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Sarah

Sarah

Company Director

Sarah launched New Start in September 2016, after working for eleven years in schools and a local hospice. By day, Sarah is developing and growing the service to ensure as many children, young people and adults receive the support they deserve.
By night and weekends, she does the regular things like spending time with her family and friends, long dog walks and home improvements!

Aside from starting New Start, Sarah’s biggest achievement is raising two kind, handsome, clever and very funny sons.

Likes

  • Fresh air
  • Travelling
  • Shoes

Dislikes

  • Bullying
  • Cold Coffee
  • Snakes
Catherine

Catherine

Business Development Manager

Catherine has a number of years’ experience as a School Secretary and Personal Assistant. Catherine is Mum to three gorgeous, unique boys who keep her busy! In her spare time, she likes to do online fitness classes and boot camps, dog walking on the beach and caravanning with her family.

Likes

  • Crime Novels
  • Jigsaws
  • Loyalty

Dislikes

  • Rudeness
  • Dishonesty
Maalti

Maalti

Counsellor (MBACP)

Maalti began her counselling journey 5 years ago and has not looked back since. She has an FdA in Person-centred Counselling and Psychotherapy, and is working towards a BSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy, specialising with children and young people. She works predominantly with the person-centred approach. She also volunteers with Renaissance and Counselling in the Community.

When she is not studying or working, she loves taking long walks, going to different coffee shops, sitting by the window with a book and watching how amazing the world is. She adores going on holiday and speaking to people with awesome new accents, while trying tasty new food and watching how pretty the sunset is in different countries around the world. Her greatest pleasure by far, is spending time with her fabulous son and best friend who is 18.

Likes

  • Holidays
  • Walking
  • Tasty New Foods
Chloe

Chloe

Counsellor (MBACP)

Chloe qualified as a Person Centred Counsellor in 2015. She worked as a Primary School Teacher before that.

Chloe wanted to be a counsellor after having her own counselling and realising what a useful and special experience it was. She wants to give people space to feel really heard, accepted and valued.

Chloe loves spending time with her family and friends and has a wonderful 3 year old son.

Her other love is chocolate!

Likes

  • Chocolate
  • Spending time with friends and family

Dislikes

  • Unkindness
  • Celery
Humera

Humera

Counsellor (MBACP)

Whilst attending high school, Humera received counselling. She became mesmerised by the power of active listening. In experiencing a warm, safe, and open space, this sparked an interest for Humera, and promoted the passion in providing tools and creating the conditions needed for growth.

Humera began working with children and young adults in an educational setting as a Tutor, Mentor and Support assistant, in which she continued whilst studying for a diploma in therapeutic counselling.

Humera became a part of a mental health charity, where she created workshops around mental health for local schools and organisations. These experiences affirmed her passion of working and supporting the mental health of children and young adults.

Now qualified, Humera is continuing her journey of self-development whilst helping others.

Outside of this, I spend my time surrounding myself with nature, self-care, family, Netflix, Art, books and food.

Likes

  • Travelling
  • Korean TV series
  • Driving

Dislikes

  • Road rage
  • Disrespect/arrogance
Debbie

Debbie

Counsellor (MBACP)

Debbie has worked with children, families and adults in various settings for many years. She is now focusing on working therapeutically with adults, supporting them with a whole host of different things, and providing a safe space where they can feel held and heard. She has a grown-up daughter. In her spare time, she loves to go on walks, watch TV quiz shows and spend time with her friends and family!

Likes

  • Snow
  • Feeling cosy
  • Feeling safe

Dislikes

  • Prawns
  • Conflict
Amy S

Amy S

Counsellor (MBACP)

Amy became a counsellor after working in psychiatric units, where she realised just how much people suffer from mental health and she felt she wanted to do more to help people.

She has experience in delivering therapy to both adults and children. She has worked in alternative provision as a teacher and absolutely loved working with teenagers!

She is fully committed to my role and feel passionate about providing people with a safe, warm, and welcoming environment, so her clients can begin their process of healing.

She is 100% family-oriented and has 3 beautiful children with my husband.

Likes

  • Netflix Binge Watching
  • Family Walks
  • Ocean

Dislikes

  • Bullying
  • Cruelty to Animals
Edwana

Edwana

Counsellor (MBACP) Accred

Edwana has a deep belief in a child’s innate capacity for positive change and growth. She utilises the power of play and art therapy to facilitate the expression of thoughts and feelings and to foster problem-solving skills. She nurtures her own well-being in the open spaces of nature with walking, camping and her relationships with animals.

Likes

  • Digging in her veg garden
  • Helping her hens
Sarah Louise

Sarah-Louise

Counsellor (MBACP)

Sarah Louise holds a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, Bachelor of Arts Degree, QTS, EMDR Specialism, a Clinical Hypnotherapist and an NLP Practitioner.

