Anabel OG Counselling

Welcome to Anabel OG Counselling

A confidential space to explore the thoughts, feelings and challenges in your life

Counselling for individuals in a safe, comfortable and private setting

Welcome, and thank you for visiting Anabel OG Counselling.

My name is Anabel Olmedo Gonzalez (MNCPS Accred) and I am an integrative trauma informed counsellor. I am a complex trauma practitioner and I also use aspects of Transpersonal Therapy and Mindfulness within my practice. I offer a safe, confidential and welcoming space in The Practice Rooms in Exeter providing both short- and long-term therapy to adult individuals. I also offer counselling by telephone and online.

We all experience times of difficulty in our lives, and talking to a trained professional who understands the importance of emotional, physical and spiritual vulnerability helps us to make sense of those challenging times. I have learnt how importnat this is after many years working within Mental Health Services at NHS.

Speak in Confidence

Counselling takes place in a safe space, where you will be listened with sensitivity and empathy - and without judgement. In the therapy space thoughts and feelings can be expressed freely and in confidence.

A problem shared...

Trouble with a relationship; ageing; anxiety; panic attacks; depression; lack of selfconfidence - many people face difficulties in their everyday lives that can be hard to get on top of. Counselling gives you a set of tools you can use to help gain a better understanding of what is causing these problems - and how you can move towards managing or resolving them.

Make better, healthier new choices

Working together I can help you gain greater insight into the difficulties you are facing, help you understand why you act or react to them the way you do, and see how you can start to make better, heathier choices moving forward.

How can counselling help you?

Life brings many challenges, and it is understandable that at times we might look for support in facing them. As a counsellor my role is to provide space and guidance to help you on your journey of self-discovery; to enable you to examine your life and make new, meaningful choices within it.

I offer a chance to reflect on the difficulties or problems you are experiencing in a safe and confidential environment. Together we can explore your situation in a way that leads to fresh perspectives - and perhaps a new understanding of yourself. Counselling is not about giving you solutions or advice, but empowering you to make your own changes.

My approach to therapy is a person-centred one. Within my practice I use aspects of the Transpersonal Therapy and Mindfulness where I feel that it would benefit to my clients. Both approaches can help to those clients feeling stuck in a meaninglessness moment in their lives.

What issues can counselling help with?

People come to me for help a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling:

Feelings of stress or anxiety

Panic attacks

Relationship problems

Grief, loss or bereavement

Problems with addiction

Trauma and post-traumatic stress

Cancer

Depression

Problems with confidence or self-esteem

Anger management

Lack of purpose

Difficulties at work or in retirement

Fertility Issues

Ageing

Qualifications

Accredited Counsellor by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (MNCPS Accred), which means I have met their criteria for qualified and experienced therapists and work in accordance with their ethical framework.

Complex trauma practitioner by the Complex Trauma Institute in UK. For more infor clik here

Expertise in Mediation by Rey Juan Carlos University (Spain).

Diploma in Transpersonal Therapy by Spanish Institute of Transpersonal Therapy.

Bachelor Degree (Hons) in Social Work by UCLM (Spain).

Plus other studies and qualifications related with Mindfulness, Emotions, Compassion Therapy, Meditation and Imagery in Coaching and Therapy.

My location

The Practice Rooms in Exeter. A peaceful and warm practice located in Exeter city centre. Click here for more information.

In addition to providing face-to-face therapy, I also offer telephone counselling and online sessions.

Availability

Counselling sessions for individuals last 50 minutes, usually taking place on a weekly basis. I also provide a limited number of spaces for those on low-income or for students; contact me to enquire about availability.

Note that if you want to cancel an appointment I require 48 hours’ notice; otherwise you will still need to pay for any sessions missed. I accept payment in cash, or by bank transfer.

Fees

Single Counselling Sessions

£60 per session

Counselling students fees

£ 30 per session

Get in touch

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.

You can also call me on (+44) 07518 784261 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.

All enquires are usually answered within 24-48 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.

Frequently asked questions

Counselling is usually a good way to help with a current problem; something that can be discussed and - hopefully - resolved within a limited number of sessions. Over a certain number of weeks the understanding of the problem improves and away forward becomes clear. Therapy often describes work that goes a bit deeper, towards more substantial life issues and problems having a deeper effect on the client’s life. Therapy often requires a long-term approach, so the number of sessions can be open-ended.

Which option is most suitable depends on the client and the difficulties they are facing. In some cases counselling works well as an ongoing, longer-term option - or therapy can manage to resolve an issue in just a few sessions.

Everything that is said within the counselling room is private - this is one of the main ways counselling and therapy differ from talking to a friend or relative. Once you are comfortable with the format of weekly sessions and the safe space they provide, you will find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value.

Note that there are some situations where you may be a risk to yourself or others, and there the law requires that I notify an authority; in these cases I may not be able to keep total confidentiality. Breaking confidentiality is very rare though, and only happens after the person concerned has been informed.

Usually I am asked this question by people who are nervous about entering into counselling, or when they are looking for support in coming to see a therapist. This anxiety is understandable, but a key aspect of therapy is that you should feel free to talk about any issues you feel are important to you. Having someone else with you who can be connected those issues makes this opening-up more difficult, so for this reason I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family.

How long a period of counselling lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. For some people a couple of sessions helps to bring their problems into focus, and they feel ready to move forward; other problems may require more of an open-ended approach.

Before we begin any work we will agree on the number of sessions we’ll undertake, and at the end of that number review our progress. As long as we both agree further therapy will be of benefit to you, sessions can continue.

My aim is to offer a first appointment - known as an initial assessment - within 1-2 weeks. Then we would arrange a set number of counselling sessions to take place at the same time every week, that is convenient for you and where I have availabity. How quickly these sessions can begin will depend on the availabity of that free ‘slot’.

You may not know it, but you’ve already taken the first step...

It can be scary and confusing making the decision to contact a counsellor or therapist, but in my experience people will struggle with a mental health issue, a personal crisis or problems with a relationship for much longer than is healthy. Sometimes a friend has proved a source of comfort, but this help can only go so far. Realising that resolving a problem requires something more means you have actually already taken the first step towards improving your life.

How I see it...

The skill of a counsellor is in helping people to help themselves... the person coming to therapy has to want that help, and be prepared to act on it. Commitment is one of the key words in Counselling, I cannot help you if you are not sure if you wnat to help yourself.

A fascinating journey begins here...

Seeing a therapist is not a passive act. Counselling is a journey with a guide through a familiar but somehow unusual land; it can be rewarding, sometimes confusing and often revelatory... but for sure what it is not is passive!