Hi, I'm Dan
Welcome to my website.
Here you can find information on me and my counselling practice.
About me
I am a fully qualified counsellor in the Tamar Valley, Cornwall, not too far from Callington. I am a Person Centred trained counsellor, you can read more about what that means below.
Although my career has been mainly in the field of IT, the seeds of working in mental health began back in 1997 when I worked as medical librarian within a psychiatric setting and familiarised myself with the literature and the various professions within the field. I began my counselling training ten years later in 2007 and over the next five years I trained to achieve fully qualified status in 2012.
I have worked in agency settings and seen a variety of clients from teenager to pensioner, male and female. I have worked with a diverse range of client problems including the following:
Relationship problems
Bereavement
Anxiety
Depression
Generalised anxiety
Bullying
Carer support
Family issues
Suicidal thoughts
Stress
Trauma
LGBT issues
Work related stress
Domestic violence
Existential issues (death anxiety, meaning etc)
What I can offer
Face to face counselling
I offer one to one counselling in an annexed room at my home near Callington.
A safe, confidential space
I work to the British Association Of Counselling and Psychotherapy's Ethical Code Of Practice.
A trained ear
I will listen to you in an authentic, non-judgemental and empathic way so that you are heard.
Affordable counselling
I charge up to £25 per session and sometimes have space for discounted sessions for those on low incomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some commonly asked questions about counselling and my practice. Please click on the '+' sign next to each question to see the answer.
More than just chatting with a friend, counselling is a unique one to one relationship where the focus is entirely on you to help you restore emotional well-being.
Counselling can help with grief, depression, anxiety, stress, abuse, or other mental health conditions.
Although I would love to, the short answer is 'no'! As a Person Centred counsellor I don't profess to be an expert in you or your life but it is my job to do my best to help you discover the answers yourself.
Person Centred Counselling is one of the most well-known approaches practiced by counsellors and is popular with people who enjoy the freedom to talk about issues in a setting that is supportive and facilitative, rather than wanting specific techniques to manage things.
No, they are quite different. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is another talking therapy frequently offered by the NHS. It is highly structured and involves the therapist working with you to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.
Different approaches work for different people and research shows it is more to do with the relationship you have with your therapist rather than the type of therapy. Arguably someone could equally benefit from both approaches at different stages of their lives.
Counselling usually takes the form of 50 minute to 1 hour sessions. I charge up to £25 per session and sometimes have space for discounted sessions for those on low incomes.
The NHS typically offers only 6 sessions of CBT but many find this is too short and are left out on a limb when therapy ends. In reality the total number of sessions will be different dependent on the nature and complexity of your issues so I do not set such a limit.
My practice is in-between Callington and Tavistock, not too far from the villages of Metherell and Harrowbarrow.
New to counselling?
Here you will find some useful information if you are new to counselling which consists of two (fictitous) accounts to give you a flavour of the process and a leaflet about getting the most from counselling.
John - a case study
John had been coming to see me for several weeks, struggling with depression and feelings of inadequacy and of being a failure.
Read more in the PDFChristine's first counselling session
Christine had recently separated from her husband and was having trouble coping with the aftermath. A GP referall and an anti-depressant prescription brought her to her first counselling session.
Read more in the PDFGetting the most out of counselling
Counselling can be a lengthy and potentially expensive process. Here are some tips for getting the most out of the process.
Read more in the PDFContact Me
Please click on my email address below to send me an email message.
dan@danhildrewcounselling.co.uk
I am located near Metherell in the Tamar Valley so within easy reach of Callington, Tavistock, Gunnislake, St Ann's Chapel, Calstock and Harrowbarrow.
© Dan Hildrew Counselling