Is life treating you badly? A relationship keeping you awake at night? Work issues taking over? Are you feeling anxious? Overwhelmed? Traumatised? Whatever your reason for contacting me, I will consider your problem as if it were my own.
Hello, my name is Monique.
I am an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, and I want to hear your story. Discussing sensitive or deeply personal issues with a stranger may be a daunting prospect - I want to reassure you that I genuinely care about my clients and give them warmth, respect, and empathy. I have a relaxed, flexible approach to counselling. Whether you are looking for a short or long time therapy plan, I will do my best to adapt to your needs and available time.
Having lived through my own varied experiences, I know how tough things can become. I listen with an open mind and an open heart even when faced with the most difficult situations and feelings. I want you to feel free to express yourself openly, without fear of judgement or concern about appearing foolish, or flawed.There are no better or worse emotions. All feelings and experiences, no matter how big or small, are valid and worth exploring. I can help you see how they all fall into place.
You may be afraid of confronting painful or intolerable subjects during therapy. That’s perfectly understandable. I will never push you to reveal anything you are not comfortable with. You, the client, set the pace of therapy and there’s no rush to address difficult topics until you feel ready.
You may be scared of things moving fast, and what emotions it will bring up. Sudden change, even positive, may be overwhelming. My counselling room is a safe space, where change is gradual, and I provide a supportive environment for processing emotions in your own time.
Sometimes your problems may seem unfathomable: I’ve been fine all this time so why am I not coping now? But the truth is that, most likely, your issues have been in the making for many, many years. Up until now you have managed to navigate your way in the complex world of emotions - your mind and body have established some coping mechanisms, we all do - but there may come a time when things just become too much and your defences begin to fail you.
There is no magic wand to solve life’s problems but talking to someone who truly gets you and is always on your side may be the second best option.
Yes, it's good to talk, but sometimes it can be hard to describe your experience in words, or things simply don’t make sense. You may feel unsettled even when everything seems fine or get tangled in anxious thoughts without a clear cause. In trying to make sense of these feelings, confusion and frustration often follow. While understanding is valuable, language alone can limit us, and awareness doesn’t always bring change. That’s when we can go beyond talking therapy, exploring body or art-based techniques to uncover the non-verbal signals that may reveal deeper insights. Together, we’ll listen to these cues and work toward greater clarity.
I have gained experience working for Serendipity York, 1-2-1 Counselling, York St John Communities Centre, and my own private practice.
