Alison O’Connor

Available to assist: Individual, Young Persons

Therapy

I am a BACP Accredited counsellor with 20 year’s experience of helping adults and young people make sense of life’s challenges. I have worked in the NHS, in the third sector and in private practice. I offer a warm, collaborative approach, working with kindness to help people reflect on their lives, make sense of difficulties and make the changes they want and need. 

I draw from a range of approaches including CBT, Compassion Focused Therapy and humanistic counselling.  I have an interest in Self-Compassion which uses mindfulness to help people develop a kinder way of relating to themselves and overcome self-criticism and intrusive thoughts. I offer Trauma-Focused CBT and the Rewind Technique, which are approaches to help overcome traumatic memories and experiences.

I am experienced in working with complex trauma, helping people recover from difficult childhood experiences. I have worked for many years with military veterans and families. I am interested in moral injury, work-related stress and burnout and work with professionals from health, social care and the corporate sector. I am experienced in working with anxiety, depression, difficulties with drugs and alcohol, adapting to life changing diagnoses, and grief and loss.

I worked for several years as a Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy and am experienced in working with students and young people, helping them navigate the challenges of Higher Education. I am a passionate LGBTQI+ ally and work in a way that is inclusive, anti-racist and non-judgemental. 

I offer short- and long-term therapy. Sometimes, people find a few sessions are all they need to work things out and get back on track. For others, a longer-term approach may be helpful, particularly if difficulties have been there for a long time. 

In the first session I will invite you to talk about what has brought you to therapy and what you might hope for from our sessions. I will listen deeply and help you identify what it is you think you need. I will tell you a little bit about me and how I think we may be able to work together. If it seems that I am not the right person to help you at this point, I will try to signpost another therapist who may be better suited to help you. 

Supervision

I offer supervision and reflective practice for a range of professionals. I have a Masters in Consultative Supervision and am experienced in working with counsellors, therapists, nurses and other frontline staff as well as professionals in the corporate sector. I offer group and individual supervision, creating a space for people to reflect on their work, explore their current work-life balance and develop strategies to deepen their enjoyment of work and reduce stress.

Training and retreats

I offer training and retreats for personal and professional development. For more information on this, please visit https://www.alisonoconnor.co.uk/

Fees

  • Individuals £65
  • Young people £65
  • Supervision £65 (1 hr) / £90 (1.5 hours)
Book session with Alison