COUNSELLING SERVICES

Who this support may be helpful for: Individuals seeking to understand their true selves, clarify values, and live authentically.

Self-exploration and authentic self-discovery are core elements of meaningful counselling work. This therapeutic focus supports clients to deepen their understanding of who they truly are — beyond external expectations, habitual patterns, or past coping strategies — and build a stronger sense of identity and purpose. Research and established therapeutic models (such as narrative therapy, humanistic approaches, and the conversational model) highlight the importance of creating reflective space where clients can explore their inner experiences, values, beliefs and life stories in a safe, non-judgmental context.

This work often includes paying attention to recurring themes in thoughts and behaviours, identifying internal and external influences on self-perception, and working toward a coherent, authentic sense of self.

Therapies that support this process help clients reconcile internal conflicts, increase self-awareness and enhance emotional resilience — enabling them to make decisions and take action in ways that align with their true values and aspirations.

These include Narrative Therapies, gentle question+listen based individualised narrative approach, where you will be reacquainted with the Inner You that you love Find yourself again: the person that existed before life's events crowded out your true purpose.

Our integrated counselling approach draws on these principles to help clients move forward with increased clarity, self-compassion and agency.

At Mind Friend Wellness, all counselling is delivered within an integrated framework, with regular review of what is working and whether additional supports or resources would be beneficial.

Who this support may be helpful for: People navigating bereavement, separation, ageing, illness, identity changes, retirement or other significant life transitions.

Grief and loss can arise from many life experiences, including bereavement, relationship changes, ageing, illness, changes in role or identity, and significant life transitions. Our counselling offers a compassionate space to acknowledge loss, process complex emotions and adjust to change without pressure or expectation.

We recognise that grief is not linear and that each person’s experience is unique. Counselling may support clients to make sense of their feelings, honour what has been lost, and gradually adapt to new circumstances. This work can help foster emotional integration, resilience and a renewed sense of meaning as clients move forward.

At Mind Friend Wellness, all counselling is delivered within an integrated framework, with regular review of what is working and whether additional supports or resources would be beneficial.

Who this support may be helpful for: People experiencing ongoing stress, anxiety, panic, overwhelm, burnout, difficulty calming the body or managing emotional reactions.

Anxiety and stress can affect thoughts, emotions, physical wellbeing and daily functioning. Our counselling support helps clients better understand their individual stress responses and how anxiety shows up in their lives. Through collaborative exploration, we work to identify triggers, unhelpful thinking patterns and behavioural responses that may be maintaining stress or worry.

Counselling focuses on developing practical, evidence‑based strategies for emotional regulation, such as grounding techniques, cognitive and acceptance‑based skills, and self‑soothing approaches that fit everyday life. The aim is not to eliminate anxiety entirely, but to help clients feel more capable, calm and confident in managing stress and responding to challenges in a balanced way.

At Mind Friend Wellness, all counselling is delivered within an integrated framework, with regular review of what is working and whether additional supports or resources would be beneficial.

Who this support may be helpful for: People seeking alternative or creative approaches to express emotions, regulate mood, and enhance self-awareness.

Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses the emotional and expressive power of music to support mental health and wellbeing. It’s more than simply listening to music — it involves structured engagement with sound, rhythm, melody and musical expression, tailored to a person’s therapeutic goals.

Music therapy can help clients access emotions, reduce stress and anxiety, improve regulation, and build resilience in ways that complement traditional talk-based counselling.

Research shows that music therapy can be effective in enhancing emotional regulation and overall psychological wellbeing, and can be used alongside counselling to deepen engagement and support across a range of concerns including mood disorders, trauma, stress and emotional expression. Music can also provide a non-verbal avenue for processing feelings when words alone are difficult, making it particularly valuable for creative expression and emotional exploration in therapy.

We integrate music therapy principles where appropriate — led by trained practitioners and in collaboration with qualified music therapists — to support clients in achieving greater emotional awareness, self-expression and wellbeing within the broader counselling framework.

At Mind Friend Wellness, all counselling is delivered within an integrated framework, with regular review of what is working and whether additional supports or resources would be beneficial.

Who this support may be helpful for: People experiencing persistent low mood, emotional exhaustion, loss of motivation, reduced self-esteem or feelings of hopelessness or disconnection.

Depression and persistent low mood can impact motivation, energy, self‑esteem and a person’s sense of meaning or connection. Our counselling provides a supportive space to explore emotional fatigue, negative self‑beliefs and patterns of withdrawal or hopelessness, at a pace that feels manageable.

Using an integrated counselling approach, we work with clients to gently increase self‑understanding, rebuild emotional resilience and identify small, practical steps toward restoring balance. This may include exploring values, strengthening coping resources, addressing unhelpful thinking patterns and supporting re‑engagement with activities or relationships that foster wellbeing and hope.

At Mind Friend Wellness, all counselling is delivered within an integrated framework, with regular review of what is working and whether additional supports or resources would be beneficial.

Who this support may be helpful for: People living with the ongoing effects of trauma or PTSD, including complex trauma, later-life trauma, or long-term nervous system dis-regulation.

Our trauma-informed counselling approach prioritises emotional safety, choice and collaboration. We recognise that trauma — including complex trauma and post-traumatic stress — can have lasting impacts on the nervous system, emotional regulation, self-identity, relationships and a person’s ability to feel safe or settled in everyday life. Our work is guided by the client’s pace, preferences and readiness, with a strong emphasis on trust-building, stabilisation and respect.

For many people, counselling is not about revisiting traumatic events, but about learning how to live with and manage the ongoing effects of trauma or PTSD. Counselling may focus on understanding trauma responses, reducing hyper-arousal or emotional shutdown, improving emotional regulation, sleep and concentration, and developing grounding strategies that support day-to-day functioning.

Clients are never pressured to disclose, revisit or relive traumatic experiences. Instead, counselling supports the development of internal resources such as self-soothing skills, emotional awareness, boundaries and self-compassion, helping clients regain a sense of control, safety and confidence in the present.

Trauma can resurface or intensify later in life, particularly during periods of loss, illness, ageing, reduced independence or major life change. We provide trauma-informed counselling for older adults and those living with long-term or complex trauma, with sensitivity to life history, cumulative experiences and current health or care needs. Support focuses on emotional safety, dignity, meaning-making and coping in the here and now.

Trauma-informed counselling prioritises stabilisation, regulation and everyday coping before any deeper therapeutic exploration is considered.

Where specialist trauma treatment or clinical intervention is required, we support clients with appropriate referrals to psychologists, psychiatrists or other trauma specialists. Where helpful and with consent, we continue to work collaboratively alongside other professionals to ensure consistent, integrated care.

At Mind Friend Wellness, all counselling is delivered within an integrated framework, with regular review of what is working and whether additional supports or resources would be beneficial.