Within a compassionate connection, we can seek hope, and light. 

I’m Catherine, founder and creator of Compassionate Connections Counselling & Psychotherapy. I facilitate Counselling Sessions throughout the UK, and more locally to Malton, York, Scarborough, and the surrounding areas. I came to founding and creating this therapeutic service, from personally experiencing a lack of help and support during my own painful dark times. It was only when I began to access therapeutic activities, and communities, which evolved to counselling training, and accessing my own personal therapy, that I discovered how having a compassionate connection with another person was truly transformative. It felt like I had somehow stumbled upon a different way, that opened my eyes to how the world could be, and how I could be in the world. I feel passionately that people deserve to be met by another human being, who can offer a compassionate connection, especially when those painful dark times arise. I vow to bring more compassion to the world. 

Reach out to connect. 

A very warm welcome. I’m a person centred counsellor and psychotherapist. The person centred approach means that I believe, that you are the expert of yourself, therefore I’m not here to tell you what to do, or to give you advice, as I believe you know what you need. 

What do you need?

Do you need to express what’s happening for you? Do you need some help and support to manage your thoughts and feelings? Do you need to explore feeling angry? Or feeling sad? Or feeling lonely? Or are you left with feelings of guilt or shame? Or the what if’s, and if only’s? Do you need to seek a way through and forward? Do you need to revisit the past to seek a way into the future? 

My aim is to offer you a therapeutic relationship, where you can explore what you need, your thoughts and feelings, and a way through and forward, at a pace that is supportive, and compassionate. 

I offer a non judgmental environment, that is free from evaluation. 

Thank you for being here, I see and understand just how vulnerable this can feel, and the courage it takes to begin, or to continue therapy. 

My counselling journey began through my own personal life events, which have included, family relational trauma, relationship separation, loss of a home, poverty, isolation, domestic violence, infidelity, and a bereavement due to mental health and addiction. These life events led me to seek out help and support within therapeutic activities, and communities, which evolved to counselling training, and accessing my own personal therapy. I became increasingly intrigued by the counselling process the more I developed. I studied for over 4 years, and now have a level 4 diploma in therapeutic counselling.

I have experience of working as a mental health care assistant, within a medium secure mental health hospital, where I witnessed a different approach to person centred therapy. Through experiencing different approaches I gained a sense of my own way of being. I aim to offer a person centred, relational approach, through a compassionate connection. 

I have previously trained and volunteered with Samaritans, and I have trained and volunteer with Cruse Bereavement Support. 

My specialisms are bereavement and loss, addictions, systemic trauma, and counselling services trauma. I also work with relationship trauma, family relationship trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, and other mental health issues, and other life events, and transitions. 

Within bereavement and loss, I work with the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, the loss of a relationship not experienced, the loss of a job, the loss of a home, the loss of physical and/or mental health, multiple losses and any loss. 

Within addiction, I work with drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping, food, sex, porn, the internet, gaming, working long hours, and anything that is used to self medicate, away from experiencing what is there within. Let’s explore the hungry ghost. 

I have a special interest and passion, in supporting those who have experienced repression, suppression, and oppression within systems of any kind, especially the mental health system, and prison systems. I have a commitment to helping and supporting people to regain their own sense of self. 

I also support those who have accessed previous counselling services, where needs have not been met. I would be open to exploring those experiences with you, and exploring your needs as they are now. As I believe that a compassionate connection alongside maybe a different approach could make all the difference to how therapy feels, and how beneficial you find the experience. I am always open to exploring how the sessions with me, feels for you. I believe an open and honest dialogue is essential throughout our time together, for you to gain the most you possibly can from the sessions. I welcome feedback, and have a understanding of being a work in progress. 

I could offer support, or I am able to make suggestions on therapeutic activities to aid the counselling process outside of the sessions, if that is something that you feel would be helpful to you. Such as sending links to talks and conversations around what may have arisen during the session. I could offer book suggestions based on your needs. And offer support or suggestions around engagement in therapeutic activities such as, being in nature, forest bathing, walking, dance/movement practices, grief yoga, swimming, listening to music, singing, gong baths, sound therapy, reading and writing poetry, journal writing, art therapy, self compassion meditations, and any other therapeutic activities that you find beneficial. I am able to personalise the therapeutic activities based on your needs, alongside your counselling journey. The two can go hand in hand, creating a full rounded therapeutic experience that can become a way of being, and a way of living.

My aim is to do my very best, to help and support you, whatever you’re facing, so that you don’t have to face what you’re going through alone.