Counselling for Mums
What kind of Counselling do you offer?
Are you feeling anxious and overwhelmed? Do you feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster and at risk of burnout? I’m Clare Gale, a qualified counsellor who specialises in offering compassionate counselling for Mums, and parents who have children with additional needs. Being a Mum or having a child with additional needs of any kind can be physically and mentally exhausting, and can really impact on family life.
If you are feeling like you have lost yourself in the mix of all your responsibilities for others, you are in the right place. My aim is to provide the space to gently explore your difficulties with you. We can work together to develop some practical tools for helping to navigate the highs and lows, and find insight into how you can ultimately feel more fulfilled.
I work online on Zoom with Mums who live anywhere in the UK, or locally face to face in Totnes, Devon. No longer are we limited by geography, and it is possible to choose a counsellor who specialises in your situation.
Is Counselling for you?
I offer a 6 session introduction to Counselling for Mums. I am experienced in working with Mums who have children with additional needs of any kind, be that neuro-diversity, a physical disability or illness or any kind of ‘being a bit different’. This 1-1 Counselling programme is for you when you:
How can Counselling help?
My aim is to meet you wherever you are in your life right now. Never underestimate the benefits of being truly listened to and heard, by someone who ‘gets it’.
It might be that you need to have someone to offload to, or want help with managing anxiety, grief, depression, sadness or feelings of being overwhelmed. You may be struggling with juggling all the roles you find yourself in, and are looking for support to avoid burnout.
Perhaps you are looking to rediscover yourself, and want to take time to process where you are now, and what changes you might like to make in your life. In short, you might need to put yourself back in the picture.
I have a son with complex medical needs, so I am also personally on the path of navigating my way through life as a Mum and Carer. I know how tough it can be.
I am a Director of Mums4aChange where I help to run ‘Time for You’ groups to support Mums who have children with additional needs. Having worked as a Counsellor for Counselling for Carers and Totnes Carers Counselling, I have developed experience in the challenges that often face parent carers.
My Counselling Approach
Coming for Counselling can be daunting, as for many of us it is a new experience. My aim is to offer the space for you to say what needs to be said, in a supportive, compassionate, confidential and non-judgmental way. I am also not afraid to gently challenge and nudge you, if that feels appropriate, and I like to provide tools for you to use to manage your mental health better.
If you are unsure of where to start or what to say, don’t worry. I find that it all has a way of being said when it needs to be, and we can go at your pace.
I use an ‘Integrative Counselling’ approach, which means I can be flexible and tailor the kind of Counselling to best suit your needs. We might use some CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) techniques to challenge your natural thought patterns. You might be looking for tools to manage anxiety. We could look at mindfulness techniques, calming breathing or journalling to help keep you grounded.
Some clients like to work creatively, for example, we might work with imagery, letter writing, poetry, sand play or objects to explore relationship dynamics and to get a deeper understanding of yourself. Being creative can activate a different part of the brain, to help you to process your emotions.
Getting started
I appreciate that it can be daunting to make the first contact with a Counsellor. How will you know you can trust them and if they are a good fit for you? After you have got in touch with me we will arrange a free 10-minute introductory phone or zoom call, so you can check me out a bit more. The idea of this is to see if there is a sense that we will gel and develop a good rapport, and that my skills are a good match for the kind of issues that you would like to explore in your counselling.
The majority of my work is online on Zoom, so it doesn’t matter where you are based in the UK. To find out more, please go to www.revibe-counselling.co.uk
Want to know more?
Important Note
If you are experiencing severe depressive symptoms and/or suicidal thoughts, please discuss this with your doctor immediately. The kind of Counselling I offer is not suitable for supporting anyone in crisis or with severe Postnatal Depression or any psychotic illness.