John King

I am a qualified and experienced BACP registered therapeutic counsellor.  I am a parent of two grown up children and had the great fortune to have been around working from home whilst they were growing up. Before I became a therapeutic counsellor, I worked for a large retailer at their head office and experienced the stresses and strains of a busy career in corporate life, made even more challenging when our children came along! I became a therapeutic counsellor for various reasons, mainly because I have always been curious about other people’s experiences, motivations, behaviour and differences and what might lie behind them.

My approach is drawn from several different theoretical perspectives with person-centred theory as its foundation. This means I meet you as an individual with your unique way of experiencing the world and your troubles. I seek to understand and gain insight into how you experience your confusion, worry, discomfort, distress, or whatever it is that brings you to therapy. I firmly believe (backed up by recent research) that the quality of our relationship is key to progress; a relationship in which you feel comfortable, feel heard and understood, where there is mutual trust and respect, and where you don’t fear judgement or criticism. I aim to create a safe, confidential and relaxed environment in which you and I can work together to explore and make sense of the difficulties you are experiencing, to increase your self-understanding and consider how you might bring change to what might be preventing you from having the quality of life you seek. The first session comprises an assessment to hear your story, get a sense of who you are and give you the opportunity to meet me, learn about my approach in order to decide whether you’d like to engage with therapy and whether I’m the right counsellor for you.

I have worked with clients from age 18 to over 80, seeking help with a wide range of problems including low mood / depression, anxiety, abuse, PTSD, low self-esteem, anger management, bereavement, overcoming loss, compulsive thoughts and/or behaviours, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, trauma and relationship difficulties.  I have also significant experience working with parents experiencing symptoms of postnatal depression.