More About Me...
My journey into therapy
Before becoming a psychotherapist, I spent many years working in investment banking and financial services IT. While I enjoyed the challenges and opportunities that career provided, over time I felt increasingly drawn towards working more closely with people and doing something that felt personally meaningful.
That journey eventually led me to retrain as a counsellor and psychotherapist and to establish Micol Counselling and Therapy.
My previous career remains an important part of who I am and how I work. Having experienced demanding corporate environments first-hand, I understand some of the pressures that can come with work – managing expectations, changing roles, workplace relationships, stress, burnout and trying to balance professional responsibilities with life outside of work.
How I work
At the heart of my work is the belief that you are the expert on your own life.
I am primarily a person-centred therapist, which means I aim to provide a relationship in which you feel genuinely heard, accepted and understood. I won't tell you how you should feel or what decisions you should make. Instead, we work together to explore what is happening for you and develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences.
Although person-centred therapy forms the foundation of my practice, I work integratively and can draw on other therapeutic approaches where they may be helpful. This allows our work together to be shaped around you rather than expecting you to fit into one particular way of doing therapy.
Therapy can offer an opportunity to explore difficult experiences, recognise patterns, understand your emotions and relationships, and discover new ways of approaching the challenges you are facing. Sometimes it can simply provide a space where you don't have to have all the answers.
My experience
I work with adults, children, young people and neurodivergent clients experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties.
Alongside my private practice, my therapeutic experience has included working within schools, specialist SEND settings, community organisations and other counselling services. This has given me experience of supporting people from different backgrounds and at different stages of their lives.
I have a particular interest in working with neurodivergence and understand that people may experience and communicate emotions in very different ways. Rather than expecting someone to adapt to therapy, I believe therapy should be flexible enough to adapt to the individual.
A little about me as a therapist
Finding the right therapist is about more than qualifications or a particular therapeutic approach. The relationship between us matters.
My style is warm, calm and collaborative. I bring curiosity rather than judgement and aim to create an environment where you can gradually feel comfortable enough to be yourself.
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to talk about, and you don't need to have everything worked out before coming to therapy. We can start with wherever you are.
Professional background
I am a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and work within the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. I undertake regular clinical supervision and continuing professional development as part of my professional practice.
My training and professional development include counselling and psychotherapy with adults, children and young people, alongside further specialist study in areas including neurodivergence, trauma, safeguarding and emotional wellbeing.
Taking the next step
If you are considering therapy and would like to find out whether working together might be right for you, you're welcome to get in touch.
There is no expectation that you need to commit to ongoing therapy simply by making contact. We can have an initial conversation about what has brought you to therapy, what you are looking for and whether I may be able to help.