She has worked within Primary, Secondary and Further Education as a Teacher, Mentor, and Counsellor. She has vast experience as a Therapist, helping clients to overcome anxiety, depression, complex disorders, phobias, self-harm and self-doubt. Additionally, she has supported clients in reprocessing and overcoming trauma, developing a growth mindset and shifting negative thought patterns.
She adores her family and friends, loves the beach, spa retreats, well-being, holidays and helping people to shape their lives.

Likes

  • Meditation, Health, Fitness
  • Dance and Music
  • Nutrition

Dislikes

  • Bad language
  • Poor manners
Abbi

Abbi

Counsellor (MBACP)

Abbi is a qualified person-centred counsellor. She started her counselling journey back in 2016, and since then has completed numerous training courses for adults and children. Abbi became a counsellor because she wanted to help people as she believes everyone deserves support.

She has two very energetic children that keep her on her toes.

Likes

  • Shopping
  • Football
  • Family

Dislikes

  • Rudeness
  • Dishonesty
Alli

Alli

Counsellor (MBACP) Accred

Alli originally became interested in becoming a counsellor nearly 25 years ago when she was volunteering as a telephone listener with a local child line service. Since then she has enjoyed working within education, local authority, the third sector and private practice. This includes 2 years in primary education, 7 years in secondary education and three years in post 16 education. She has vast experience of working with children, adults and families. Alli is incredibly passionate about the work she does and enjoys the challenges this can bring. Alli is a mum of four, enjoys travelling, walking her dogs and eating out.

Likes

  • Yoga
  • Dance and Music
  • Reading

Dislikes

  • Rudeness
  • Technology
Mat

Mat

Counsellor (MBACP)

Mat has a degree in working with children and young people. This was followed by a diploma in counselling and he is working hard, towards accreditation. He spends his free time with his children and wife, trying to get outside as much as he can. He loves a bit of camping and also enjoys going to festivals. Mat is also really interested in bushcraft and carving spoons to relax. He also enjoys playing the X-box, except when his son forces him to play Fortnite!

Likes

  • Learning something new
  • Being outside
  • Exploring nature

Dislikes

  • Any cruelty
  • Punctures
Brenda

Brenda

Counsellor (MBACP)

Brenda began her counselling journey 5 years ago. She is a qualified integrative counsellor and psychotherapist and is working towards accreditation.

Her course was integrative, so it allowed her to use a variety of techniques from solution focus, person-centred, CBT and brief therapy, allowing her to tailor her approach and build the foundations of a relationship.

She believes that everyone has the right to be heard, and to navigate through difficult thoughts, feelings and situations.

She believes that it is the uniqueness of the individual that makes us all special.
In her free time, she loves spending time with family and friends and the great outdoors.

“You can’t beat sleeping under the stars!”

Likes

  • Holidays
  • Curling up with a good book
  • Sci-fi

Dislikes

  • Fish
  • Rude People
Michelle

Michelle

Counsellor (MBACP)

Michelle has recently finished her degree in counselling and psychotherapy and has a strong passion for working with children and young people.

Her course was integrative, which enabled her to use different therapies to suit the person she was working with, meeting their needs.

She believes that every person is unique and sometimes needs some support to feel empowered and grow as a person. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, walking with her dog Harley, travelling to different places, riding her scooter and attending scooter rallies.

Likes

  • Socialising
  • Northern Soul
  • Family Time

Dislikes

  • Bad Manners
  • Rudeness
Amy A

Amy

Counsellor (MBACP)

Amy has always had a keen interest in working with children, gaining a degree in 2010 in Child, Young Person, Family and Educational Studies.

Initially, Amy planned to become a teacher. Until 2016 when she and her two children experienced counselling for themselves. Having seen first hand the benefits of Person-Centred Counselling, this gave her a new focus and a new purpose. To offer children, young people and adults alike, a safe, secure, therapeutic space to explore their feelings, in a manner which Is comfortable for them.

Amy has volunteered her time counselling within many establishments, most recently a residential rehabilitation centre and a local prison, both of which she found incredibly rewarding.

Amy enjoys nothing more than being outdoors trying to grow her own veggies, if not at the allotment, Amy loves just being at home with her children and the family dog.

Likes

  • Singing in the Car
  • Cups of Tea
  • Music

Dislikes

  • Rudness
  • Bugs
  • Traffic
Anna

Anna

Counsellor (MBACP) Accred

Anna has experience working in pupil support roles in both primary and secondary schools. Anna initially completed her counselling training with Place 2 Be and from this learned the positive benefits of therapeutic play.

Anna’s passion is to support children and young people with their mental health through creating a safe space for them to explore feelings and thrive.

Anna is a proud mummy to two young children who she enjoys swimming, walking their dog and exploring new places with.

Likes

  • Dogs
  • Compassion
  • Eating Out

Dislikes

  • Rudeness