It has been a busy few months and I am very grateful for all the trust my new clients have given me. Being a pluralistic counsellor, and with many years of experience of working with a wide range of issues, I can draw on a number of techniques. Recently I have been using photography and it is amazing how it can help people open up, explore the past, express emotions, and re-awaken creativity.

I have researched these techniques for years and have written extensively on their use across many professional areas. Photographs are a real treasure trove of information, and it can be insightful to use existing images to facilitate sessions. Equally, creating images in (and between) sessions can offer ways to connect with feelings and emotions which may have been suppressed for many years.

Winter can be a tough time for many. As I am just setting up my new business against a backdrop of increasing expenses, and diminishing services, I am offering all my new clients a 50% reduction in fees for all appointments between November 2025, and the end of February 2026.

As I launch Developing Positives, it is very sad to learn that such a fantastic organisation who provided counselling for so many people has just closed.

Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA) has been in operation since the 1950’s and it is where I completed my placement whilst studying for my Pluralistic Counselling qualification, and where I was a volunteer counsellor. It provided free counselling for people in need all across Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.

This week they announced that, because of their financial situation, they have had to close with immediate effect, leaving staff without a job, and leaving those who were receiving a service, without vital support.

For more on this story, please see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg757rvnz0no