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The
start of 2010 was not a good time for me. I had moved out of the house I shared with my wife, and whilst I believed
I was determined to put everything right with our relationship, I wasn’t sure how. That is where my counselling
journey began.
I
wouldn’t say that I am a natural sceptic but I have always been nervous of approaching therapy; fearful f “hippy
experiences”, candles and what it may unleash upon me, and it was with trepidation that I attended my first session
with Janine. Whilst that initial session didn’t relieve me of all my fears and worries, I later came to realise
that booking that second session was one of the most important steps I have ever taken.
Building trust in someone when discussing your inner concerns,
fears and thoughts can be a difficult process. But I can safely say that Janine is an expert in allowing you to build
this trust at your own pace, whilst simultaneously challenging you to push yourself to address issues that will have probably
been with you a lifetime – a feat I’m still not sure how she manages.
Over the time that I worked with Janine, I came to accept and
realise many things in my life to that point where negatively affecting my relationships and behaviour. Talking to Janine
at our regular sessions allowed me to challenge thoughts and beliefs that I had held for 25 years or more, and change my behaviour
to allow me to be happy and over time rebuild my marriage, not only to what it once was, but to something that I could only
have hoped for before working with Janine.
The 30th of June was my last session with Janine, for the time being at least, but that has not been the end
of the impact of therapy on my life. My wife and I are expecting our first baby, and through therapy, I am more prepared
for what sort of father I WILL be, than I ever would have been without therapy.
Working with Janine has allowed me to understand who I am, accept
that everything cannot be “perfect” and that life is what you make of it. I could not recommend Janine highly
enough to anyone thinking of therapy – and for those that may be worried or sceptical, I urge you to give it a go as
it will probably be the best decision you ever make to have a happier and healthier life.
I must say therapy has been the most interesting and life changing thing I have experienced. Although
it was tough at times and I felt exhausted after some sessions, it was worth it. I always felt supported
by Janine whilst I talked about intimate and personal things. I was able to ask her questions and I knew
she was being real with me with her answers. Janine is a great therapist. I have been
transformed by my experience of therapy and recommend you give her a call.
In April 2009 I went
through some extremely unpleasant family difficulties, and I cut ties with some family members for good. This then made me
look at some of the things that I'd experienced in my childhood also, and as these hadn't ever been addressed or resolved
I found that I was spending most days consumed with negative thoughts etc regarding my past. This had a dramatic impact on
my every day life and I realised I needed help.
I had been abused as a teenager by my stepfather and my so called
mother chose to stay with him resulting in me being put into care. As I got older I thought I’d forgiven her, and we
managed to have some kind of relationship albeit not a “mother/daughter” one. Ironically I was the one that supported
her. I had always felt like an outsider and knew deep down that she didn’t care about me (although I tired to fool myself
that she did).
It all reached
a head after a massive family argument where I’d asked my mother to speak with a particular family member who was potentially
going to cause a lot of upset, which could’ve dragged stuff up from my past. She refused, which made me think of when
I was younger when she turned her back on me.
I began to ruminate and couldn’t get through a day without thinking about how I’d always been let down
by most of my family. I was consumed with hate for them. I decided at this point to seek help.
I contacted Janine and after I gave
her some of my background began counselling in July 2010.When I first met Janine we went through what had happened
to me in the past. I found the experience very daunting initially and very emotionally draining. Janine would talk me through
some of the really unpleasant experiences I ‘d had when I was younger, and at times I would leave the session
feeling a completely drained. However throughout it all Janine supported me and never judged me. Janine showed me I could
change the way I thought and dealt with situations. At first it was hard to try to break old habits and look at things in
a different way but I persevered and it has paid off.
After several months I began to view my situation in a totally different way and realised that
I was so much better now I’d cut ties with most of my family.
Janine told me I'm a “winner” and suggested I read a book called Born to
Win, which is based on Transactional Analysis. A great book, I keep on my bedside table.
By December 2010 I finished therapy with Janine as we both felt that it was the right time.
I liked Janine on sight, and eventually came to look forward to our sessions, as I liked the positive way I felt afterwards.
Janine has a special way of connecting with you and allows you to be yourself. I think it is vital that you have a good rapport
with your therapist and to feel comfortable with them. On the whole I have found the experience to be life changing in the
most positive of ways.
I would advise anyone that is going through emotional difficulties to give
therapy a go, I’m so glad that I did, I'm finally free.
Thank
you Janine
Janine has helped me to become the person I wanted to be. I feel with
her support and encouragement that I have grown to find out what is important me and grow in confidence. Janine is very
supportive, understanding and straight talking which helped me to feel safe with her. She is very caring and has shown
to me that she truley cares. Thank you for being you Janine.
