LOCATION: Wilbury Road and online
AVAILABILITY: Tues, Wed & Thurs evenings
PRICE: £60 per session, £80 for couples
SPECIALISMS:
Couples and relationships
Young adults
Sexual abuse

Training

Serena is an experienced psychotherapist offering brief therapy or longer term depth work for individuals and couples. Having trained at the Karuna Institute, she has an MA in Core Process Psychotherapy, a contemplative practice drawing on the principles of mindfulness and psychodynamic theory.

She has studied and practised with Place 2 Be, a charity for child counselling in schools, gaining her Level 4 Certificate for counselling children and has also trained at Re-Vision, Couples in Search of Soul, developing her knowledge for working with couples.

Serena has extensive experience working with adults, adolescents and couples in a variety of settings including schools, NHS and private practice.

Approach

Couples Counselling

Relationships can be deeply fulfilling offering us intimacy and a sense of belonging, but can at times be fraught with emotional difficulty and pain. Problems such as communication breakdown, resentments, blame or betrayal can lead to a sense of disconnection and feelings of loneliness within the relationship.

There are many reason you may seek out relationship counselling. Perhaps your relationship is fraught with tension and arguments or feels distant and unsupportive; perhaps there is a desire to recover something that feels lost. Maybe you simply want to know one another that little bit more and strengthen what is already there. Or you may not be in a relationship and wish to explore what this means to you...

When we explore relationship we are also looking at the role this plays in our lives. What are our fears, hopes, expectations and dreams that keep us in or out of relationship? What does intimacy mean for us? As we explore values, deeply held beliefs and our past experience it is possible to see the impact this has on us now and make steps towards healthier, more supportive relationships.

Whether you are seeking counselling as an intimate couple, within a friendship, as family members or as an individual, exploring our relationships can be a hugely beneficial and can act as a catalyst for growth and understanding.

As well as exploring the individual needs and feelings Serena is deeply supportive of the relationship as a whole and encourages an enquiry into that which has been co-created. Serena offers a safe space to explore the feelings you are carrying enabling you to reconnect with one another, face challenges and find resolution with clarity and compassion.

Sexual abuse

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse you may find yourself experiencing confusing and conflicting thoughts and feelings that can be overwhelming. Feelings of anxiety, depression, stress and panic may appear at times that leave you feeling out of control or isolated from those around you.

You may find that feelings of guilt and shame, anger and frustration impact you and affect how you feel about yourself. At times these feelings can lead to a sense of dissociation or self destructive behaviour and sometimes it can manifest in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These experiences can make day to day life extremely painful.

Serena offers a safe and confidential space to explore the impact of what can be a traumatic experience, an opportunity to heal the wounded parts and begin the healing process. Using trauma recovery techniques you can begin to create strategies that bring you to a place of safety and wholeness. Serena focuses on building internal and external resources, encouraging you to be gentle with yourself as you unravel the myriad of thoughts and emotions, taking steps towards validation, freedom and greater fulfilment.

Counselling for Teens and Young Adults

As a young adult you are at a time of your life that rests on a cusp of change. For many of you this can be a deeply challenging and overwhelming time as you carve out your path and become independent in the adult world. This can be an exciting time but is not without its difficulties, and at times fear of the future can loom quite big. Isolation, identity and existential crises are common, alongside experiences of stress, depression and anxiety. Often this can be a chaotic time and struggles with drugs, alcohol, sex and food are not uncommon.

Dealing with complex emotions and new experience can feel daunting and can be difficult to express. Counselling is a great space to explore fears, struggles, ideas, hopes and dreams in a private space. It can be an opportunity to reflect on the past you are leaving behind and to explore your life now, enabling you to move towards your future with a stronger sense of who you are and who you wish to become.

Other information

Serena's practice is an integrated holistic approach focusing on mind and body to gain a deeper understanding of inner experience. The use of mindfulness in therapy has vast benefits including a deeply positive affect in managing and reducing emotional stress and anxiety. Bringing mindful attention to the arising sensations, thoughts and emotions in the present moment creates the space to slow down and reflect on what is happening. This refinement of awareness promotes a healthy sense of well-being, carrying with it the possibility of change and making way for a fuller and more spontaneous way of being.

Serena's intention is to offer a safe and non-judgemental space to uncover these complex thoughts and feelings. She believes that we all hold the wisdom and strength to heal our pain and trusts that the therapeutic process is a powerful aid in that journey.

Concessions available for students and those on low income.

Serena’s articles in expertise and resources