I entered Memorys therapy space a mess. I left healed, with tools to cope and a different perspective on life. Memory has this unique ability to listen, really listen. She gently guides you to reason. The talking space Memory offers is invaluable for recovery.
I found Memory to be a kind, patient, insightful therapist who helped me gain greater understanding of myself and put me on a path to greater peace and happiness.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Memory earlier this year. I instantly felt at ease to talk to her about things that have been weighing on me. Her attentive and calm manner allowed me to explore connections that I was previously unaware of and encouraged me to be honest, not only with her but also with myself. I found Memory really relatable, which meant that we could also have a laugh. This is not to say that the setting didn’t feel professional, but more that it was friendly and supportive. I feel much more empowered and positive now, and well-equipped to tackle any other challenges, and would not hesitate to get back in touch with her if I felt it would be beneficial.
After a difficult year I decided to try talk therapy to have a space to explore how I was dealing with changes in my life and my worries about the future. I found Memory to be understanding, personable and above all non judgemental. The sessions helped in identifying and acknowledging the emotions behind certain thought patterns, with Memory encouraging better awareness of these emotions and self-compassion.
Having reaching rock bottom and fearing that I would lose my job, I had to confront my traumatic childhood issues and after a few consultations; Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services turned out to be the right place for me. It was the whole package. Living with OCD from a very young age means I am very particular about cleanliness and the room was spacious and clean which was a positive. During the seven months of twice a week therapy, there was consistency and being an anxious person, I was offered either a hot drink or cold and found that always helped to calm my nerves and led me to open up about things I had repressed. I felt supported throughout and there were challenging times yet having been on that journey, I have no regrets and have so much respect for professionals who give a lot of themselves just to try and make lives of people like myself more manageable. I’m in a much better place and enjoying life more with my new found awareness and ways to manage the dark days which are far in between now.
I found help in dealing with my pornography addiction with Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services. At first I was sceptical and feared being judged yet I felt understood and supported that after nine months of weekly therapy sessions, I have come clean and living a more fulfilling life.
I first contacted Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services when I felt as though I couldn’t cope with day to day life and felt that talking therapy might be an option for me. I also didn’t want to be stuck on a waiting list for weeks or months as I felt this would on worsen my situation. The response from Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services was prompt and informative. When I mentioned that the fees could be an issue for me, Memory, my therapist, emailed me promptly reassuring that they didn’t like turning people away if they really needed help. This was a really considerate act, and I immediately felt cared for, so I decided to arrange a session with Memory. Memory, is an extremely kind, welcoming and intelligent person, and I immediately liked her. She outlined clearly what the sessions would entail, and how it worked. I always felt at ease when talking to Memory and didn’t ever feel judged or embarrassed when I was opening up about personal and delicate topics. She is an excellent listener and has a lot of knowledge and experience that was really beneficial to the therapy, sometimes we would end up laughing which helped too! Over the course of 10 weeks, I talked through and dealt with a lot of the issues that had been troubling me and always came away from the session feeling positive and accomplished. Now having finished the sessions, I feel a great improvement to my self esteem and self worth, and overall am able to deal with problems or issues that occur in my day to day life. I would definitely say that Memory, and The Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services team had a hugely positive impact on my life and I would recommend them to anyone who was considering talking therapy.
After an accident that left me scarred I never thought I would have the confidence to wear a bikini let alone find someone who could love me for real. Memory was very empathetic and put up with my lashing yet through her patience and coaching techniques, I finally started to apply the practical suggestions and today I feel so different to where I was over eighteen months ago. I had so much anger and couldn’t get over why it had happened to me. I am not an easy person to deal with in general and am very grateful that after two failed attempts with previous Psychotherapists, partly because I wasn’t ready and perhaps we just didn’t click, yet Memory was able to hold my anger and still smiled yet challenging me that I had what it takes to enjoy life and find love. I didn’t want to believe it but the more she reminded me and through processing the difficulties, I started slowly to look in the mirror and see the beauty. I am glad that there are organisations out there that offer this service that I used to dismiss as rubbish yet has helped me and for the first time I wore a bikini and didn’t care who was noticing my scars!
