Online Counselling Adult Counsellor & Psychotherapy
Melissa Barber Counselling
your space, your time, your agenda
For individuals & couples
Life can be challenging. We can feel like we’ve lost our way or even lost ourselves. Sometimes, being with someone
independent of your life, circumstances and relationships can be the best way to put things into perspective.
As a qualified, BACP accredited counsellor I can offer you the attention, patience and space required to help you to work out what is really going on for you; a place of clarity and new possibilities.
About Counselling
Individuals
People come to counselling to address a specific concern, life event or difficulty. Sometimes, people don’t know what is troubling them and are just curious as to why they are the way they are and seek self-understanding. For some, they look up from their busy life and think 'How did I get in this situation?' I have experience of working with people struggling with the following issues:
Family relationships
Anxiety
Depression
Loss
Anger
Relationship difficulties
Stress
Abuse
Work relationships
Low mood without knowing why
I’ve sat with people as similar as they are different to you, and as unique as you and I. I’ve sat with people in despair and in hope. I work with you to help you reclaim yourself from any difficulty that you currently feel is defining or overshadowing you.
Trainee counsellors
I offer concessionary rates for people training to be a counsellor. My integrative training and relational approach enables me to offer therapy to suit your training modality, please contact me for more information.
Couples
Couples often come to counselling to address a specific difficulty in their relationship such as; communication, breaking the cycle of repetitive rows, intimacy, after an affair, or even issues connected to life stage. I work to ensure that each of you has space to voice your concerns, needs and how you experience your relationship.
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About Me
My approach
I have been trained integratively in a variety of counselling theories, however, I mainly work psychodynamically, which includes drawing on attachment theory. This means that I hold in mind an appreciation of the influence of the unconscious processes we all create in our formative years on how we currently live our lives. Our early attachment bonds also shape how we live, love, communicate with and relate to people.
Once we understand and consider the whole picture we can choose what we want to keep, let go of or do differently. Understanding brings with it a gracious invitation to change, if we choose it and if it suits who we wish to be.
Qualifications
Practitioner Certificate in Couple Counselling
MA Psychodynamic Counselling
Diploma in Integrative Therapeutic Counselling
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Additional Experience
Prior to training to become a counsellor I worked in marketing and business strategy.
I have also worked as a pastoral manager, supporting both students and parents. Outside of my private practice, I have worked at Arc Counselling and at Sandhurst Counselling Service.
Continued Professional Development
Personality disorders
Dissociative disorders
Dream work
Attachment work
Making the link between childhood trauma and addiction
Echoism in narcissism
COVID 19: Working with Loss and bereavement
Coronavirus primer: online counselling in a pandemic
Displacement and the search for home
Working with shame
Procrastination
Co-dependency
Helping clients with anger management
Professional Accreditation & Directories
I am an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to its ethical framework.
Providing online counselling ethically and safely during the coronavirus pandemic
Location and fees
My practice is in Winnersh, Berkshire. It is within easy reach of Wokingham, Barkham, Earley, Lower Earley, Twyford, Binfield, Bracknell and Reading. I am within walking distance of Winnersh train station and Reading Road bus stops.
Fees
Individual counselling is £55 per 50-minute session.
Couple counselling is £65 per 50-minute session.
Concessionary fees available for trainee counsellors.
Fees are paid by bank transfer 24 hours before each session.
Availability
I offer daytime and evening appointments. Free parking available.
Cancellations
Your appointment is kept for you as arranged, if you miss or cancel your appointment you will be charged, unless you make prior arrangements for an alternative slot. You will not be charged for pre-arranged holidays.
FAQ's
When it comes to effective counselling, it's the quality of the relationship between you and I
that will be the most important factor in facilitating change.
First conversation
I offer a free 20 minute telephone conversation to discuss your expectations of counselling and to make sure that I am well placed to support you. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions and for us to consider how we might work together.
First session
A lot will be going through your head in this first session. Listen to your own reactions and feelings, and share them with me. We’ll both learn from these insights. Therapy is not a quick fix, rather it is a collaborative process.
How long do sessions last?
A session is 50 minutes long. We will meet at the same time each week.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no one answer to this as everyone is different. We would talk about it together and perhaps agree an initial number of sessions. By regularly reviewing the work together we can keep the work on track and aimed at meeting your needs. You can of course choose to end counselling
at any time.
Contact Me
If you have any questions about counselling or my availability to work with you, please use the form here to get in touch or give me a call on 07864 160 766.
If I am unable to answer your call, please leave me a voicemail message and I will respond as quickly as I can.
If you would prefer, you can text me; please include your name and the best time for me to contact you, and I will call you back.
Please see my Privacy Policy for details on how I protect your data.