Andrew Mickel

HUMANISTIC COUNSELLOR

Approach and background

What would you like to talk about today?

It’s a common enough starting point in counselling sessions, but it is rarely a question with an easy answer.

I’m a BACP-accredited Counsellor, and I work with people to explore their feelings, thoughts and behaviours to see how they want to respond to challenges in life. 

So, Where Shall We Start?

People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons. Some clients use sessions to make sense of events in their past, the impact on them now, and perhaps to look at where they want to go next. Others may find they’re living their lives based on old ideas of themselves, perhaps editing themselves to a version that feels palatable to others, but are unsure how to change. And for some, there might not even be clarity on what is going on for them - but they know something is amiss in their lives or relationships. Depressed feelings, stress, and anxious thoughts are often part of the picture too.

My Approach

The first time I saw a therapist, I was given lots of space and silence to be with my feelings. And that might have been useful for someone else. But for me, I was just left feeling unsure what to say, and was left with a vague sense that I was doing therapy - and emotions - wrong.
When I changed to a new therapist, they gave me more structure and prompts to find my way into my feelings and to talk about what was going on. And, after a while, things started to move for me.

While every client is different, I know my experience is something others suspect they will find in the counselling room. I aim to create a safe environment where clients have enough structure to talk about what is going on for them. 

Whatever is going on for you, I offer a free half-hour initial appointment to discuss how we could work together.