I would like to thank the Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services team, in particular John for working with me to process my failed marriage and find closure. Not been easy seven months but having someone to listen to me and challenge me in a professional capacity helped me see things in ways I would have never done alone. Now I feel ready to form a new relationship and looking forward to whatever 2018 holds in stock for me. thank you.
After years of denial about my alcoholism I was forced to seek therapy when my mother passed away and my brother threatened to cut me out of his life unless I got help. It was a push that I resented at first yet became a saving line as I was able to talk about the shame I had kept all inside and tried to forget through drinking. I found talking very helpful although at times I would cancel as it was very hard to face up to the truths. A year after starting therapy and combining with support from AA I have not touched alcohol in five months and my life is already much better and for once I feel like I am living. I am fortunate to have a brother and my lovely nieces whom I adore and now free to spend more time with family without threatening anyone with my behaviour after a drink too many. I am grateful to the work of dedicated therapists at Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services who were very patient with me and never turned me away even when I was being horrible. I miss my mother and wish she would be here to see me now but I am learning to live without her and just forming new meaningful relationships.
Investing in my personal Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services was the best thing I did for myself in 2016 and proud that at long last I have had closure with things that have held me back and kept me stuck for nearly forty years of my life. Before, I could not have imagined the professional approach and knowledge that the therapist had at understanding me and my needs. I have no regrets at spending the money I did because its given me a new life and new confidence I never thought I had. Talking therapy definitely helps if one is open to explore the challenges and ready to deal with them with help of a professional. Thanks to Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services.
For a long time I had been advised to confront my anger issues and addressing their root cause but always denied that it was a serious problem until my boss asked me to seek help or risk loosing my job. I find talking about feelings really difficult except to lash out in anger because both my parents were very angry people and I grew up watching them scream at each other in anger until they divorced when I was eleven years old. The first few sessions were confusing as I did not really know how the process worked and having a very calm and composed therapist who did not react judgementally towards me was in itself out of my comfort zone. I ended up working at my anger issues with the help of a very professional yet kind therapist who challenged me in ways that did not seem obvious yet very effective. It took us six months of effort and reflecting on myself to get to a place where I am a better person both at work and at home as a result of gaining some understanding and expressing my anger in less destructive ways.
Suffering from an extreme form of social anxiety had robbed me of years of happiness. I tried CBT which I thought was brilliant but within a few weeks of ending the sessions, found myself relapsing into my old habits. A friend recommended that I try a different kind of talk therapy and seeing John was nerve racking at first but I decided to persevere and ended up staying for longer than I thought I would. I am in a much better place than I have been in years and I liked the approach which was a combination of analysis and some mindfulness exercises to deal with the practical side of my anxieties. I also came to realise that the more committed I was to allow change, the easier it became as I slowly started letting go of fears that had held me prisoner and stolen a decade of my life. Thank you from my heart.
Seeing a psychotherapist during a bitter separation from my ex partner was the best investment I could have made for my emotional Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services. I was emotionally exhausted yet through talk therapy I found a new source of strength that I still rely on nearly three months on since my last session. I still have my ups and downs and when I am feeling most vulnerable, Memory’s words come through my mind and it feels like I am taking a pill of wisdom and power to keep my mind healthy and give me the strength I need to remind myself that I can make it through. I really treasure the six months of therapy I had with you. Thank you for your gentleness and sometimes challenging approach that I now value as I continue to face life with its ups and downs.
