COUNSELLING & THERAPY
FOR INDIVIDUALS
Welcome and thank you for visiting Hummingbird Therapies
My name is Bernice Birleson and I am a Therapist providing both short and long-term therapy to individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations via telephone or online, using Skype and Zoom.
We all experience times of difficulty in our lives, when events or relationships feel overwhelming, or we can feel a loss of direction or purpose. Talking to a trained professional helps us make sense of those challenging times and offers a way through them, moving towards a better understanding of ourselves and our feelings.
Making the decision to see a Therapist can be a big step to take - but it can be a highly positive one. Please read on to find out more about how I could help you.
Following an initial session to allow us to explore why you have decided to have therapy, for you to ask any questions you may have and for us to explore possible steps forward, my approach throughout each session is to offer insights, knowledge, links to research and suggestions of reading or further exploration that may support further progress. I often suggest a focus to support your understanding of the challenges you are experiencing. I also offer support between sessions through e mail as appropriate.
I work with people from all walks of life and backgrounds, coming to me with a diverse range of problems. As a fully-qualified Therapist I offer a wide range of skills and approaches. If you think I might be able to help you, please contact me.
To learn about why the Hummingbird is a great representation of this type of inner work, please click here.
QUALIFICATIONS:
I am a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and abide by their code of ethics, as well as membership of other bodies including The Hypnotherapy Society.
I have also undertaken a wide range of trainings and qualifications, including: BEd (Hons); Cert. HE; AD Dip Psychotherapy; AD Dip Hypnotherapy and Coaching Diplomas.
HOW CAN THERAPY HELP?
Life brings many challenges, and it is understandable that at times we might look for support in facing them. As a Therapist my role is to provide space and guidance to help you on your journey of self-discovery; to enable you to explore your life and make new, meaningful choices within it.
I offer a space within which to reflect on the difficulties or problems you are experiencing in a safe and confidential environment, with someone from outside your day-to-day life. Together we can explore your situation in a way that leads to fresh perspectives - and perhaps a new understanding of yourself. Therapy isn’t about giving you solutions or advice, but empowering you to make your own changes.
To learn more about my approach and how I work, please click here.
SPEAK IN CONFIDENCE
Counselling takes place in a safe space, where you can meet with someone who will listen with sensitivity and empathy - and without judgement. In the therapy space thoughts and feelings can be expressed freely and in confidence.
A PROBLEM SHARED...
Challenges in life often mean that we can face difficulties in our everyday lives that can feel difficult to work through. Therapy gives us a set of tools we can use to help gain a better understanding of what’s causing these problems - and how you can move towards managing or resolving them.
MAKING NEW CHOICES
Working together I can help you gain greater insight into the difficulties you are facing, help you understand why you act or react to them the way you do, and see how you can start to make better, life changing choices moving forward.
LOCATION, FEES & AVAILABILITY
I am currently offering sessions online or over the phone. Please get in touch for more information or to book an appointment.
SESSIONS
All therapy sessions last 50 minutes, can take place on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, and cost £70 per session.
Note that if you want to cancel an appointment ideally I need at least 3-5 days notice; otherwise you will still need to pay for any sessions missed. I accept payment in by bank transfer prior to the session .
TESTIMONIALS
"Over the decades, from time to time, I have needed to work with a therapist. I can honestly say, having worked with a few therapists that Bernice is in a class of her own. She has deep experience, profound insight, and incredible breadth of knowledge and is a highly actualised human being.
Bernice always conducts sessions with immense skill and wisdom, and is quite simply superb at what she does. I have worked with her over the last few years on and off and she has supported me through some of the deepest personal evolution I have achieved.
I have also recommended her to various friends and family members. They all, without exception, cannot speak highly enough of Bernice, her practice and her insight. I recommend her without hesitation."
"Bernice has turned my life around. She has helped me identify and deal with significant challenge in life and shone a spotlight on the early childhood attachment patterns I experienced that reveal my vulnerability to situations that pose specific triggers and traumatic responses.
Her insistence that joy lies ahead once I can release myself from past patterns and triggers has kept me going through difficult times and, for all my doubts that I’d ever reach that point, proved to be wonderfully true. I have no words to thank her enough."
"I first started seeing Bernice two years ago when there was a lot of uncertainty in my life and I needed the chaos in my head to make sense and give my life some direction.
My sessions with Bernice have certainly helped me do that and so much more. I have come to see patterns in my behaviour starting from childhood, thoughts I hadn’t realised enforced these habits – and experiences that shaped the core beliefs I see the world through.
Each session has taken into consideration what works for me specifically – writing letters, keeping lists, reading evidence-based research into psychology. All the work we have done together has led me to become kinder to myself, to see all the uniqueness that makes me who I am, and ultimately leading a life that is more authentically me.
I have become a lot better at communicating my needs and all my relationships have become more fulfilled. Through all this time as I have become more independent, I have been offered options to either stop therapy altogether or to reduce the frequency of sessions and it has been purely my choice to continue since I believe there are huge benefits to therapy even when we feel happy and in control.
I look forward to each hour-long session and am filled with joy afterwards even if they frequently involve asking myself difficult questions. When any of my friends or family consider therapy – whether it is their first time or not, or, - if someone needs a bit of help but have become wary after visiting lots of other therapists who just didn’t work for them (as I was before I met Bernice) I am always happy to recommend Bernice to them."
"I have been very lucky to be supported by Bernice for over 15 years and cannot praise and recommend her highly enough. She has always been very intuitive, kind, gentle, calm, knowledgeable and supportive and has always known exactly when and how much to ‘gently nudge me’ to go deeper in my healing when I was ready to.
There were periods when I had to take time out but she would always warmly welcome me back which meant a lot to me. Bernice has changed my life and I will always be very grateful for finding her approach to therapy.
She has also been invaluable in helping and supporting my partner and I in couples therapy."
"I have been having sessions with Bernice for around 7 years now. Walking through the door for the first time felt daunting and I only did it because I had reached crisis point. What happened over the coming months was profound.
With Bernice’s expert help, and a decent amount of courage, I was able to see perspectives and solutions in a way that felt, and still feels, magical. Bernice supported me to see that my lowest ebb was in fact the foundation of a new beginning.
Without exaggeration my interactions with Bernice have been life affirming and life changing. I can’t say thank you to her enough. I now see Bernice when I have something to smooth out, it’s like going for a massage – I always walk out with a little more spring in my step!"
"Bernice has an amazing depth of knowledge across so many aspects of life including raising happy children, relationships and spirituality. She is warm and non-judgemental and has helped my partner and I on so many levels."
"Having been a client for a number of years, Bernice has provided me with support and guidance through the highs and lows of life. She brings clarity to my thinking and has helped me to examine issues and challenges through a different lens.
At my lowest points, Bernice has provided kindness and a safe place in which I could allow myself to be vulnerable and to share things that I would not have felt comfortable sharing with anyone else.
At my highest points, Bernice has empowered me to be bold and to focus on achieving my goals. Without hesitation, I have and will continue to, recommend Bernice to anyone looking for therapy or is in need of support."
'Thank you for the amazing insights and ideas from our sessions this year. They have opened up an astounding panorama of possibilities and changed my outlook and experience of self and others entirely. You are truly a soul whisperer'
CONTACT ME
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how Therapy works, or to arrange an initial session. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to Therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services. Find out more by reading my Privacy Policy.
©2021 Bernice Birleson
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