Suzanne O'Leary
Psychotherapeutic Counsellor
Post Graduate Diploma Person-Centred Counselling
Therapists
I am a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy). I am based in Brighton and Hove. I qualified as a Person-Centred Counsellor in 2009 from Brighton University. I specialise in supporting survivors of trauma; specifically sexual abuse, domestic violence and complex interpersonal relationships. Since qualifying I have done additional training in Compassion-Focused Therapy, which aims to reduce shame and self-criticism. I am also trained as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, which helps to identify chronic anxiety and tension in the body and support ways to move out of 'survival mode' that can result from trauma and stress. My approach is client led; I actively promote a sense of choice and control throughout the therapeutic process and aim to support a sense of empowerment and personal strength. I am a warm, compassionate counsellor and I offer a calm, non-judgemental space to help to you to explore and understand the impact of your experiences and begin to navigate a way forward. I currently have availability throughout the week in Hove and online. My fee is £60 per hour.
I am trained as a person-centred counsellor, which is rooted in the idea that within the context of a safe and trusting relationship, a person can begin to heal from painful experiences and re-build a sense of self-worth, safety and trust in themselves and their interactions with others. My approach is to offer you a therapeutic space in which to tell your story and be heard. I will help you to make sense of your experiences, gain a better understanding of yourself and explore the ways you learnt to cope, or even survive. By telling your story in our own words, you can begin to understand yourself better, which can help to reduce a sense of isolation, shame or self-blame and begin to find new patterns of behaviour. I offer relevant theories and framework based on my understanding of polyvagal theory, compassionate inquiry, neuroscience, trauma and behaviour change to help you to gain an understanding of why certain patterns of thoughts and behaviours develop. I offer, where appropriate, suggestions such as positive coping skills, techniques and somatic practices and which might support your healing process and ability to cope in the moment. I can work in a short-term, solution-focused capacity, or offer long-term therapy according to your needs. I also offer somatic practice sessions if you would like to explore embodied practices for coping with stress.
I qualified with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling from Brighton University in 2009. Before setting up my private practice, I worked in the charity sector, specialising in supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. I also have clinical experience within the NHS. I have further training in Transactional Analysis (TA), Somatic Experiencing, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Attachment, Trauma and Loss and as a Nervous System Coach. I am also a trauma sensitive somatic yoga teacher for Survivors Network in Brighton and I increasingly integrate somatic, embodied, practices, such as EFT, into my client work, which helps to promote lasting change.