Suzy Carter,
a BACP accredited
psychotherapeutic counsellor
and EMDR therapist
My practice, Pentred Therapy, is based in beautiful South East Cornwall,
in between Liskeard and Looe
(Formerly known as Autumndale Therapies, relocation to Cornwall took place in September 2023)
I work with people aged 16 and over,
providing short, medium and long term psychological therapy
to support mental health,
explore problems and difficult past experiences,
seeking solutions, resolution and a deeper sense of contentment
through the processing of distressing memories and increasing self-awareness, resilience and emotional wellbeing
This is achieved via the creation of an empathic and collaborative
therapeutic relationship,
in a trauma and attachment informed environment,
where you will have my undivided attention and in which personal exploration, reflection, learning and psychological adjustment and growth can begin, with confidence
(Thich Nhat Hanh)
Easy to say - hard to do! Sometimes it seems easier when talking to someone independent of friends and family, no matter how well you all get on - an experienced professional who will be objective and non-judgemental
A brief exploratory conversation or a more formal assessment session will allow you to talk to me before making any commitment and help us to decide if we would like to work together
~ this beautiful short film describes how helpful talking therapy can be ~
You can contact me directly for an appointment - a doctor's referral is not necessary (however, I would be happy to talk to your doctor at any stage of the process if it's relevant and with your permission)
A quick email or a call or message to my mobile phone is the simplest way to contact me initially.
Once we have agreed to work together, we can meet online via Zoom or a WhatsApp audio or video call
I would welcome your enquiry, whoever you are and whatever your background.
I saw my first counselling clients back in 2013 and I am experienced in working with a very wide variety of issues and mental health concerns, as well as having specialist training in working with trauma, bereavement, grief and loss and the use of creative arts in therapy.
I have worked as a therapist with a social housing provider, a bereavement counselling charity, a carer's support group, a family counselling organisation, a firefighters charity, Victim Support, Frontline 19 and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). I have also cared for elderly relatives and have a good understanding of what life may be like for those serving in HM Forces as well as what it is like to live with neurodiversity, ADHD and those experiencing significant physical and mental illness including dementia and addictions.
I have current (2023) enhanced DBS and level 3 'Safeguarding Children' certificates.
Before becoming a counsellor, I was a clinical physiologist in the NHS, specialising in cardiology. Along the way, I have worked in a shop, as a primary school teaching assistant, as the caretaker of a school swimming pool, an administrator in a hospice and also practiced as a reflexologist for a number of years.
And I am married with three grown-up children, two dogs and a rather ramshackle house - I most definitely don't have a perfect or problem-free life!!
The facility to work online means that counselling can continue uninterrupted if there is any problem with meeting face-to-face, as well as enabling you to access therapy, wherever you or I may be
To get in touch or to make an appointment,
please click on the secure email link on this page
or call, text or WhatsApp me on
07582 266029
and I'd be very happy to hear from you.
If I'm not about, do leave a message and
I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Email is often the most efficient way to get in touch ...
you can talk to someone about your mental wellbeing
by calling the 24/7 NHS mental health telephone support helpline
on 0800 038 5300 for advice and triage.
Support is available to anyone, regardless of age, all day every day. If you or someone you know feels they need to access urgent mental health support, they will listen to you and assess how best to help.
May 2024
Spring usually brings the promise of sunshine, warmth and new growth in the world around us - but if you are in a dark or difficult place, those things may feel impossible to appreciate. T. S Eliott wrote, in his poem, ‘The Wasteland’:
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
April may be over but our lives are still playing out in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic; living costs remain high; there are challenges in accessing health care; ongoing tensions in many parts of the world; and seemingly endless rain ... Yet there is room for hope too: kindness and compassion do exist; there is so much beauty still to be found in the natural world, at which we can gaze with awe and wonder; and people do have an in-built ability to develop, to cooperate and to find solutions - not just to survive but to thrive
As a therapist for more than 10 years, as well as a gardener, I've learnt that gently digging down and systematically clearing away the debris encourages fresh, healthy growth and a flourishing of new life!
We all have an innate tendency for psychological development throughout our entire life span. Do get in touch if you would like to make an appointment to discuss how therapy might be helpful to you. A message via email or WhatsApp or a quick call to my mobile are all options - my contact details are on this page ...
I have worked with many people experiencing all kinds of issues over the years.
