Mandy Collard (my pronouns are She/Her)

Hello, I'm Mandy...

It takes courage to accept that we need support and I respect anyone that takes this first step.  Sometimes we need a hand, you don't have to be alone.

I'm an insured, integrative, person centred counsellor incorporating psychodynamic, CBT, Gestalt and Transactional Analysis practices.  I work with adults, primarily 18-30 as this can be such a difficult transition during the journey to full adulthood.   I also have extensive experience working with teens from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and currently work part time in education.

I offer one to one, in person sessions which combines relational talking therapy, somatic awareness and psychoeducation for a wide range of difficulties that can present as anxiety, low mood, panic, loneliness, depression or lack of clarity...some common symptoms of deeper issues.

Counselling is about allowing time and space for yourself in a supportive, safe and private environment to explore and understand difficulties and the things that matter to you.  As unique human beings, it can be hard to navigate the world of human interaction, experiences and relationships and sometimes we need support, understanding and tools to help us move forward.  Counselling offers the opportunity to explore personal issues in a relaxed setting with someone who plays no other role in your life except for counselling.  It can support you in helping to understand and manage the root causes of your difficulties so that you can take steps with the support of a trusted person to be able to safely find the way forward. 

My motivation is to communicate on a level that's trusting, supportive and ultimately relieving; to respect, acknowledge and bear with you your reality at the present moment; to support you in developing a sense of informed self compassion for a fairer, balanced self understanding of the thoughts you have, the actions you show and the emotions you feel in the context of your life story; and to go forward with knowledge and tools to manage the responsibilities of day to day life.

Finding the right therapist isn't easy. Our work begins with having an informal conversation about your needs and expectations. My intention is for us to form a professional, committed, compassionate and respectful alliance for ongoing therapeutic work together and to support you in a way that attunes to who you are for your mental health and wellbeing. Life isn’t always smooth but we can weather the waves together in the hope that you can live your day to day life feeling a little bit more supported. No two sessions are the same, just as no two people are the same.

I have a special interest in the effects of our immune system's response to trauma, known as inflammation.  I strongly believe that our bodies offer wisdom beyond the mind.

As a qualified reflexologist (www.aor.org.uk/about-us/what-is-reflexology/), I can also offer a combination of talking therapy and reflexology techniques.  Supported by research, this combined mind, body, brain approach intentionally integrates the two intrinsic professions of counselling and somatic therapy using reflexology techniques, somatic awareness and neuroscience.