Kirstie Findlay
Counselling
ABOUT ME
My Truth
I value your uniqueness, and trust, and I respect what you have to say. I believe in having faith in yourself despite what others say. I believe its ok to let our truth be known, and indeed, it’s important to be heard. I believe we all have the power to heal ourselves and that instinctively we know what is right for us.
My role as a therapist is to work with you to explore and discover how you feel about what has brought you to this point, and how you can get to where you want to be. I believe we make the best choice we can with the information we have at the time, I don't judge you and I don’t offer advice. I can offer you support and breathing space, and I may invite you to consider a different perspective. I believe we are all connected in some way and that impossible things are possible.
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A word about Uniqueness and Self Acceptance
I believe that each and every person has been formed by their own experience and outlook on the world. No person has experienced things the same as anybody else (even when side by side at the same event). The experiences that have shaped us cause us to see things differently to anyone else. We cannot presume to know what another person feels and experiences, we cannot tell another person what is best for them, and we cannot compare ourselves to others.
Our life’s work and purpose
It is my belief that every aspect of life is work. Wherever you choose to put your energy (your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being) is where you will excel. We can be working hard and achieving one thing, yet unwittingly neglecting ourselves and the things that could make us happy. We may focus on living up to the expectations of others, driving ourselves to achieve more and more, never turning down that social engagement, living in the past and berating ourselves for errors we made, living in the future and fearing what might happen to us, or holding on to things that perhaps once, but no longer, serve a positive purpose. Like any other aspect of our life, our mental health needs attention, maintenance and work too.
Sometimes, its hard to identify the emotions we are actually feeling, and on occasion, the truth is too painful or frightening for us to acknowledge even to ourselves. Sometimes we find ourselves feeling lonely and depressed, or find ourselves dealing with stress and anxiety. I have often heard said "I just want to be happy". To this end, perhaps the real work we need to put our energy into is the work we do on ourselves. For without feeling genuinely good about ourselves and what we have created in life, how can we be happy if the outside "success" we have created, is let down by our mistrust in and minimisation of, our inner selves, and our ability to create and maintain connected human relationships?
My experience
I work with anxiety, self doubt and low self esteem, identity and self acceptance. I work with loss and bereavement, and I understand how loss of any nature (a person or situation) can affect the whole of our lives and cause fear, worry and self doubt. I have worked in a school setting with adolescents and young people, and with older adults who are in the process of “sifting through” life, reflecting back and reconciling with themselves. I hold a Dip. Therapeutic Counselling, and am a registered MBACP, and practice the BACP code of ethics. I promise: to hear you, to respect you, and to work with you with your best interests at heart. I combine different theoretical perspectives and approaches depending on what works best for you.
I undertake regular training to ensure I continue to provide the best practice for you.