Stories Archives - Wellspring Therapy & Training

Leah shares her counselling story

August 2, 2021 By wellspring

Leah came to Wellspring earlier this year and here she shares about her counselling journey.

(Client and counsellor name have been changed to maintain confidentiality.)

I decided to access Wellspring’s service when I started experiencing sudden, intermittent bouts of depression. Sometimes, I would feel very tearful, and although it would pass, these bouts continued for about twice a month for a few months. I wasn’t sure if it was the result of being in lockdown. I also knew that I had some issues from my childhood that were constantly on my mind.

The counselling sessions at Wellspring were absolutely excellent. I was relieved that there was a service that I could access. I’d had some counselling many years ago, but I got a much better outcome this time than I had before.

My counsellor reassured me that my thoughts and feelings were normal and that lots of people have these problems. I was able to accept my past and to stop thinking about it all the time. Since my counselling sessions, I feel completely positive. The past is dealt with and it’s no longer on my mind.

I have already told a couple of friends about my great experience at Wellspring. The counselling has been very helpful.

If you would like to help us support more people like Leah, you can set up a regular donation over on our Donate Page. Thank you.

And if you are interested in exploring the possibility of counselling for yourself, please find out more about the Counselling Services we offer here .

Matt shares his counselling story

May 14, 2021 By wellspring

**Matt * came to Wellspring last year and here he shares about his counselling journey and how it has helped him through the lockdowns of the past year.**

My Counselling Journey – by Matt (Client name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.)

I contacted Wellspring to talk about my mum’s death when I was younger, and my reluctant journey into parenthood. I loved my kids, but I also loved my own time and freedom, and the stuff that came with being a dad was frequently a source of resentment. It was causing some serious relationship issues for me and my wife too, although I didn’t twig how deep those were when I began.

Over the course of a year, my counsellor helped me to chip away at some firmly entrenched behavioural traits. We tried a range of different approaches – sometimes using props, often just talking around an issue from various angles. I found the sessions enjoyable, challenging at points, and occasionally revelatory and exhilarating.

The centre was a huge support. A very safe and calm atmosphere on entering, and the donation-based costs are really a remarkable thing. It’s what made me decide to attend; otherwise it would have been too expensive.

Over the course of that year, I became quite a lot closer to my memories of my mum, which I had sealed off. I’ve taken quite a few steps to making her memory an active part of my life – something I’ll be working on for a long time, I’m sure, but the counselling kicked that process off.

Much more significant is the progress I made with being a dad: my counsellor suggested some baby steps in this area, and bit by bit, everything has become much more natural and instinctive, and my relationship with my children has gone from strength to strength. I love them more now. I’ve actually felt my love for them grow tangibly, feeling more tender and protective and kindly, feeling the happiness and joy that can come from simply being with them.

It also paved the way for my wife and I to embark upon relationship counselling. She’s had her own individual counselling too, and the time we’d both spent opening up individually gave us a language and a framework which created enough of a sense of safety to broach some deeply buried unspoken subjects.

Now many months into a Coronavirus lockdown with two toddlers – which must be the most intense of situations for an unhappy family – it’s really dawning on us just how valuable Wellspring has been for our lives.

We’re in a truly different place because of the work done there.

We feel much closer together as a couple and as a family, with plenty still to resolve and build on but an increasingly strong foundation from which to do it.

If you would like to help us support more people like Matt, you can set up a regular donation over on our Donate Page. Thank you.

Wellspring’s New Animation

April 19, 2021 By wellspring

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and to share one of our client stories with you in this new Wellspring animation. You can read Becky’s* full story here.

Could you help us to support more people like Becky?

You can donate to our work as a one-off or sign up to give regularly on our Donate page.

If you would like to refer yourself for counselling, please use the link at the bottom of our Therapy page.

Wellspring House has now re-opened for a limited number of face-to-face counselling sessions. Zoom and telephone counselling are continuing to take place. Most of our clients live within a radius of up to 20 miles. However, if you live outside this area (but still in the UK) and do not have access to a local counselling service, you can still contact us through the online form as we do have capacity to see a limited number of adults from outside the area.

See our Resources page for more support and links.

*The client and counsellor name in the animation have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

My Counselling Sessions during COVID

December 21, 2020 By wellspring

COVID has impacted the mental health of many young people in UK.

According to GOV UK’s research and analysis of mental health amongst children and young people, there is evidence to suggest that the pandemic has negatively affected the mental health and wellbeing of many young people with existing mental health conditions. (Although it is not yet possible to make a full, meaningful comparison to recent pre-March 2020 measures.) (1)

**One of our youth clients, Charlotte*, told us about the difficulties she’s faced. And how counselling has helped her through 2020.**

“During Covid-19 my counselling sessions moved onto Zoom. When everything else stopped, this was the one thing that continued. That one hour per week felt safe and familiar whilst everything else was chaotic.

