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Theories
And Approaches

At Restorative Counselling, I offer a variety of therapeutic approaches, Theories and interventions tailored to meet your unique needs. As a Humanistic Integrative Trauma Focussed Counsellor, I use a range of techniques designed to provide you with compassionate and effective support. My approach is rooted in understanding you as a whole person, rather than focusing solely on your symptoms or challenges, allowing us to work together towards healing, growth, and emotional balance.
I work in a Personal Centred way, putting you and your needs first, creating a safe space and working in a non-judgemental way, where we can explore your issues and feelings at a pace that is suited to you. This approach will allow a process safety, self-reflection and emotional expression, helping you gain clarity on your situation and experiences. I integrate many different theoretical approaches including Gestalt Therapy and the Cycle of Awareness. This helps with emotional awareness and understanding of how your emotions shape your behaviour.

Foster a sense of safety and healing

For those seeking practical tools to manage thoughts, feelings and behaviours, I use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). Both are evidence-based approaches known for their effectiveness in treating anxiety, depression, and other emotional difficulties by challenging unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours.

Mindfulness practices and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy also form part of my integrative approach, helping you cultivate self-awareness and understanding of the different aspects of yourself. If you are dealing with deep-seated trauma, I incorporate Complex Trauma Therapy, Trauma Recovery (using the three-phased model), and Polyvagal Therapy to address trauma and its long-term emotional effects, helping foster a sense of safety and healing.

Effective strategies for moving forward

In addition to these, I offer Somatic Therapy, which works with the body to help release stress and trauma held in the body, and I draw from Attachment Theory and Transactional Analysis to help explore how early life experiences shape your current relationships and emotional patterns.

For more solution-focused methods, I provide Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Brief Solution-Focused Therapy. These approaches are designed to help you focus on practical solutions and immediate goals, offering effective strategies for moving forward. If you’re in recovery from addiction or substance misuse, I also offer Relapse Prevention and 12-Step Interventions, designed to support long-term sobriety and personal growth.

Therapies & Approaches
About Christian Stevens
About Christian Stevens
About Christian Stevens

Therapy Offered

No matter where you are on your journey, I am here to support you with kindness, empathy, expertise, and a personalised approach. Together, we can work towards restoring emotional well-being and finding balance in your life. If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out today to discuss how we can work together.

Thank you for considering me as your therapist!

Discover a range of personalised therapeutic approaches designed to support your unique journey towards healing, personal growth, and emotional well-being.

FAQs

The FAQs section answers common questions about counselling, session lengths, fees, and what to expect, helping you make an informed decision about therapy.
Will counselling work?

Counselling works best when you recognise that you’re struggling and can no longer continue as you are, and you want to make changes in your life but don’t know how. Sometimes, it may feel almost impossible to know what these changes should be. Often, the insights that arise are created during sessions through deep discussions and are developed between sessions.

Counselling can be challenging, as it may bring old memories, feelings, and past hurts to the surface. However, sharing these thoughts and feelings will give you a clearer understanding of why they still cause you pain, an ability to reduce that pain, and even help you find healing from those experiences.

I offer a Humanistic Integrative approach in a person-centred way. This means that we focus on you as an individual, working with your agenda, allowing you to explore those difficult memories and feelings. I use a combination of approaches to suit your individual needs because I believe one size does not fit all. We are all unique.

Should I have short-term or long-term counselling?

This is entirely up to you and something we can discuss during our initial consultation. Sometimes, starting with six sessions can be beneficial, and during these sessions, we can review whether you would like to continue or terminate them. Short-term counselling can be helpful during an immediate crisis to support you through it.

Long-term counselling allows for a deeper exploration of your problems, helping you understand how they affect you and where they stem from. We can start with weekly sessions and later move to fortnightly or every three weeks, depending on the situation and what would benefit you. Remember, this is your decision. At the end, we can have a final review and look at ways to help you move forward in your life, making the transition as safe and comfortable as possible.

What will happen when I stop counselling?

Often, you will know when your counselling is nearing its end. You will feel more confident and at peace within yourself, and the memories will not cause you as much pain. You will be able to reflect on them in a way that no longer distresses you. We will discuss how you would like to conclude the counselling process.

We can have a final review a few weeks after counselling ends to see how you have been coping and how you’ve incorporated these changes into your daily life.

What are your fees?

I currently charge £50 per session. I also offer concessions for those in need and will try to match your income, as I understand that affording regular counselling can be challenging.

For students studying for their Diploma or another qualification who need hours towards their personal counselling, I also offer a concession if needed.

Your first appointment may seem daunting, but it’s an opportunity for us to meet and get to know each other. We can then discuss how we can best work together and how I may be able to help you.

I also offer a free 20-minute phone call to briefly discuss the therapy and how we can begin.

Find Out More About
Restorative Counselling

Learn how personalised therapy can help you heal, grow, and find balance.