all you need or a series of counselling sessions. The length will vary according to your situation. I offer flexible working hours and will usually be able to make the first appointment within a week of contact.
My practice is also conveniently placed for South Somerset, East Devon and West Dorset although I have clients from Exmouth, Cullompton and Taunton.
About Me
I have been a counsellor for twenty years, training initially with Relate and then gaining Adult Training qualifications, a Certificate in Education and running courses for the public and CDP courses for counsellors. I feel privileged to be in the counselling profession and being able to help people get their lives back on track. During my many years of counselling I have gained much insight and experience from my therapeutic relationships with clients and my own successes and failures.
Client Testimonials
IT Manager
I would just like to say thanks for all your help. When I arrived at my first session with you I had almost given up and lost all hope of a recovery in my relationship. After speaking to you, you seemed to understand perfectly my situation and were able to provide me with some positives which I took away with me and was able to work on.
Company director
It is very difficult to put into words what positive effect on my life our sessions have had. The hardest step for anyone considering counselling is to make the appointment and arrive. However you made me feel extremely relaxed and comfortable from the very first minute we met. My partner also found you extremely easy to communicate with. After weeks of almost silence, she was able to open up and speak to you instantly which was absolutely amazing. Initially she was very wary of counselling and talking to a counsellor. She was happy to return for further sessions, which is testament in itself to your counselling approach and skills.
Marketing Manager
Anne’s support throughout the time when my marriage broke up has been crucial. I suffered depression following the marriage breakdown and extreme anxiety and stress as a result of a variety of other external factors. There were times when I couldn’t see how I was going to get through. Anne’s consistent, clear and sympathetic approach enabled me to see that there was light at the end of the tunnel and that I didn’t need to be a victim of the situation in which I found myself. I had a number of very difficult decisions to make and, through regularly talking with Anne, I was able to make these decisions with confidence, and be resolute enough to see them through.
IT Manager
I would just like to say thanks for all your help. When I arrived at my first session with you I had almost given up and lost all hope of a recovery in my relationship. After speaking to you, you seemed to understand perfectly my situation and were able to provide me with some positives which I took away with me and was able to work on.
Company director
It is very difficult to put into words what positive effect on my life our sessions have had. The hardest step for anyone considering counselling is to make the appointment and arrive. However you made me feel extremely relaxed and comfortable from the very first minute we met. My partner also found you extremely easy to communicate with. After weeks of almost silence, she was able to open up and speak to you instantly which was absolutely amazing. Initially she was very wary of counselling and talking to a counsellor. She was happy to return for further sessions, which is testament in itself to your counselling approach and skills.
Marketing Manager
Anne’s support throughout the time when my marriage broke up has been crucial. I suffered depression following the marriage breakdown and extreme anxiety and stress as a result of a variety of other external factors. There were times when I couldn’t see how I was going to get through. Anne’s consistent, clear and sympathetic approach enabled me to see that there was light at the end of the tunnel and that I didn’t need to be a victim of the situation in which I found myself. I had a number of very difficult decisions to make and, through regularly talking with Anne, I was able to make these decisions with confidence, and be resolute enough to see them through.
Guest
I cannot express enough gratitude for Anne’s exceptional counselling expertise. When I sought her help during a challenging period in my marriage, she guided us through individual and joint sessions with unparalleled skill and compassion. Anne had the ability to navigate through the complexities of our issues, especially in steering my husband towards understanding how his behaviour was upsetting me and the urgency of taking action. Beyond the initial concerns, Anne has been a consistent source of support, offering invaluable insights and empathy as I tackle various life struggles. Her depth of experience and keen understanding of human distress make her an invaluable ally on my journey. Anne’s warmth and genuine care shine through in every session, making me feel incredibly fortunate to have her in my corner. I wholeheartedly recommend Anne to anyone seeking profound and effective counselling support.
Artist
Counselling for anxiety, depression and negative thought patternsI went to Anne at a very dark and confusing time for me when my life was severely restricted by negative, unhelpful thinking processes. She both provided me with a safe, non-judgemental environment in which I could tell her my deepest thoughts and fears and helped me understand the way I think, providing me with tools and beneficial thought processes I needed to continue my recovery process on my own.
Builder
Your relaxed manner and understanding makes it extremely easy to express how one is feeling and I found the experience very rewarding. A real ‘life lesson’.
Retired
I would urge anyone who is considering counselling to contact you. I cannot recommend you highly enough.
Widower
Once again Anne, many thanks for your help and support. It’s been a difficult journey for me at times and without our sessions I dare not think what may have happened.
Solicitor
Thanks does not really convey my gratitude and appreciation for the help you have given me and my partner.
Vet
We just wanted to email you to let you know just how beneficial your sessions were for me and my husband. We were not in a good place when we first came to you but we both knew we really wanted to save our marriage. After 3 sessions we were in such a better place and 2 months later we have continued to build on your advice and things now are so much better than they have been in such a very long time. So thank you ever so much Anne …… your help was invaluable.
Teacher
Working with Anne has had a very significant and positive impact on me and, consequently, on my children. Life has not become perfect, but, with Anne’s support, I am well-equipped to deal with whatever is round the corner. I am now divorced, and that was done humanely, with dignity and without bitterness, as I initially hoped it could be. I have no doubt this would not have been achieved without Anne’s support and I will always be extremely grateful to her for this.
Accountant
I would thoroughly recommend Anne’s counselling services to anyone struggling to deal with difficult circumstances or challenging emotions.
Everything You need to know
How does counselling work?
Counselling is a period of time, different for everyone, during which problems and difficulties are explored and insights and understanding are gained about the origination and reasons for the problems. It is then time to look at suitable changes and how and when they are put in place to improve or rectify the situation. People work through this in different ways and at different speeds.
Counselling starts with an initial consultation during which I can assess whether I can help with your problem and you can see whether you feel comfortable with me and confident that I will be able to help you. I believe that having a good therapeutic relationship is very important for successful counselling.
On-going counselling will follow during which we will explore your situation, gain understanding of why your presenting problems have arisen and agree suitable changes which you feel you can make. I will offer support and guidance through each of these stages. Sometimes making changes can be difficult and take longer, sometimes it happens very quickly.