Patricia Gough
Dip Humanistic Integrative Counsellor
Vegan Therapist in England
What I do:
I am experienced in supporting people who face a wide range of difficulties such as anxiety, depression, bereavement & loss, life transitions, parenting children with complex needs, family estrangement, adult children of alcoholics, high sensitivity, relationship issues and more. I’m gender, sexuality & relationship diversity affirmative and I am allied with sex workers and sex-positive communities. Please have a look at the ‘About Me’ section to find out more about the way I work.
It can feel daunting to take that first step in asking for support. Please feel free to get in touch and ask me any questions you may have. We can then arrange a free, initial online consultation to see if I am the right counsellor for you.
About Me:
I am a humanistic counsellor, which means that I believe you are the expert on yourself and my role is to facilitate a non-judgemental, empathic space in which you are able to find your own truths. I work mostly from the ‘inside out’, meaning we explore what’s at the core of you and how this might impact your present life. Getting to know what drives our feelings, thoughts and behaviours can help create meaningful, long-term change. I work integratively and creatively, drawing on modalities that are most suited to you.
I am non-pathological in my approach and I do not diagnose or analyse you. You are a unique human being with a unique story. We might not always understand, or even like, why we think, feel and behave in certain ways but once we look beneath the surface we usually find good reasons why we are who we are. Once we become more aware, we start being able to choose who we want to be and how we want to live our lives. Our focus is on the present, our here-and-now experience, which at times leads us to the past.
I follow the biopsychosocial model which acknowledges that there are several components that collectively impact our wellbeing and our experience of the world. I am particularly interested in the social component, as I believe we are constantly influenced by our environment, and often we may not even be aware of the impact on our day-to-day lives. In my experience, exploring emotional & psychological wellbeing through the biopsychosocial lens, allows us to develop deeper self-compassion, as well as self-empowerment.
In my practice, I am gender sexuality and relationship diversity affirmative. This means I’m mindful of my use of language, I avoid making assumptions and I don’t patholosise who you are as a person. I regard all identities and consensual lifestyles as part of human diversity. I have a broad understanding of the impact culture and society have on us all, particularly on those of us from marginalised communities. My aim is to provide you with a space in which you feel safe, seen, heard and understood.
Qualifications and Experience
I trained at Wealden College for Counselling and Psychotherapy, in Crowborough. My training was very experiential which helped me develop a deep level of self-awareness. This is an essential part of becoming a therapist as you can be assured that I have done ‘the work’ myself. My on-going personal and professional development enables me to be an intuitive, robust and effective counsellor.
I take continuous, professional development very seriously as I want to ensure that I am as knowledgeable and as up-to-date in my work as I can possibly be. Recent training I have undertaken include:
- HIV Awareness Training, Terrence Trust, Sussex Beacon, Brighton
- Understanding Kink & BDSM, Pink Therapy, online
- Working with Compulsive, Sexual Behaviours, Silva Neeves, Contemporary Institute of Clinical Sexology, Cambridge
- Working with Trauma, Joanna Beazley, Wealden College, Crowborough
- Telehealth Training – Practicing Counselling Online, Kate Anthony, online
- Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity, Meg-John Barker, Brighton
I have been practicing as a counsellor for several years and I have previously worked for BIMM Institute, Pavilions (now Change Grow Live), MindOut and BourneOut, in Eastbourne. I have previously volunteered at Survivors Network, facilitiating support groups for people who have experienced sexual violence. I currently work solely in private practice.
A little bit more about me personally… I’m really passionate about creating an intentional and meaningful life, which very much feels like a life-long project. I love sea swimming, cycling around Brighton, and spending time with loved ones, including my little rescue dog Milly.
Sessions
I offer both short-term and long-term counselling on a 1:1 basis, to people over the age of 18. Sessions are weekly and are generally on the same day and time each week.
I believe it is really important that you find the therapist who is right for you. I offer a free 15-20 minute zoom call to help us establish whether we are a good fit for working together. There is no pressure to commit and you don’t have to make a decision on the day.
There are a number of ways in which we can work together:
This is my therapy room in Central Brighton, a short walk from the Old Steine. The room is light, spacious and fairly neutral. The therapy practice is based on the ground floor and is mostly wheelchair accessible, please note that the bathroom is too small to accommodate wheelchairs. Let me know if you need any physical accommodations at all and I will do my best to adjust the room accordingly.
Tea, coffee and water are always available.
In addition to working in the therapy room, I also offer Outdoor Therapy in Stanmer Park. I think most of us are aware of the benefits of spending time in nature and with so many lovely places nearby, it seems to an obvious choice to take therapy outside! I have chosen Stanmer Park as it is accessible by car and by bus, and it provides us with woodlands as well as wide-open spaces.
Outdoor Counselling can be a walk or spending time together talking on a bench or sitting under a tree. It’s a really individual approach and like everything else in therapy, one size does not fit all and there is room for exploration. We will meet in the therapy room or online prior to our first outdoor session, to discuss confidentiality, suitability and any concerns or questions you may have about working outdoors.
An additional way of working together is online, via Zoom. Working online can be very practical and time-efficient. There is no commute to the therapy room and we can speak from the comfort of your own home. This can be particularly useful if you find accessing therapy rooms difficult due to accessibility issues, health problems, or if you prefer to speak to a counsellor who is not from your local area. Some clients appreciate a mix of in-person and online sessions and I’m very happy to accommodate this where possible.
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