I have suffered from low self esteem ever since I was in primary school. I was bullied in school a lot and called all sorts of names because I was fat. I hated life and started havingsuicidal thoughts from an early age. I don’t think I really wanted to die but desperately needed help. I also self harmed and by the age of 14 I was getting private lessons and hated going out during the day. My family moved to a small village when I was in myearly 20s and I noticed that people seemed nicer. I met someone special who seemed to like me for who I am and encouraged me to talk to a professional about my depression and low self esteem issues. He even accompanied me to my first session and waited patiently for me as I was very nervous. I liked the counsellor who spoke very gently and seemed to listen. I ended up having counselling for nine months and in that time was able to confront my main issues. I still have work to do but I have already lost over two stone and recentlygota job which I like. I am starting to like myself more and using mindfulness everyday. I’m not there yet but certainly not going backwards thanks to the kindness and professional help I got from you.
After losing my job through redundancy I turned to drinking more alcohol in the evenings and at first I was in control.After a while, I started drinking during the day as well and when my daughter confronted me, I denied and became a secret drinker. Things came to a head when almost a year later I could not even look myself in the mirror. I had pilled on nearly three stones and hated life so much that I became suicidal. I was put on anti depressants but I was not committed and I also found that my mood changed a lot. I had become unpredictable. It was when my daughter gave me an ultimatum booked me to ave talk therapy and I reluctantly went along to what was the beginning of a challenging but life changing experience. I had therapy for 18 months and in that time I was able to shade off three stones, turn an old hobby into business which is bringing some income as well as doing something that I love. I am in a new relationship and my daughter is happy to let me look after my two beautiful grand daughters. I can never thank you enough for being patient with me and never judging me.
Our relationship had reached rock bottom and we either had to go our separate ways or seek help. A colleague advised us to try Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services and the first session gave us some hope although it was too early to say. Six months on we feel like we are back on track and happier than ever and expecting our first baby together in five months time. A big thank you to Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services for the simple and practical tools you gave us.
Making a transition between university and my life prior was really difficult for me, dealing with homesickness and the sudden independence of living away from home; plus results that culminated from a loss of a close friend began to spiral into a state of depression. Upon being referred to Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services, with the aid of my psychotherapist I was able to freely express myself in a non judgemental environment and benefited from the sessions significantly. Furthermore to talking, she gave me homework and mindful exercises to practice for my anxiety and the more I tried, the better I got at listening to my body as well as understanding myself more. Now I use the mindful techniques almost everyday to help deal with anxieties around exam time or when I struggle to sleep.
I knew my relationship was breaking down but for a long time I buried my head in the sand until a work colleague told me about Memory.I wasn’t sure at first but my colleague spoke very well of her and I told my partner we had to try or split up. We had become strangers and with Memory’s help, we are now much happier and after twelve years together and a four year old son, we are getting married this summer. We have found a balance in communicating our feelings without hurting each other or going cold for days. A big thanks to Memory.
I was sceptical when I first spoke to a counsellor from Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services but decided to try. The first thing I noticed was how clean and spacious the room was together with a young looking but very professional counsellor who was clearly relaxed. She soon made me feel relaxed too and before I knew it, I was telling her how anxious I had been feeling in recent weeks following relationship issues. It had started to affect my sleep badly. Time went by so quickly and initially questioned the approach which the counsellor called Psychodynamic. About eight sessions into the therapy it all started making sense – was painful most of the times to relive my past experiences but talking about them opened up an outlet. I realised that I had so much anger rooted deep inside from my past relationship which caused me much anxieties and at times even panic attacks. She also encouraged some mindful exercises and six months on, I am sleeping a lot better and feel less anxious. I am ever so grateful to the patience of my counsellor and would go back if I need help.
After years of drinking too much and causing my wife and children a lot of stress, I acknowledged that I had a problem and a friend recommendedthat I contact Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services. I don’t talk much especially when sober and was reluctant but things had got out of control and I needed professional help.I found the therapist to be warm and felt reassured and with their help as well as attending AA, it took me over a year to get to the stage where I rarely drink and don’t miss alcohol at all. I did a lot of damage to myself as well as to my family and now hoping to save my marriage of 21 years. I couldn’t thank Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services enough for their professionalism, patience and support throughout the 18 months that we worked together.
