Lorna Halvorsen

COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY IN CENTRAL LEEDS AND HARROGATE

07917693352 
EMAIL

Counsellor and Psychotherapist working in central Leeds and Harrogate, but within easy reach of: Horsforth, Bradford, Otley and Ilkley. MBACP(Accred).

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Counselling and Psychotherapy in a safe, private setting

Are you troubled? Going through a bad patch? We can all experience difficulties in our lives. Do you think the same things over and over, unable to stop, or make sense of it! Do you notice patterns or themes repeating in your life? Without understanding this how can you change it? We have to look at what's going on on the inside before we can change what's happening on the outside.

Would it be good to be able to deal with these situations in a different way. To understand yourself better and to be able to do something about it? Looking at things from a different perspective could help you change it!

How would that feel? Taking back some control! Talking to a counsellor or psychotherapist in a safe supportive space could be the first step.


Counselling/psychotherapy will give you the opportunity to explore what is making you feel unhappy. This can be stress and anxiety, depression, relationship problems, low self-esteem, feeling worthless, you may not even know, you just want something to change! To feel different.

Have you ever considered why you do what you do? What causes you to feel the way you do in certain situations. Exploring this and understanding the triggers behind it can lead to you being able to make different choices about the path you wish to take moving your life forward. This is what we would explore.

This can seem very daunting when life is difficult and there is no clear path! You may have the view that you should be able to sort out your own problems, however asking for help is a positive move, you recognise you have a problem and want to do something about it.

Is it time to consider investing in yourself, your life, your future? Do you value yourself and your own wellbeing?

How important do you feel you are? Do you consider your needs, or just everyone else's? Self care is really important. You are as important as anyone else, what you think, how you feel matters!

I am an Integrative counsellor/ psychotherapist based in central Leeds and Harrogate but within easy reach of Horsforth, Bradford, Otley and Ilkley. I am counselling in central Leeds at premises that are seven minutes walk from Leeds train station and meter parking outside.

As a counsellor in Harrogate I am also located near public transport, both maps are on my location page. At present I am just working remotely so can work with people from outside my normal area and whilst I may go back to face to face work in time I will keep doing remote sessions as part of my practice.

Talking to someone outside your circle with a more objective perspective can be very helpful.

Does Counselling / Psychotherapy work?

Being able to talk about how you actually feel can be a very positive experience. To have a better understanding of yourself can help you to see things from a different perspective. Often we feel we should have done differently but at the moment we do things we feel it is the right thing to do. We can't change the past we can only learn from it and choose a different path forwards.

As your counsellor I will use the best approach suited to you, I will offer you a safe space where we can work together to achieve your personal growth and change.

It's normal to feel stressed, anxious or depressed when life is difficult and the future seems uncertain.

How Therapy works?

In Counselling/ Psychotherapy we look at what you are struggling with. What you would like to change and how you can achieve that. It is important that the counsellor/ psychotherapist listens in an empathic, non-judgemental way whilst being perceptive and insightful.

The first person you have to be honest with is yourself! It's common to be stuck in patterns that no longer serve you well but you may be unaware of these patterns so are unable to change them without help which is quite normal. If you have followed these patterns all of your life you can feel they are part of who you are!

I can help you with:

  • Relationship Issues
  • Stress and Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Self Esteem and Confidence Building
  • Coping with Grief, Loss & Bereavement.

I've made a positive difference to many people's lives, see some of my client testimonials.

Self-defeating patterns

These patterns usually start as a way of coping with difficult situations in childhood. As they make you feel better you use it again, this stops you from looking at other ways forward, and thus the pattern of repeating behaviour is formed.

Common self-defeating patterns:

  • Needing to be perfect
  • Not listening
  • Being a victim
  • Procrastination
  • Holding grudges and bringing them up in arguments
  • Always being right
  • People pleasing

These are only a few, the list is enormous but it gives you an idea of the patterns we create.

Part of the therapeutic process is to help you to see yourself from a new perspective and to become more self-aware. To look at how the patterns were formed and then slowly begin to change them. Therapy can work to bring about positive change.

How can Counselling / Psychotherapy help?

Life can be very challenging at times and it can be difficult to make sense of what is happening. Feelings of despair and anxiety causing you to feel stressed and out of control, unsure where to turn and what to do but knowing you can't carry on as you are and something is going to have to change.


Counselling/Psychotherapy gives you a safe space to explore what you feel? What you think? How you interact with people and how that affects you.

Learning and understanding why you do what you do! To challenge your perspective of your reality will eventually give you the opportunity to change the way you react to certain situations. You do this through self-reflection and self-awareness, to understand what part you play in any relationship, this is the only part you have any control over.

Without understanding how this all works and affects you how can you change anything? To identify patterns of learned behaviour, where it comes from, how it affects you and how you can change it gives you choices for a different path forward. A different perspective can enable you to think and feel differently about your issues.

Through the counselling process my clients have been helped to:

  • Understand their thoughts and feelings
  • View their situation from a different perspective
  • Gain insight into their behaviour
  • Find their own solutions to their problems
  • Develop coping strategies
  • Make informed decisions
  • Create positive changes
  • Take control over their lives
  • Grow and develop.

Having a safe space where we feel we can talk to someone who is non-judgemental, supportive and empathic can be the first step to change.

Building trusting relationships

The foundations for building a trusting relationship with my clients are:

  • Provide a safe and supportive setting
  • Respect the client's principles and coping resources
  • Refrain from being judgemental
  • Avoid stereotyping or labelling
  • Shelve personal prejudices
  • Respect client confidentiality
  • Maintain impartiality, integrity and reliability.

I have worked with clients both long and short term at a pace to suit the client and their individual needs.

