Counselling for Anxiety & Depression
DANIELLE UPHILL COUNSELLING PSYCHOTHERAPY
Humanistic Counselling Psychotherapist - PGDip, MBACP
Thank you for visiting my page. I appreciate finding a therapist can be daunting and the desire to know if I am someone trustworthy is important. Fundamentally, I believe it's hard to know that without speaking; however, as a start, below is a little about me.
As an ex travel and marketing professional, I lived for and loved my work, yet realised it was no longer working for me, and the volunteering I was doing with Samaritans was extensively more meaningful to me. As I approached midlife and the crossroads this brought me to, I decided to make the change to becoming a counsellor. Whilst I personally appreciate the challenge of stressful careers, family and life at any age, my mode of working means I won't assume to know you or your life story even if our backgrounds are similar. I work Humanistically which means focusing on the here-and-now experiencing, whilst taking a relational approach. I believe that therapy is successful due to the relationship and connection between you and me, as for many it is relationships that have hurt you or are hurting you, so it makes sense to me that it will be a relationship that helps to heal. Since completing my PGDip in Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy and counselling role at Release a charity for women, I now work as a BACP registered therapist.
Areas of work
Whether this is your first time looking for a therapist or you are returning after a break below is a little about what to expect from working with me and some of the areas in which I work. Please note that these are just a few examples, and I support clients with a diverse range of concerns
ANXIETY
Although I believe that being human means experiencing anxiety, there are times when the level of this is too much and help is needed. Anxiety can manifest itself in many ways - addiction, fatigue, restlessness, irritability, nervousness and many other physical and emotional manifestations that can appear linked or seemingly unrelated.
DEPRESSION
Similar to anxiety depression can manifest in a number of ways from being easy to anger, sleeplessness. sadness followed by numbness and a variety of ways. Sometimes it can take a while to come to the point of understanding you may be experiencing depression and it's a big step to seek help for it, yet one that I believe is worthwhile.
CHILDLESS
GRIEF AND LIVING LOSS
The heartbreak stemming from experiences like miscarriage or unsuccessful attempts at IVF often leads to profound feelings of grief, loneliness, isolation, and questions around identity. In these challenging moments, therapy offers a safe haven, allowing individuals to process their emotions without judgment or pressure to seek silver linings. Instead, it aids in navigating the pain, facilitating a path forward while honouring the grief that remains.
Childless not by choice - a term that encompasses a poignant reality for many, where the envisioned family hasn't materialised due to societal hurdles such as economic constraints or not finding a suitable partner - often leads to loneliness, unprocessed grief, and the weight of isolation and social stigma, significantly impacting various facets of life.
Living loss is a term coined by the Psychotherapist Julia Samuel and encapsulates for me so much of what causes us pain as humans yet isn't always talked about or given credence to in society. As well as the immense pain that comes from a loved one dying - areas such as relationships ending; estrangement due to a loved one's addiction; redundancy and, in essence coming to a point where the dreams and expectations you had for your life haven't materialised and the grief and sadness around this isn't taken as seriously by those around you, or by yourself even, as you may feel it.
CHANGE
I work with clients who are approaching life transitions such as middle age and experiencing anxiety and depression around this, including the emotional and physical symptoms of menopause as well as the challenges transition to parenthood bring. Part of my work is somatic which means including the body and felt experiencing within the body where appropriate, with the belief that there is a wealth of information stored within the feelings and emotions we experience as well as the cognitive processing.
UNCERTAINTY & OVERWHELM
Sometimes life can just get too much and we need a space to breathe, reflect and decide on what, if anything needs changing. Sometimes counselling is about childhood trauma or deep wounds; sometimes it's a circuit breaker for times when things are just too much and the intensity of that is enough to lead you to want to talk to someone.
HOW I WORK
AUTHENTIC
My commitment is to always be authentic, honest and kind to you. I’ll ask questions at times to get a better understanding of your experience and view of the world but never to tell you what to do or give an opinion. This also means I’ll be there as myself in the relationship with you, my approach isn’t one of long periods of silence or directing you, it's a middle ground with you always at the centre and me, with you, fully present helping to figure things out. Sometimes questions may challenge you but are never intended as confrontational. I’m not here to judge or shame any actions, but to help bring them up, out and question if they still serve you. I’m not perfect, I’ll make mistakes, and hope you will too, in the course of our work together as I believe resilience and healing can only come from a mixture of compassion and acceptance.
STRAIGHTFORWARD
There are a multitude of buzzwords and approaches when it comes to therapy so for clarity I provide a talking therapy that focuses on the here-and-now of your living. I have an interest in the nervous system and how your feelings and behaviours may also affect your health; however, I don't prescribe to a medical model of therapy with me as knowing more about your life than you do, I work as an equal with my clients and use the humanistic theory I follow as a setting to support you and our relationship, and not to diagnose or tell you what is wrong or what you should change. I believe that stress inevitably creates reactions in our body - and, as such, the work we do together can and will affect many areas of your wellbeing. I take my role as therapist seriously. Your wellness and safety are important and I believe my role is to support you, yet ultimately become redundant to you.
WARM
Creating an environment where you feel safe to express yourself, your beliefs, behaviours or addictions is my role and something I take very seriously. I align with the belief that things like addictions come about to fill a void or support you when there is nothing else - be that lack of confidence, insecurity or a feeling of emptiness. I will never judge or shame you, or tell you what to do, that is not my decision to make and ultimately I believe wouldn’t help anyway. Thus my role is to create a warm environment, working at your pace and enable you to feel safe and accepted.
FAQ
Q: How do you provide counselling?
A: I provide counselling online, via telephone and face to face in Hove and Brighton.
Q: What are your working hours?
A: My working days are Tue, Wed & Thu with evening availability.
Q: How much do you charge for counselling?
A: I charge £60 per hour and offer a free 30 minute conversation to get us started and see if we are a good fit.
Q: Are you a member of any accredited bodies?
A: Yes I am a Registered member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to their Code of Ethics.