My mum worked on the front line during Covid. There were nights when I felt really scared about what might happen. She knew I was worried, but I felt I could share my feelings more openly with my counsellor. I felt like my mum already had enough worries on her plate. These sessions helped me to cope.

I knew I could tell my counsellor what I was feeling and it would not upset her. These sessions helped me understand things better. I have learnt how to relax and about what things I can do to help me keep on top of everything. Since the counselling sessions I have been more able to cope with my school work, I have been able to talk more freely, I have stopped self-harming, had fewer panic attacks, and have started taking better care of myself. I am feeling much more optimistic about my future.”

If you would like to help us support more people like Charlotte, you can set up a regular donation over on our Donate Page. Thank you.

And if you are interested in exploring the possibility of counselling for yourself, please find out more about the Counselling Services we offer here.

* Name changed to protect privacy.

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-mental-health-and-wellbeing-surveillance-report/7-children-and-young-people

Becky’s Story – ‘I realised this could be the start of a journey”

August 20, 2020 By wellspring

Becky came to Wellspring earlier this year and here she shares about her counselling journey.

(Client and counsellor name have been changed to maintain confidentiality.)

I have suffered from periods of mild depression and anxiety for over 20 years. My issues seemed to be connected to an insecurity with relationships, so at the time I felt that making myself vulnerable with those I loved would threaten the very thing I was fearful of losing.

I had always felt desperate for someone to talk to that was not family or friends but counselling seemed an unaffordable option for me. I had heard about Wellspring, and whilst I am an occasional church-goer, I was wary that I didn’t want to experience religious bias in the sessions.

I was uncomfortable putting myself forward for counselling.

I didn’t want to take the place of someone who might be more deserving than myself and I felt I was probably better off than many people who find themselves in desperate situations. I expressed these doubts to a community leader who was asking me how my “head was”. He reassured me that the counselling sessions at Wellspring were not religiously biased, and that as humans, every single one of us deserves to have help of this kind. Also, that I could decide how much I wanted to pay for each session. I came away from that meeting feeling thrilled and empowered and contacted Wellspring immediately.

It was a couple of months before my first appointment came up, ironically, by then, I was going through a “good phase” and felt fine, and I was not feeling the need for any help! But being anxious not to let people down, I decided to go to the first appointment.

The entrance hallway was beautifully calm and warm, with sofas, magazines and soft background music. I immediately felt nurtured by my surroundings. Martha, my counsellor came to collect me and took me up to a small and comfortable sunny room. I explained to her that I didn’t need to be here, that I was absolutely fine. I talked about how I had been depressed and anxious on and off in the past, so maybe I could use this session to get tips on how to how to cope with negative feelings in the future. I also apologised for wasting her time and taking the place of someone needier. I assured her this would be my only session! Martha, in her kind and professional manner skilfully got me to open up.

By the end of the session I realised that this could be the start of a journey.

I realised that it was OK for me to be here, and to explore the reasons for my past unhappiness and anxiety. Martha was lovely, warm, friendly and always gave my feelings importance, however unworthy or trivial I judged them to be!

I was adamant from the start that I didn’t want to start blaming my parents for my unhappiness, as I had always considered myself to have had a good childhood. But over the next few weeks it became clear to me that despite this, there were some events that have had huge impacts on me as an adult. And these needed to be acknowledged.

A revelation for me was learning that the recurring mental anguish I suffer from today is nearly always a pain from the past.

I learned that I don’t need to fall for the first emotion I feel and let that define me, and that the shame and guilt I often suffer comes from the uncomfortableness of expressing my own needs and feelings. Most importantly I have learned that I have done nothing wrong, and that I should feel proud of the way I work and who I am. And hand on heart, I do believe that now.

Martha also helped me to realise I needed to develop a more positive view of myself and with that came some fun exploration. What is my style? Do I take time to celebrate my achievements? While this seemed a little self-indulgent to me, I have realised the importance it has when it comes to building a solid sense of self and a positive self-esteem.

I am pleased to say I have not been down or depressed since my last session, a few months ago. That’s not to say that I don’t think it will happen again, but I now feel I have the tools and knowledge to deal with whatever comes next. I am surer of myself when I speak to others, and most importantly I am proud of being who I am. I consider the sessions I had at Wellspring, a pivotal and enlightening part of my journey. And I would not now be afraid to seek help again, when I need it.

If you would like to help us support more people like Becky, you can set up a regular donation over on our Donate Page. Thank you.

And if you are interested in exploring the possibility of counselling for yourself, please find out more about the Counselling Services we offer here or get in touch: 01423 881 881, office@wellspringtherapy.co.uk