Rachael Peacock

By working with me in a therapy relationship, you’re invited to explore whatever you wish in an environment where the need for acceptance and expressing vulnerability or anxiety, in any form, is prized. Through taking the time to explore what’s troubling you within this environment, you may feel a greater sense of compassion and acceptance towards yourself and a deeper connection towards others.

My approach is called person-centred psychotherapy/counselling. This approach means that my therapy practice is built upon the philosophical foundation that as human beings, the unique ways we live and survive are to be respected and trusted. Through experiencing an ongoing, affirming environment it’s possible to move towards developing your personal potential and to feel you’re living a more enriched life.

MSc in Contemporary Person-centred Psychotherapy and Applications (UKCP Registration) Metanoia Institute, Middlesex University

I greatly value my work as a person-centred psychotherapist and the many clients I have encountered since starting out in practice back in 2014.

I carry sensitive awareness of how our ongoing and sometimes complex interactions with society can influence our self-perception and life experiences. Our individual socio-economic situation plus our age, gender, ethnicity, levels of ability/disability, sexual identity, nationality/cultural background can all interact to influence how we navigate our internal world and our relationships with the world around us. Consequently, I’ll respectfully acknowledge the unique context shaping your worldview, being guided by you as to whether it’s something you wish to explore with me during our sessions.

As your therapist, I believe you’re the best authority in knowing and choosing the areas of your life we’ll explore. My role is to be alongside you and all that is going on for you at any given moment. In my practice, I actively and diligently aspire to create a facilitative space for all your explorations and forms of self-expression. Throughout, I’ll endeavour to carefully and respectfully communicate my moment-to-moment empathic understanding of what might be going on for you which may help you to see yourself in new ways and with greater clarity.

The relationship we form and sense of connection you may feel are significant aspects of our work together. We can look at what’s causing distress to enable you to process your difficulties, thereby helping you to find a way through them. Through this, you may become more attuned to yourself and develop greater awareness of your capabilities and internal resources.

During our sessions, I’ll consistently value your autonomy. I’ll welcome hearing and working with any feedback you may have at any time. Central to my practice is carrying ethical awareness of the power associated with my role in the therapy relationship alongside being aware of how clients may perceive this potential power dynamic.

I aim to work sensitively with your unique processing style which may emerge in our sessions. There is no ‘correct’ way of being in person-centred therapy; whatever you share and how you share it is prized and received with respectful and gentle curiosity.

Practicality-wise, I am equally comfortable working with verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. If required, I have pens and paper available for expressing thoughts and feelings in non-verbal ways and/or when words feel out of reach. I am also comfortable with silence and responding to the different meanings silence might hold at any given moment.

Neurodivergent ways of being and any sensory needs you might have (e.g. stimming, not making eye contact etc.) can be facilitated. For instance, I can offer fidgets toys (if these are helpful to you). Additionally, you are not required to sit in any one place in the therapy room and are welcome to move around and/or sit on the floor if that feels more appropriate for you.