About counselling in Kingston upon Thames

There are times in our lives when we may experience a single distressing event which seems to submerge us in unhappiness, or times that we feel there is an ongoing pattern of events with which we have difficulties dealing. It may not be possible to talk to those closest to us, such as family or friends, because very often they may be part of the problem and at times like these counselling may be a useful option for exploring the underlying issues and moving towards a new way of experiencing life.

The philosophy is one of working with the whole person. Human beings are multi-factorial and so there are many factors that can and do compromise a person's sense of self : relationships, work, environment, self-esteem, a sense of purpose and direction, to name a few. Taking a proper inventory of these 'life areas' often throws light on underlying issues which might otherwise be overlooked. Although arguably no one is an expert on all these subjects, I believe I am sufficiently qualified and experienced in the core areas to assist each individual to find solutions.

Experience has taught me that when an individual is offered the appropriate resources and support, their capacity and potential for recovery and self-improvement is massively expanded. To this end I combine personal, transpersonal and psychological resources that complement my way of working with the whole person.

There is a spiritual element which encompasses humanity, compassion and a sense of support. By providing the appropriate resources I have found that a sense of oneself, one's spirit, can and does return and with that the motivation, sense of purpose, direction and belief in the possibility of being whole and functional.

Whilst an individual remains unable to identify the 'hole in the soul' the cycle of sabotage, intolerance, frustration and despair continues, thus compromising the individual's integrity. Spirituality in counselling fosters positive change out of which comes a wealth of experience that sustains further growth and improvement.

Counselling provides the time and space to make sense of your individual circumstances and, with the support of a professional counsellor, help you to find your own ways of dealing with them.

You may be experiencing difficulties in your relationship with a partner or loved one. These could be communication problems, sexual difficulties or infidelity or a general feeling of drifting apart or being stuck.

Counselling can be an effective process of looking at the difficulties with an experienced impartial professional who can give feedback and help to provide insight and remove blocks within the relationship.

Counselling aims to help and support you in reaching an understanding of your own particular circumstances and, with support, help you to find your own ways of dealing with them and moving on with your life.

Counselling provides the opportunity, time and space to explore and voice your thoughts and feelings in a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment with the support of a skilled listener working within the BACP Ethical Framework.

Don't be afraid to discover what your spirit needs and once you know what that is, then give generously to yourself.

"I feel so happy having taken this route and I owe it to you, thank you so much. I will always be indebted for showing me this path."

Turiya Gough MBACP, MCS (Acc.), AQA Adv Cert Counselling, Dip Arch, NSU Approved Healer, BWY Acc. Yoga Teacher

For many years I have practised both as a spiritual healer and a philosophical counsellor. Opening up to a higher awareness has led me towards helping others to understand their own inner-selves by examining their basic assumptions or concepts around which their 'world' or 'reality' is constructed. In parallel with the psychological approach, which has a tendency to look at feelings of worthlessness, I have also been more used to examining the concept of worthlessness; instead of the experience of separation the concept of separation. I work in private practice and from a G.P. surgery within the community. I am a Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and an Accredited Member of the Counselling Society.