Sue Smith

I am a Person Centred counsellor and did my initial counselling training ten years ago at No 5 in Reading. Until the end of last year I worked as a volunteer counsellor at No 5 and during that time counselled many young people (the youngest client being 11) and adults ranging in age from 18 to 65. I was presented with a wide range of issues and spent over 600 hours at No 5, thoroughly enjoying working with both individuals and couples through person centred counselling.

Five years ago I became an accredited Life Coach with the Coaching Academy and, if appropriate, will use a coaching approach in my work with clients.

Person centred counselling takes the view that each individual has the internal resources they need for growth, and acknowledges that the client themselves is the best expert in the self healing capacity of that individual. As a counsellor my aim is to facilitate an equal relationship with each client and this approach stresses the quality of the counsellor/client relationship. Respect, unconditional acceptance, warmth, honesty and empathy are essential elements to a successful rapport developing between myself and a client.

So if you are unsure whether or not counselling is for you why not ring the Centre and we can have an informal chat, in complete confidence, either at the Centre or over the ‘phone. I work at the Centre on Wednesdays from 10 am to 4 pm.