HANNAH PATON COUNSELLING
Personal Growth In Bristol via Online & Telephone Platforms with a BACP Accredited Counsellor & Internal Family Systems Therapist
Welcome to my website
If you've arrived here, there's probably something about your life that you'd like to change and you're looking for information or help. Please feel free to take a look at my website, to see if Hannah Paton Counselling could be of help to you.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change”.
Carl Rogers
What Is Counselling?
Talking therapy is different from other conversations you might have with friends and family.
What you say to me is bound by strict codes of confidentiality and ethics. This means you can talk about parts of your life that you may not want to share with anyone who knows you.
Everybody has the capacity in them to reach their full potential if they are given the chance. I aim to provide this by developing an accepting, empathic and genuine relationship, in which you can explore your difficulties and use your strengths to become the person you always wanted to be.
Counselling is an exploration between client and counsellor, in which personal understanding and greater acceptance can be experienced. This can create a foundation for improvements in emotional health and well being.
It is effective in assisting individuals in their personal quest to make sense of their own unique story, by looking at lived experience in a safe environment within a safe relationship.
Therapy with Hannah Paton Counselling is a confidential 50 minute appointment that is most effective when it is attended weekly.
What I Offer
I offer both time limited and long term counselling, via the remote counselling platforms of Zoom and telephone counselling. Since starting to use these platforms at the beginning of the Covid -19 pandemic, I have developed an enthusiasm for this way of working, and have gone on to complete significant training in this area. I am certified in Online & Telephone Counselling, and am a member of the Association for Counselling & Therapy Online.
Therapy can be in your own safe space, where you feel comfortable, and without the pressure of commuting and journey costs.
Internal Family Systems
I am deeply passionate about the use of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a framework for healing the mind, body and soul. I find it to be a gentle and respectful way to bring into balance and harmonise both our inner and outer worlds.
As a Level 2 trained Internal Family Systems Therapist (IFS), I use the IFS framework as not only my way of offering therapy, but also as my way of being present in the world. I have a deep interest in the links between IFS and the connection to our spiritual essence.
You can find out more about Internal Family Systems on the link below:
If this way of working is of interest to you, I would feel honoured to act as your guide in exploring and bringing healing to the wonderful parts of you that make up your inner landscape, and alongside you, bring about healing to your system, and uncover the treasures that lie within.
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it, and embrace them”.
Rumi
"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."
Carl Jung
Integrative Counselling
I qualified as a counsellor in 2013 and have been trained to use an Integrative approach to counselling. This means I value our relationship and accept that each person is unique. I draw from a number of therapeutic tools that are available, in order to find the most appropriate to the individual for their own personal growth. I have a great love for creativity, having studied a design degree, and at the clients request I am happy to integrate elements of creative approaches to our work together.
As a trained Motivational Interviewing Coach, I can offer a short term evidence based approach known as Motivational Enhancement Therapy over 4 sessions using Motivational Interviewing. This is known to be effective in helping people to make changes to their drug or alcohol use, and is also applicable to anyone looking to make other lifestyle changes.
"Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of communication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for and commitment to a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person’s own reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion" (Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change. W. Miller, S. Rollnick 2012).
Within the long term therapy that I offer we can explore motivational work as well as getting to the deep rooted underlying causes, and problems, that may have led you to self medicate and/or adopt unhelpful coping strategies.
See my 'About Me' page which shows areas in which I have knowledge and experience of working in.
At present you may find yourself unsure of what your needs are regarding short or longer term work. The first step on your journey of self discovery is to get in touch and see where you wish to go from there.
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About Me
I am passionate about providing a safe therapeutic environment in which I can bear witness to the beauty of individual personal growth.
I have worked in the field of substance misuse for many years and I have a wide ranging experience of working with people who are experiencing difficulties around their alcohol or drug use, and are seeking ways to make the changes they desire. I have found that our past experiences have an effect on how we think and what we believe about ourselves. Some people turn to alcohol and other drugs as a way to manage their life's difficulties. Through a longer term approach, we can look at these life experiences in order to gain insight and understanding around patterns of thinking and behavior that may no longer be helping you and for you to become the person you are meant to be.
I have extensive experience and training working in the field of Trauma Counselling, where I find a real passion, helping people process past traumatic experiences and the impact of complex relationships. Working in a trauma informed way with clients, I understand the importance of providing a safe therapeutic environment, so that within our trusting relationship you will be able to safely explore and piece together what can feel like shattered/ fragmented parts of yourself.
I have helped people to work through, and make sense of, their experiences. This includes, but is not limited to:
Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Abuse
Relationships
Loss and grief
Personality Disorder
Low self - esteem
Guilt and shame
Gender and sexuality
Cultural Identity
Addictions
Self - harm
Eating disorders
I am a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional. This training gives me a firm base for
understanding the latest neuroscience research, which I can integrate into our work together.
I value the practice of Mindfulness, having seen the benefits of this to my personal life. In addition to this I have a wealth of knowledge and experience in designing, facilitating and training others in group work programmes to help people overcome their addictions.
In 2022 I underwent additional training completing a QLS L5 Counselling Children and Young People qualification. My interest is particularly drawn to working with teenagers.
I am an Accredited Member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. This means that I meet a higher standard as a competent, ethical and independent practitioner. I adhere to their code of ethics, including regular, ongoing supervision. You can find out more about this on the BACP website:
I take your confidentiality very seriously, and this will be discussed with you at our first meeting.
I am a registered Data Controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and meet all the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.
I hold a current Enhanced DBS certificate and have spent several years supporting vulnerable adults.
“Be grateful for your difficulties and challenges, for they hold blessings.
In fact, man needs difficulties; they are necessary for personal growth, individuation and self-actualisation”.
Carl Jung
How It Works
Engaging in counselling has to feel right for you. You need to feel safe and trusting in developing a relationship with whoever you choose as a therapist.
My initial consultation will take place over the phone, which will help us establish if we feel comfortable to work together.
Thereafter, I charge £60 for a 50 minute weekly counselling session.
If we choose to work together, I will ask that you pay for sessions at least 24hrs before the start time. This can help to give you a sense of control, as you will not be contracted into a set number of sessions.
Your inquiry and any information you need to give to me will be handled with sensitivity and in complete confidence.
Please do not hesitate to contact me to find out more about Hannah Paton Counselling and to discuss your needs either by emailing me via the contact me page or by phone. If I am not able to take your call, please leave a message and I will make contact when I am available. I am able to respond to emails more promptly than calls.