After years of mental abuse at the hands of my partner of 12 years, I reluctantly admitted that I needed help and was referred to Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services by a work colleague who had seen a Psychologist there before. Therapy was not easy at first but with time I found the strength to express my anger and the unresolved issues which had left me with very little self-esteem and a sense of worthlessness. I was reassured of confidentiality and the support I got over the course of six months transformed me into a lively person and my family and friends could tell the difference. I still have my bad days but in general I have since regained my once lost sense of self and am in a new loving relationship. Thanks to the team at Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services.
Venturing to University did not turn out as I had first expected, within the first few weeks I had plummeted into a state of constant anxiety and mild depression and was finding it difficult to cope with the independent responsibilities that comes with being away from home. Upon a referral to a Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services therapist, I found a place in which I could safely express myself without experiencing judgement, and learned to practice the art of managing my anxiety instead of allowing it to control me. I cannot thank them enough for urging me to confront my fears and control my emotions in a healthy manner; I am now enjoying my second year of University and feel a lot happier.
Having suffered years of Depression and tried different anti depressants and several CBT sessions arranged through my GP and work, it helped but wasn’t enough on its on. I was referred to Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services and the approach was different. Memory used a technique she said would link my past to the present and at first I was sceptical but after four months of persevering, it all started to make sense. A year on, I have a better understanding of the triggers for my depression and still have some bad days but nothing to stop me from getting out of bed and getting on with life. Big thanks to Memory for her empathy and laid back approach which allowed me to talk freely without feeling like she was judging me.
When I first went to Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services Oxford, I had very low self esteem and was struggling with depression and anxiety. Working with Memory, I was able to explore my thoughts and with her kind, honest and open input; I have been able to begin the ongoing work of building a healthy self esteem and enjoying life more. Memory was able to build trust with me and I always felt like she had a genuine care for my Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services even when she was telling me things that I didn’t want to hear! There are sometimes difficult sessions in therapy, but I remember many sessions being a place of comfort and reflection. I came away from our work together with a higher level of self esteem and feeling a lot better.
Since my therapy sessions, I have discovered that true happiness comes from within and I feel a lot calmer and less anxious thanks to the team at
I had heard a lot of negative things about counselling so I was apprehensive when I first went to see a counsellor at Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services. Her approach helped me to feel safe and the six months were valuable and one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my life. Some sessions were tough but all worthwhile!
Memory’s professional expertise in bereavement counseling was invaluable in coming to terms with the loss of my Father,addressing ill health that arose as a consequence and reducing the dosage of the anti depressants I had been prescribed. Her empathetic approach enabled me to confront traumatic issues, manage grief and provide a platform to lead a healthier life style.
Through counseling and life style coaching, a therapist at Oxford Counselling & Psychotherapy Services helped me address weight issues, loss of libido and depression that threatened my personal and professional relationships. Her grasp of underlying issues and pragmatic approach resulted in a programme of change that has enabled me to improve my health and enhance my sense of well-being.
The thought of counselling was daunting and to have to admit that I was a secret alcoholic was the last thing I was prepared to do. I had been suffering from Depression for some years and always turned to drink. Finally I got help and being challenged bruised my ego but the outcome is a clean man and I am happier than I have been in a very long time. Thank you.
I thought I had my life under control and excelling at work and in life when a fatal accident changed everything. I lost my husband and best friend and the Trauma sent me downhill that some days I just wanted to sleep forever. It took me over a year to seek help and when I finally did, although hard at first, I have never looked back. The combination of working with an expert in the field yet made me feel like we connected as human beings while containing me at the same time was beyond words. I have a lot of respect for Psychotherapist in general now as a result of my nine months experience working with one. I still feel as her voice echoeing gently in the background on those days that I still struggle.