Specialist areas for me are:
•anxiety and panic attacks
•bereavement, grief and loss
•low self esteem, low mood and depression
•attachment and relationship issues
•trauma, PTSD, stress and insomnia
•the legacy of difficult childhood experiences
•highly sensitive personalities
•the pressures of illness or of being a carer
So, if you are feeling stressed or anxious all the time ... if you just can't seem to cope as well after the death of someone close to you ... if you are struggling to find motivation ... if you find relationships difficult ... if you seem to be stuck in a pattern of unhelpful behaviours ... if you are ill or look after someone else and just yearn to be heard as yourself rather than as the patient, the parent or the carer ... or if you find that events from the past are badly affecting your life now ... I invite you to get in touch to see if, through the therapeutic process, you can get to a place where your life feels more comfortable - a place you want to be and where you can begin to flourish and feel more content
... I can't wave a magic wand but I can walk alongside you, work with you, compassionately support you and offer you insights and strategies. I can help you to begin to build more resilience so that the difficulties, which are an inescapable part of everyday life for all of us, feel more manageable
And most of all, I will give you my undivided attention - 'the most valuable thing you can do for another human being'
(Rich Roll)
Ready to explore more about regular 1:1 therapy? Click here for more about my practice or use the menu above
Now? Or never ...
If you're reading this, maybe it's now.
Working collaboratively with you, I can accompany you as you grow in self-awareness and begin to discover how to live your best life
'Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself'
(Rumi)
If you need urgent help...
... and are concerned about an immediate risk of harm, either to yourself or someone else, call 999
You could also call 111 or go to the accident and emergency department at your nearest hospital
If you have Crisis Line details, given to you by a health professional, do call the number provided
If you are already receiving support from NHS mental health services you should have a care plan. Your plan will include details of who you should contact in a crisis
If you can't find your care plan, contact your community mental health team and ask for your care coordinator. If you do not have a care plan then call your local crisis support services
If you need help but can wait until the next day then you could contact your GP who can direct you to the most appropriate NHS service
Outside of standard office hours, you can call the Samaritans free any time, from any phone on 116 123, from anywhere in the UK or the Republic of Ireland (or email jo@samaritans.org)
Alternatively, text SHOUT to 85258 and you will be be put in touch with a trained crisis volunteer, who will chat to you via text
... whether you feel like taking your own life, simply want to talk or just need to know that someone is there with you
Click here for further suggestions, check out the Useful Contacts page or visit NHS Every Mind Matters
So this is me ...
... I will listen to anything you'd like to share, no matter how difficult, serious, sensitive or even trivial you're afraid it may sound.
Is there something on your mind - a worry or a sense of dissatisfaction? Some confusion or uncertainty? Maybe you are feeling low or anxious, overwhelmed or lonely? Sad - perhaps grieving? Or stuck in repetitive cycles of unhelpful behaviours ...
I use a humanistic, integrative and pluralistic approach and my personal philosophy is rooted in humanistic principles: I believe we have only one life and that we should each be able to exercise personal responsibility and have autonomy, enabling us to choose to live ethically and well, albeit within our own personal limitations - and to compassionately support others to do the same
My training has been a good fit with this philosophy and the overarching aim of my work is to empower clients and encourage their autonomy and agency in shaping their own lives, ultimately in ways that feel satisfactory to them - yet with the realism and acceptance that life itself is not always satisfactory
Person-Centred roots support me in approaching clients with sensitive understanding - equal in our humanity yet as unique individuals, who are essentially OK, self-determining and with an innate ability to change and grow, at any age and stage of life.
My broad-based early training, further studies and ongoing continuing professional development allow me to integrate other approaches and techniques, as appropriate. I use a neuroscientific and trauma-informed perspective, including Polyvagal Theory, when needed
As a humanistic and integrative counsellor, with my work underpinned by Person-Centred theory, we would work relationally with the issues you choose to bring - whatever matters most to you at the moment
We would work together, to create a secure, warm and professional relationship in which you could feel able to explore your concerns, whilst being supported in your process of increasing self-awareness, personal growth and development. At times, you may feel that this is very hard and challenging work and it will require your commitment
Regular reviews during longer term work would help to ensure that the focus of that work remains relevant to your needs; it would also help us to plan the ending
My practice is halfway between Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall but, working online, we can meet from wherever you or I may happen to be
Click here or see below for further information about counselling and how it may help you ...
