Rachel Haworth
I’m a humanistic-existential counsellor based in Cardiff. I work with adults and young people aged 16+.
Life can be a real struggle at times. I can help you feel safe, supported and understood as you make sense of the world and your experiences. You might be feeling low and despondent, or lost and lacking in purpose. You could be going through life changes or dealing with conflict in a relationship. You may be overwhelmed by day-to-day worries, or feeling stuck in old patterns that are getting in the way of living a full and satisfying life.
Whatever you’re going through, I’m here to listen. I aim for us to establish a warm, trusting relationship, in which you feel unconditionally accepted for who you are. We can work together to build a shared understanding of what it’s like to be you, generating insights about your thoughts, feelings and patterns of behaviour. In time, this may lead to you making meaningful changes in your life and finding a more authentic way of being.
My Experience
I have experience of working with clients on issues including anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal feelings, bereavement and loss, relationship issues, sexual identity, abuse, autism, ADHD, and loss of purpose or meaning. I have worked as a practitioner for a helpline supporting children and young people, where I developed extensive experience of working with young people on issues such as anxiety, low self-worth and self-harm.
My Approach
My approach to therapy is known as humanistic-existential counselling. One of the most difficult things about being human is that we aren’t given a rulebook on how to live a good life. We have to work it out for ourselves. We make decision after decision in our lives without knowing how it will work out or if taking another route would have been felt better. It’s no wonder we often feel uncertain, confused or overwhelmed.
Humanistic-existential counselling can help you to get to grips with these uncomfortable feelings by supporting you to explore your unique experience of being a person. You might have some clear goals for yourself or you may just want to see where things go. Either way, I believe that you know yourself and your life better than anyone else. I won’t give advice or make assumptions about how you think or feel. Instead, I will give you the space to make sense of things and work out what gives your life meaning. I reflect what you say so you can hear it back. I also ask open questions about your inner and outer worlds. For example, I might suggest you tell me more about a particular situation or what a word means to you. At another time, I might ask you to describe a particular emotion – perhaps in terms of how it feels in your body or any mental images it may bring up. If you’d like to find out more about counselling, please get in touch and book a free 30-minute phone consultation.
Online and/or telephone appointments are available.