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Counselling Testimonials

Read the experiences of previous clients who kindly agreed to write about their story and allow me to publish it here.

My story and how seeing Judith got me through.

When I met Judith my life felt like hell. To everyone (except my partner) I was fine, I was still the happy, bubbly person I always had been, I had perfected wearing a mask that much. But on the inside I questioned daily the point of being alive – what was the point of living with this much pain? But why the pain? I didn’t know what had caused it and that was my biggest question. I spent every day putting others before me, making sure everyone else’s needs were met and never my own. Being a teacher, a granddaughter of a very ill disabled grandmother, a supportive friend and family member that was a lot of people to please! I felt I was failing at everything. But I also felt like a freak – to everyone looking in my life would have seemed ideal and perfect. But I didn’t feel like that. To me it was just all hard work that I didn’t want to do anymore.

Before I met Judith I had been to my GP and been diagnosed with moderate to severe depression, he placed me on a waiting list for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I was told I would be contacted shortly – I was finally seen 3 months later! I met the therapist and found it impossible – she didn’t like the way I answered her questions, the fact I couldn’t give a reason behind my depression and that I told her I felt suicidal but would never ever act on these feelings. The next day my GP called and told me that the therapist felt I was ‘too much to handle’ and refused to work with me again! It was my very nightmare therapy coming true.

Then I found Judith...

Within a week of contacting Judith via email I had an appointment the following Saturday. It was so important to me that I could have appointments in the evenings or at the weekend, that worked best for me and meant that my partner could drop me off for moral support. My first hour flew by, I explained my story so far and felt I was being listened to and understood for the first time.

Soon I had weekly evening appointments. I will be honest, sometimes I really didn’t want to go, it was hard and sometimes I did leave with more questions but I never once doubted that the sessions were helping me. I loved the fact that the sessions started with how my week had been and that determined what course the session took, if something was particularly troubling me I had a way of dealing with it then and there.

She made me realise what an important person I was to so many people and that to carry on looking after and supporting others I had to do this to myself first. She almost gave me a reason to relax, take a step back and for the first time ever put myself first.

I found that Judith often led me to answering my own questions. Sitting here and writing this I realise that actually one of Judith’s great skills was making me think we did it together. She didn’t change my life, we did it together. This has given me the strength to carry on on my own, to not feel the need to see a Counsellor and feel that I have my life in my own hands.

Being honest, I still get days when I feel down, that I question life. But I know form the sessions and my education about depression that it never goes away. But now I can recognise that feeling within a day, I take a step back, look at what is getting on top of me and have some ‘me time’. I think of the things I learnt and what Judith taught me and carry on. I have learnt that I am my priority and to keep with the life I choose to lead I must care about myself.

If I became ill again, or even thought that I had that feeling I would call Judith without a second thought. So few people understand the mind of a depressive, what people actually feel like and to meet Judith, to have never ever felt judged, forced into a corner or let down by someone who I had never met before was incredible. Judith helped fix me, improve me, heal me and just make me me again. Without a doubt visiting Judith was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life and helped make my life what it is today. I only wish I had gone to see her earlier!

Testimonial two

We felt our relationship was floundering over certain issues that kept recurring and our marriage was deteriorating. We ourselves couldn't resolve them so decided to seek counselling.

At our initial session we both found it very easy to talk to Judith, she was open about what would be involved and there was no pressure to continue with counselling. We decided to plan a series of counselling sessions. Judith was non judgemental in her approach but was able to provoke deeper thought and inquisitive thinking about ourselves to help resolve our issues or at least see the causes of the problems. We would discuss together with Judith during the sessions and between ourselves at home. We became much calmer in our approach to each other. At times the sessions were emotionally draining as we had to face our problems honestly, but with Judith's skills and patience we were able to work out our own compromises and solutions.

A lot was achieved during our sessions and after 5 we mutually agreed that we had worked thro' the most serious problems and had put in place changes to both our lives, that were realistic and achievable, this has helped us make our marriage stronger.

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