Counselling usually takes place weekly, over several weeks or longer, depending on individual requirements.
Regular sessions are often the most beneficial, although a single session may prove really helpful, especially when we have worked together previously.
Sessions last between 50 and 90 min. depending on type - see 'Fees' page for more information.
Much of my working life has been spent in the health and wellness sector: I was formerly a clinical physiologist, specialising in cardiology and was also a complementary therapist for a number of years
A sense of wellbeing springs from the union of a well-balanced mind within a well-balanced body and when that body exists in a balanced external environment. Physical issues may affect mental health and vice versa. Emotions are felt and held in the body as well as in the mind, so I will be just as interested in exploring how you feel physically, as how you feel emotionally - and in exploring the impact of your relationships with others and the environment in which you live and work
Once here, parking will be easy and my consulting room will be comfortable and private
An email or a message to my dedicated work mobile phone are the simplest and quickest ways to get in touch with me
Spring 2024
Whatever has brought you to this page I am pleased to welcome you and hope that you have found something useful to take away.
Irish poet, author, priest and philosopher John O’Donohue wrote:
May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer,
But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.
These are powerful words. But it is often very difficult to find the courage to face and create change alone. This is when talking to someone may be helpful ...
In his poem, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost wrote:
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
There is always a choice.
Maybe now is the right time for you to choose to speak and to be really heard; maybe you would like to have someone alongside you on your journey ... As Oprah Winfrey said, in her inspiring acceptance speech for the Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Globes in 2018, 'Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool ...' It has the power to create change, in you and in others too.
If you are looking for a counsellor near to Liskeard, Looe or Fowey do get in touch - my contact details are at the top of every page of this website and you can email me directly and in complete confidence
You might also like to visit the Counselling Directory, the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the Hampshire Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (HACP) websites to search for therapists.
And your GP may be able to help too ...
A further option is to call helplines like The Samaritans (for anyone) on 116 123 or The Silver Line (for older people) on 0800 470 80 90. Or text to 85258, to reach Shout, a crisis text line. As mentioned above, these helplines are open 24 hours a day, every day.
Whatever you're going through, you can call the Samaritans free any time, from any phone on 116 123 (from anywhere in the UK or the Republic of Ireland).
If you need a response immediately, it's best to phone.
The Samaritans is a registered charity, which provides a confidential, off the record listening service, 24/7. Their aim is to offer support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of taking their own life. Contact them by following this link: Samaritans
You can email, write or visit a local branch, if you prefer. The nearest branch to Liskeard and Looe is in Plymouth at 20, Oxford Place, Western Approach PL1 5AJ. Phone: 0330 094 5717
Visit the Samaritans for more information and alternative ways to make contact.You can reach The Silver Line, especially for older people, on 0800 470 8090. Listen to CEO of The Silver Line, Sophie Andrews' compelling and informative TED talk here or visit their website here.
Shout is the UK's first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help. For support in a crisis, text Shout to 85258
HOPELineUK is for young people under the age of 35 who may be having thoughts about taking their own life and anyone who is concerned that a young person may be having thoughts of taking their own life. Contact them on 0800 068 41 41, text to 07786209697 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org. They are open 10am to 10pm on weekdays and 2pm to 10pm on weekends and bank holidays.
Counselling - sometimes it's just good to talk ...
As a counsellor, I work 1:1 with people, aged 16 and over, online/by phone. Face-to-face sessions will resume as soon as possible after relocating close to Looe in South East Cornwall - and when the creation of a new counselling space has been accomplished.
The sorts of issues that counselling may help with include:
- Stress, inc. work, parenting or caring-related
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Bereavement, loss and change
- Relationships
- Trauma
- Coping with illness
- Addiction
- Abuse
- Self harm
- Suicidal thoughts
In counselling jargon, I use a humanistic and integrative approach, sometimes incorporating creative, Mindful and CBT-based interventions if appropriate - but only if these ways of working appeal and seem relevant.
In plain language, counselling can provide you with an opportunity for self-exploration and examination of troubling issues and feelings in a confidential, non-judgmental and honest yet empathic environment. This facilitates greater self-awareness, which in turn can encourage personal growth and development.
