Katie Payne

I am trained in Integrative Counselling. This means that I am interested in you as a whole person – in your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual life. It also means that I might use different modalities depending on who I am working with and what they need. My practice reflects my values, and I believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to be fully seen, heard and understood. I am primarily 'person centred' which means I regard the client as the expert in the room. Together, we seek to gain greater understanding of your difficulties and experiences. I work from a grounded, warm, heart centred place so that you feel safe to explore whatever you wish to bring to therapy. I am fascinated by Poly Vagal Theory and will often bring your nervous system in to the conversation. I might invite you to notice bodily responses in relation to what we talk about. I am interested in how your history shapes your present – gaining understanding of how the past shapes our lives can help us to be kinder to ourselves, and gives the opportunity to look at things differently. I work holistically and intuitively alongside theoretical understanding and, if you would like, I can offer strategies to manage your wellbeing on a practical and physical level. I am also interested in the 'big questions' of life and how these can sometimes impact how we feel about ourselves and our lives. I believe the ability to find meaning is central to living a life of purpose and joy. It is natural to feel nervous to begin with and there is no pressure to share everything all at once. I work at a pace which works for you and will check in with you for feedback on a regular basis. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to be a client in therapy and we will find our way together. Sometimes words might be difficult to find and just don't cut it - there are some creative activities we can do to help with this if this something you might like to try. Every client I work with teaches me something new. As humans, we have so much in common and so much that makes us unique. I find the courage and beauty in the human spirit deeply humbling and inspiring. I have extensive experience in working with creatives and young adults and love to work with anyone who strives to understand more about themselves and their experience of life. I work online and in person in Cotham and Stokes Croft. If you would like to find out more please get in touch.