Welcome to Opportune Counselling
Op-port-tune = through the doorway to your inner self
Welcome, and thank you for visiting. My name is Catherine and I am a MBACP Registered therapeutic counsellor providing both face-to-face: Clapham Common London SW4 (The Light Centre) & Eastbourne and online sessions.
Taking the Opportunity
I am a Humanistic therapeutic clinical counsellor who works with creative sensitive treatment for psychological challenges and struggles that come about for creatives and creative professionals in pursuit of the creative aim. My counselling includes attuned and sensitively tailored interventions for the creative’s psyche. The benefits are increased mental and emotional wellbeing, and deeper levels of creative expression. I help creatives of all kinds including artists, writers, performers, programmers, developers, musicians, and architects, scientists and designers.
I offer a chance 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 a new understanding of yourself. Counselling isn’t about giving you solutions or advice, but empowering you to make your own changes.
Counselling for Creatives
"It's in changing we find purpose and meaning. We are here to transform,to move through across forms; the changing of forms is part of being human, to find the ever deeper sense of self."
"If I never knew that I would benefit so much as I have done. It was cloudy and chaotic before and finding a way with my inner self has brought me more clarity."
Counselling can help you explore your struggles, thoughts and feelings and begins a process of reflection on your life now in relation to the past and the future. You’ll gain insight and understanding that will enable you to gain relief and open up creative possibilities in your life again. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling for creatives:
Anxiety Creative blocks & stuck-ness
Low mood
Low motivation
Self doubt -Self critcal
Performance anxiety
sexual problems
Self-confidence
Self-esteem issues
Relationship issues - Professional or Personal
Bullying Family issues
Unresolved trauma
Loss Grief Bereavement
Life transitions
Loneliness, isolation
Separation
Neurodiversity
Health anxiety STRESS
About Me
My professional background is working in the creative industries, in different countries, including design, advertising and documentary television. I am well versed in the creative's struggles where external pressures as well as internal processes can become frustrating, even huge difficulties in pursuit of the creative output. I have also taught an expressive dance and it was then that I recognised people's need for a psychological process to accompany their creative work. This led me to train as a counsellor and I now work at that specific intersection of creativity and mental health.
I have worked as a counsellor for 7 years including volunteering in a south London clinic helping diverse people deal with a full range of difficulties of life. I have also worked in a Sussex community mental health charity helping people with diverse issues and challenges such as neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ and cultural diversity. I have trained extensively in trauma and grief counselling.
My location
I offer sessions face to face, in Eastbourne East Sussex and Clapham Common, London SW4 and online and telephone for those who are further afield or the convenience and flexibility these both offer.
I offer a free no obligation phone conversation for you to find out about my approach and for you to get an idea of me so that you can decide if I am suitable for your needs. I will ask you why you are seeking counselling at this time and whether you have been to counselling or any other psychological service before. I will explain my terms and fees and you can then decide if you would like to then book the first session, whereby my Privacy Policy will be issued to protect your data from there on.
Fees & availability
In the first session I will take details, and ask you some specific questions about your history and current life. I will also ask about any medical or psychological history and diagnosis. I abide by the BACP ethical code which means I have a duty of care and therefore need to have this information to deliver that care.
At the end of this session this is when you can decide if you want to continue with subsequent sessions and so I then require you to sign the Counselling contract. I work with a minimum of 6 sessions for you to be able to feel the relationship develope to support you in your issues that you bring.
Each session is 50 mins long and are at a weekly pace. Please email for fees.
I work onlineand on person both in Eastbourne, East Sussex and Clapham Common, London at The Light Centre.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07955 436798 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
Please specify if you would like to have sessions either in Eastbourne or Clapham London SW4, or online when you are sending your message. Thank you.
© Catherine Telford MBACP
powered by WebHealer