My counselling framework is underpinned by Person Centred theory so my work is largely client-led and non-directive; in other words, we would work on the concerns that you bring and I would not tell you what to think or do; rather, I would support and encourage you in growing your self-understanding and discovering the changes that might prompt greater contentment for you in your day-to-day life.
The human brain is extraordinarily malleable and change is possible at any time of life. My aim is always to empower clients to bring about the changes that seem important for them, through my specialist knowledge and my listening and enquiring skills, as well as the power of a strong therapeutic relationship - something that is key to the success of any therapeutic encounter, whether in counselling or in complementary or conventional medicine. Carl Jung, the father of analytical psychology, said that:
People new to counselling are often mystified as to how it might work for them. There is much evidence to suggest that it is the quality of the relationship between therapist and client, whatever their modality (e.g. integrative, Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, CBT), that is the key to a successful outcome in the eyes of the client:
The idea is that a person can begin to see how their mind works in the unique relationship with the therapist: a relationship that is purposefully structured to make the person's psychology more apparent and a topic of exploration. Noticing, exploring and working through these emotional experiences in relationship with the therapist is a powerful mechanism of growth in therapy.
People who get the most out of therapy are those who are:
- willing to try to discern within themselves their feelings and reactions in talking with their therapist
- willing to share and explore those feelings and reactions with their therapist
Exploring these responses in the immediacy of the relationship with the therapist is considered a powerful mediator of change in therapy.
(The above is quoted from this paper: Self-Awareness, Transference & Counter-Transference by Michael E. Makekau, University of Hawaii - and is equally applicable to all counselling and psychotherapeutic approaches.)
As a practicing counsellor, I am an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Please get in touch if you are interested in finding out more about therapy.
Pentred Therapy offers:
- Professionally accredited psychotherapeutic counselling, with an experienced therapist
- Holistic, humanistic, trauma-informed, compassionate approach
- Online and phone appointments, as appropriate
- First appointments often available within one week
- A tranquil environment for face-to-face meetings, when they resume
- On-site parking
- Discrete location, convenient from both East Cornwall and South West Devon
- Within easy reach of Liskeard, Looe, Lostwithiel, Fowey, Bodmin, Callington, Saltash and Torpoint in South East Cornwall and also Plymouth and Tavistock in Devon
Counselling
As a counsellor, I use a humanistic and integrative approach.
Humanistic psychology has been called the 'Third Way' in relation to psychotherapeutic work because it does not focus on past events and unconscious processes, as in psychoanalysis or psychodynamic therapy; or on how thoughts might influence behaviour, as in CBT - cognitive-behavioural therapy; it focuses on the unique experience of each individual and is underpinned by the belief that everybody, no matter what their circumstances or stage in life, has an innate tendency towards growth and development.
Carl Rogers was a well-known figure in the field of humanistic psychology and developed the Person-Centred approach, which underpins my way of working.
Carl Jung also focused on the uniqueness of the individual; he believed, among many other things, that crisis and breakdown were essential precursors to transformation and healing. His sense of the need for the individual to achieve 'wholeness' for their wellbeing sits comfortably with the view - my view - of the holistic nature of complementary therapies, such as reflexology. I believe that counselling too, should be holistic.
The humanistic counsellor aims to support clients along their personal development journey by offering a safe, non-judgemental relationship where they may explore any issues - thoughts, feelings, circumstances - that are of concern to them.
Humanistic counsellors are generally non-directive and client-led, encouraging autonomy and personal choice.
My integrative training allows me to utilise aspects of other approaches where appropriate and if they appeal to you - and of course if it seems that they may benefit the therapeutic process and do no harm.
And my pluralistic perspective provides me with an openness to all therapeutic approaches as well as to the relevance of the unique life experiences of the person seeking my support.
If you think you might like to make an exploratory appointment, please get in touch.
For counselling near Liskeard, Looe and Lostwithiel do get in touch - my contact details are on each page of this website
My practice is easily accessible, whilst being tucked away in a peaceful corner of south east Cornwall, in a hamlet near Duloe. It is less than 7 miles from Liskeard and less than 5 from Looe.
It is also within easy reach of Pelynt, Polperro and Fowey, Lerryn, Lostwithiel and Bodmin, Callington, Saltash, St Germans, Torpoint, Plymouth and Tavistock.
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Looking for a counsellor in Looe? A counsellor in Lostwithiel? Counselling near Liskeard? Get in touch easily using the secure email link on this page
