Hi, my name is Sheila Tolley. I believe that building a rapport with my clients is key to a successful outcome: “Know all the theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch a human soul, be just another human soul.” (Carl Jung).
I like to think that I provide a common-sense and down to earth approach to my counselling practice, bringing to the role a life-time worth of experience: the good, the bad and the ugly!
My decision to become a Therapeutic Counsellor came at the end of a long career as a director in the voluntary sector and it marked a return to my first passion when as a young student I completed an honours degree in Psychology, wanting to know more about human behaviour and what makes us all tick.
I have an in-depth understanding of a wide range of communities-particularly “the lonely, the least and the left out*” and have benefitted from working alongside, supporting and genuinely engaging with: the African-Caribbean Community in Hulme/Moss Side, Asian Communities across East Lancashire (Burnley, Blackburn, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale), destitute Asylum Seekers and Refugees across Greater Manchester, older infirm citizens, the Nepalese community within Aldershot, a Travelling community in Northampton and a Zulu township Community in Johannesburg, South Africa.
(Amanda Gorman, USA Poet Laureate*).
After graduating, I worked as a researcher in The Department of Psychiatric Social Work at The University of Manchester, completing a higher degree in Applied Social Research and contributing to a couple of published research papers which influenced the future direction of Social Work training.
For the past five years I have worked in a voluntary capacity as a caseworker with destitute Refugees and Asylum Seekers. To paraphrase the words used by a member of one family I had been working with to try and obtain financial support: “money comes and money goes, but YOU HAVE FELT WITH US”. I genuinely hope I can offer that same sense of deep understanding to all my clients.
The type of counselling I practice is called Person Centred. The theory of this approach, backed up by robust evidence, is that offering empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard, within a safe confidential space, can help a person achieve peace of mind, personal growth, healing and improved self-worth. It is a non-directive approach.
I work with individual adults from 18 years upwards.
My work is guided by The BACP Ethical Framework.
Practicalities:
• Drop me an email with your telephone number and I will then ring you for a brief chat to find out what you want to get out of counselling. This initial chat is free.
• If we both decide to go ahead, I will ask you to sign one of my contracts which will set out the frequency and duration of our sessions-usually once a week for 50 minutes. Sessions can either be virtual via the phone/zoom, or face to face.
• Each session will cost £46.00, payable a week in advance. For those unable to cover this cost, I can sometimes offer sessions at a reduced rate.