Janine was open
to the issues I had in which I felt shame about. I say felt as I no longer feel shame for being
me, I embrace my uniqueness. Yes I am different… and I like that! If it wasn’t
for Janine I don’t know what I would have done, I felt desperate and lost. With the help of having
contracts we were able to keep track where I was going and what I was achieving in therapy, this helped me to feel I was going
somewhere. Janine’s honest approach helped me to trust her, which is a big thing for me!
I really appreciated Janine’s calming and non-judgemental personality as it helped me to open up
and tell my entire story for the first time. This in itself was a big relief and talking to Janine helped
me to gain an understanding as for why I felt and thought what I did about myself. I am now proud to say
that I am loving life, I am free from my old ways of being and I intend to carry on enjoying myself. Janine you are a wonderful
woman, I will take your care forward in my heart.
I
was scared the thought of going for therapy and had a lot of negative pre-conceived ideas of what it was going to be like,
but I knew I needed help. I called Janine and made a consultation appointment to see what I thought. Those
thoughts have truly been challenged and changed for the better; my experience with Janine has enabled me to feel proud that
I got the support I needed and would recommend Janine to anyone wanting to get help. Janine is a
very professional and caring person with her knowledge she was able to help me to get where I wanted to be. TA is a
very important tool for me and my life now, I use it to recognise my own stuff and others which is a great help when I need
it. Thank you so much Janine.
After years of thinking I wasn’t ‘normal’ some kind of ‘freak’
I decided to get help. I went to Janine and she was able to help me through my issues around my self-esteem
and confidence. I am now proud to say I am not ‘normal’ – whatever that is?
I am me and I like who I am.
If I am to be honest, the notion of talking therapy had me less than convinced. I refused to
believe that simple one on one discussions could make any type of impact on my life, and would be just a formality of “how
are you feeling questions”, and the endless exploration of parent relationships.
In some
way I was right, but to class what I had experienced in therapy as easily as that would have not only been wrong, It would
have been an insult to a experience that has helped me find myself once again.
Having just been on the receiving
end of an incident causing me to leave my job, my anxiety was consuming my entire body, and I knew I had to give therapy a
shot. My confidence was at its lowest , my health wasn't ideal, and I had no idea what to expect from these sessions,
it was safe to say I was sceptical.
When I first met Janine and sat down for my first session, I felt strange, nervous at the thought
of what I would have to say and how I would be spoken too. When I did speak about my experiences of being bullied and victimised
at work, I had difficulty addressing whether it was my fault, and if the person that I am, had invited the people I worked
with to attack the areas of my ego, and as well my home. Janine helped me overcome these worries, and convinced me I was bullied,
I could start to deal with the despairing feeling I had suffered from that job.
It soon became easier to talk,
and too put my trust in this person. Someone was listening to me, and trying to understand how this episode had effected me.
Did she care though? Or was I just another patient for her? I believed she cared. As sessions continued, I continued to improve. I was
exercising regularly and combining that with a more stable mind, I was feeling better. Sessions for me, didn't feel like
sessions, I was relaxed, and even though we were addressing serious matters, and the problems I face, I was still fully committed
to what I had to do to improve.
With my life having reached a stand still before my sessions had started, each week was a stepping
stone and a improvement on the last. Having tackled the issues with my parents and the frustrations that had developed with
myself being unemployed. These issues weren't upsetting me as before, and I felt I had the strength to fight.
Whether it was how therapy was making me feel better about myself or how the people around me were noticing the positive
changes I was going through, it was proving to be a very comforting and rewarding experience. The mental exercises I had learnt
and the opinions of someone I respected were giving me a added boost as I left the room each week and faced the world again. I look forward
to each session, for me now sitting on a chair directly facing someone you have to talk to for a hour, doesn't provide
feelings of anxiety, it provides an escape, a chance to open my heart about anything I want to say. Its irrelevant that this
person isn't a friend to me, or that after my session time is up I will never see her again. What I have been given is
the inspiration to rebuild my life, and to improve on every aspect of my personality.
Anyone who is as sceptical
as I was or has ever had any doubt that this could work them, shouldn't have any fears, because what it can be simply
described as is having someone who cares, talks and listens to you for an amount of time that could change your life.
Therapy
has allowed me to come to terms with the person I can be, which is the person that I certainly want to be.
W.N
I welcome any testimonials that clients
may like to add to this page to express there
experience’s about our work together.
Please e-mail me with your testimonial.
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