Harriet Shephard
Hi there! Thank you for looking at my profile.
I’m Harriet, I use she/her pronouns and I am a trauma-informed, person-centred counsellor offering an empathetic, compassionate and non-judgemental space for you to be heard.
Together we can explore how life is for you, what you might want to process and heal from, and how you might want to exist in the world.
My approach: Trauma-informed, person-centred counselling, offered face to face in a welcoming and affirming environment.
A welcoming space for you
My counselling practice is affirming of LGBTQIA+ people, people of colour, disabled people and neurodivergent people.
I welcome you as you are, offering space to explore your experiences, identity, feelings and whatever may be important to you, without judgement or expectation.
Fees and availability
- Weekly face-to-face counselling sessions
- 50 minutes per session
- £60 per session
- Free 20-minute introductory telephone call
The introductory call gives us both an opportunity to get a sense of each other and explore whether working together feels right.
How I work
Your experience is individual and unique. As Carl Rogers wrote, “no one else can know how we perceive, we are the best experts on ourselves” (1961).
By providing the conditions for you to express yourself how you wish to, I aim to gently encourage you to be as authentically yourself as possible, being curious together about the issues you may be going through.
I do this through deep listening, reflecting back how I understand your communication and, at times when appropriate, gently challenging thought patterns that may not be helpful.
I do not offer advice or tell you what to do or how to be. Instead, I hold space for you to be who you are in the present.
Finding your way to express yourself
Talking about how we feel does not always come easily, and that is absolutely fine.
If you initially find talking challenging, I can ask questions to help us begin. We can also explore other ways of communicating, such as sounds, gestures, writing, movement and other creative, metaphorical or alternative forms of expression.
There is no single right way to express yourself in counselling. We can explore what feels comfortable and meaningful for you.
Qualifications and experience
I hold a Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling from The Norwich Centre, completed through a BACP-accredited course.
I work both in private practice here at No. 8 Counsellors and for a local charity offering counselling.
I have over 15 years of experience serving the mental health needs of individuals and communities through a variety of therapeutically-minded roles.
I also have a creative background and an interest in how all manner of art practices can support healing processes.
For more information about the counselling available at No. 8, please visit our services page.
Getting started
It’s important that you find the right counsellor for you. A healthy, trusting relationship between counsellor and client is an important part of therapy.
I offer a free 20-minute initial telephone call so we can get a sense of each other, discuss what you are looking for and see whether working together feels like a good fit.
Please get in touch if you are interested in working with me.