Jenny, Psychotherapy client

If you are sceptical about counselling in general, this review is for you.

I have always been hugely cynical about getting any form of help, thinking I’m perfectly capable of dealing with my own issues, thank you very much.

I’m here to say, I was wrong and I’m glad I gave it a go. I begrudgingly did some searches and came across Bonnie’s information. Seeing that she covered the kind of things I thought might be helpful, I reached out.

When it came time for our first session, I thought I wouldn’t have much to say, but it turns out I could easily just talk for the entire session. After the first couple of sessions, I reflected upon them and wondered why I even needed counselling. Clearly, I can just talk about things, and it seemed to my untrained eye, that all Bonnie did was sit and listen, so why should I have to pay for that and why couldn’t I just vent to someone else in that case. I could not have been more wrong. There is a huge difference between talking to someone close to you and talking to someone who is unbiased, and an even bigger difference when that unbiased person is a trained counsellor.

The more I talked, the more Bonnie was quietly taking in. I didn’t realise but she had me sussed out pretty quickly, had figured out how my mind works, where my strengths and my vulnerabilities lie, and how to use those to help me find my way. She would come out with questions or insights that really took me by surprise. It was never about telling me what I should and shouldn’t d or feel. It was about helping me draw my own conclusions. I generally credit myself with being quite good at analysing and exploring situations myself, but she frequently said something that I hadn’t thought of, and really gave me pause for thought. I loved the challenge that she provided, giving me new angles from which to view my issues. She used analogies and gave me tools to help me see how I deal with things and better manage my life. Bonnie always made it very calm and easy to open up without feeling vulnerable. They say about counselling being a “safe space”, and to much my surprise, the time with her really did feel like that. In my sessions I could discuss anything, no matter how big or small, if it was affecting me, it was important, and she made me realise where my feelings had validity and where they may have been other factors I hadn’t considered. During our conversations I laughed, I cried, I sat in stunned silence a handful of times too. There was just a level of understanding from her that I’ve never experienced before and that felt so good.

Alongside dealing with my grief and issues surrounding the conflicts in my life, she managed to get me to view myself differently too. I’ve always been my own biggest critic, but she got me to assess my own worth, increase my confidence and realise that I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Things like that are not easily remedied and may be something I have to work on for the rest of my life, but I carry her words with me every day and they have helped me tackle parts of my life I just accepted before.

My sessions with Bonnie have now ended as we drew to a natural end where we both felt I had reached a point where I was okay to continue alone. I’m not saying I’m magically fixed or something, because healing is an ongoing journey, but she equipped me with the tools to go on, and a way to see things in a different light. She also assured me that if ever I felt I needed more, I can contact her, and just even knowing that is a comfort. I’m genuinely grateful and thankful for all the help she has given me.

Honestly if you told me a year ago that I’d be writing anything like this, I’d say there’s no way… but here I am, asking you to set aside that scepticism. After all, if you’re reading this, you’re already open to looking. Keep at it, give it a chance – and I’m sorry to have to use such a tired cliché, but it really can be life changing. Good luck and don’t worry, with Bonnie, you’re in safe hands. Go well.