I have also worked extensively with grief and bereavement which includes complicated grief, sudden death, RTA, suicide, but also have experience of working with:

  • Still birth
  • Post traumatic stress disorder
  • Sexual orientation
  • Depression
  • Alcohol misuse
  • Anxiety
  • Relationships
  • Low self-esteem
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder
  • Self identity
  • Life direction

Counsellors help clients look at what is possible, but they avoid telling clients what to do. That would be the counsellor taking control rather than the client gaining control.

Client testimonials

I had two aims in mind when starting out with the counselling and after 7 sessions with Lorna both were met, and I genuinely feel that I have transformed my self-awareness and outlook. Lorna was extremely attentive, compassionate, yet direct when needed to equip me with the tools to help me. She was always prepared, could reference previous discussions and examples with ease, and tailor the sessions to my needs to meet my overall desired outcome. I took a lot of time between the sessions to reflect on our conversations and attempt to put the learning into practice, as well as think about what I wanted from the next session to maximise our time together. Having completed all sessions now I cannot speak more highly of my time with Lorna. Her ability to make me think differently and equip me with the tools and skills she has provided me that I can apply to any situation in life.

"For me counselling has been a truly positive experience. Any fears or doubts I had were quickly removed through working with a counsellor who was non-judgemental and I felt worked with me to work things out together to understand the reasoning and why certain feelings can surface. I feel armed with a set of tools to carry with me rather than being handed a box of sticking plasters that are temporary ".

"I felt unjudged and open to talk about anything. I felt I was helped to understand myself really well, and be accountable for my actions. I think you need good understanding with your counsellor and we did. I feel very satisfied with the process and have gained a lot via counselling with yourself!".

"Counselling has enabled me to understand my thought process and how I feel in the moment. I can only take responsibility for myself and I can't control anyone's actions or reactions. A change in mindset has enabled me to enjoy the present rather than worrying or overthinking. I'm so glad I did therapy and just wish I had done it sooner ".

"You helped me work through mental challenges that I believed were not possible to overcome. I now feel so much better and continue to use the skills you taught me every day. Having worked with many counsellors and therapists in the past, I can honestly say that you were the only one to truly give me what I needed to overcome the mental difficulties I had faced for so many years."

"I wasn't aware of deep rooted problems from childhood that I'd never spoken about and that when I'd opened up a lot of my present problems stemmed from this. This has helped me to re-assess what I need to do now".

"The sessions have made a positive difference to my life, concentrating on the fact I am worthy. The tools I have been given are now letting me move forward and enjoy life. I cannot thank you enough Lorna, your help has made a massive difference. I know I still have work to do but have never felt so positive and content before. I have learned so much, thank you".

My qualifications

Like many people I was drawn to this path by my initial need in 2001 to work through my own difficult issue's and life's challenges. As I progressed on my journey I became very passionate about this type of work. My own journey although difficult at times changed my life in a very positive way, so I decided to pursue training to help others to believe in themselves and their own potential.

Professional Qualifications:

  • NFCF level 2 in Counselling Skills
  • Certificate of Higher Education level 5 in Interpersonal and Counselling skills
  • Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
  • Advanced Diploma In Psychotherapeutic Counselling

I have been awarded 'Accredited' status as a member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). This means they are confident that I am professional in the way I work, having demonstrated my ability to them through case studies, theoretical and self-awareness dissertations, as well as having proven hundreds of hours of real time client work, which has been verified by a senior accredited supervisor.

I have worked with various charities which have all contributed to my experience. This is in addition to my private work.

Personal approach

My training is Integrative, meaning I draw on lots of different theories and use whichever approach is most helpful to you, the individual and the difficulties you are experiencing at this present time.

I am flexible, so if the approach needs to change along the way I can do this.

Some of the theories I use are Person-centred, Psychodynamic, Behavioural, 

Transactional Analysis. For information on these approaches, click here.

What happens next?

After initial contact either by telephone, email or text I would suggest a consultation to see if you feel you would benefit from working with me in the counselling process.


It is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions before committing to that process.


Contact me on 07917693352 or email me here.

Confidentiality

Trust and respecting a client's autonomy is fundamental to the therapeutic relationship. If it is necessary to ethically or legally breach confidentiality I would endeavour to discuss this beforehand.


As an ethical practitioner I receive regular supervision from a senior registered BACP Accredited supervisor. The purpose of regular supervision is to maintain a professional standard of working and to ensure client and counsellor safety. I also have regular training for my own personal development.


The Accredited Register programme was set up by the Government to improve standards and safety for the benefit of the public. Membership demonstrates a commitment to providing high professional standards, to enhancing safety and delivering a better service.

Location

I practice within easy reach of Leeds, Harrogate, Horsforth, Bradford, Otley, Guiseley and Ilkley.

Presently I am working mainly online via video.

I work in central Leeds, LS1 2TW, 7 minutes walk from the train station or park outside. I also work in Harrogate, HG1 1HQ, an easy walk from both the train and bus station, or meter parking very close.

Both are professional premises.

Appointments

At our initial assessment we can establish whether you will benefit from counselling. It is very important that you feel comfortable about counselling and this gives you the opportunity to ask any questions. This appointment is without obligation to continue, it is up to you to decide.


Counselling sessions are 50 minutes. Weekly or fortnightly appointments are recommended as this gives continuity to the therapeutic relationship.


Bank Transfer is accepted and paid at the end of the session and charged at Individuals from £55.00

Cancellation

I request 24 hours' notice if you are unable to attend your appointment.  Cancellations without 24 hours' notice and missed appointments will be charged.

Get in touch

Feel free to contact me on 07917693352 should you have any questions, or alternatively you can email me.

If I am unable to take your call please leave a confidential message and I will contact you as soon as I can.

©Lorna Halvorsen

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