The Therapeutic Process

A Relationship of Trust and Honesty

We can all struggle to understand why we think, react and behave in the way we do. Colin Chapman provides a safe, secure environment to explore your internal world, inviting you to become more aware and understanding of your own feelings and how they shape the perceptions of you and your experiences.

I'M LOST IN A FOREST...

Depression and Low Mood

Many of us may feel trapped - whether for moments at a time or for longer periods - in psychological distress about our past experiences and convinced in a prediction of a bleak and unavoidable future. Depression can make our lives appear pointless, void of meaning and opportunity. Understanding our inner world, our behaviours, the stories we tell ourselves and how they impact the lives we live, can allow us to be more open to the possibilities the future may offer.

I FEEL SO SCARED...

Stress and Anxiety

Relationships, work, and health are common factors that can cause us to feel stressed and anxious, both in the moment and about the future. Anxiety and stress often hinder us in how we behave, how we interact with the world and how we imagine the future will be. Understanding those feelings, how they arise, their influence on our behaviours, and how to be with them, may allow us to shift how we relate to our experiences, with a healthier, more balanced approach.

A FINAL GOODBYE...

Loss and Isolation

Loss is something we all encounter at times during our lives and the impact of these moments are often profound and deeply felt. The world we knew and relied upon no longer exists and the feeling of being alone and lost in personal grief often intensifies the distress we feel. The ache of losing someone or something that meant so much can often leave us feeling isolated and detached from the world and those around us. The world carries on while we remain trapped in sorrow and pain. Exploring and understanding the turmoil we experience, when we suffer an intense feeling of loss in our lives, can enable us to begin to heal the wound we feel and allow us to start navigating through the new world we now face.

I FEEL IT'S PRESENCE...

Addictions and Obsessive Behaviours

Feeling dependency for a substance or behaviour is a common experience for many as they try and cope with the challenges that life often presents. The addiction often becomes entangled with how we feel about ourselves and struggle to imagine being able to survive without it, even when we may know it is harmful to ourselves or others. Although different in many ways, compulsive behaviours are also symptomatic of struggling with the stresses of life, providing a sense of relief from engaging in the behaviour, rather than the pleasure often associated with addiction. Understanding our behaviours, with care and compassion, rather than demonising them, can inspire a way of being that encourages healthier choices.

Well Being - Mind and Body

The mind and body are not separate entities that behave independently, they are intertwined, and guide how we experience ourselves and the world we encounter. An unhealthy mind and body can leave us feeling like shipwrecks in a storm, unable to cope with what life throws at us, feeling exhausted, worn-out, and losing hope in our ability to thrive. Nurturing a healthier mind and body provides the potential of steering ourselves through these ever-changing waves of experience, with greater resilience, towards a landscape of well-being and possibility.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a method of personal enquiry that invites us to observe and pay attention to our internal and external experiences with inordinate care. Becoming more aware of the world, inside and outside of us, encourages us to develop a greater awareness and understanding of our own mental and physical processes, offering the potential of witnessing a clearer view of ourselves and the world we inhabit. Mindfulness is not something we achieve, it is an ongoing process that allows us to become progressively more conscious of our internal and external experiences, rewarding us with a richer and ever-deepening way of being.

About

Explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences

There may be occasions in our lives when we struggle to make sense of what is happening to us and the world we experience. Depression, anxieties, stress, loss of a loved one and traumatic moments are some of many unforeseen events, that can all change the way we see ourselves and the life we are living.

Therapy provides an opportunity to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences within a relationship that is free of the fears we may hold about disclosing to people we know. Colin offers a relationship of trust, honesty and openness that allows you to explore your story, thoughts, hopes and fears, in a safe, supportive, confidential place, free of external influences and judgement, providing an opportunity for personal insight and change.

The heart of the process

Colin offers an integrative approach to counselling and psychotherapy that places you at the heart of the process, encouraging a greater sense of well-being for your body and mind. Your story is unique to you and therefore holds the narrative of how you see yourself and the world you experience. Exploring your history, with compassion and acceptance, will allow you to make healthier, more informed choices for you, that he believes will enable you to experience a more balanced and understanding perspective of you, the life you have lived and the experiences yet to come.

Meditation Classes

Introduction to Mindfulness

In recent years Mindfulness has become more widely known and promoted as a source of well-being, however there is also a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about the practice, its intentions, value and what the practice of mindfulness really is.

Colin has created short courses with an intention of inviting people to discover the traditional spirit, practice, and teachings of mindfulness. The courses explore the Four Foundations of Mindfulness practice, the teachings, philosophies, and practice of Vipassana (Insight meditation), the Anapanasati Sutra and the challenges of practicing and living more mindfully in a modern world.

For more information about the courses available, including dates, please register your interest via email or call Colin on 01420 513 542 / 07542 416 260.

Qualifications, Training and Experience

Colin Chapman

Colin Chapman is a qualified humanistic counsellor / psychotherapist, Accredited member of BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and NCPS (The National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society). His qualifications Include: BA (Hons) Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, Dip. Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, HE Dip. Medicine, Cert. The Science of Well-Being, Compassion-Based Approaches into Trauma Treatment, NCFE Cert. Mental Health Awareness.

Colin also works within the NHS Trust as part of the Macmillan cancer support team, having previously spent a number of years working with MIND, one of the UK's leading mental health charities, offering therapy for a wide range of client issues.

Colin has been studying and observing traditional and contemporary mindfulness practices for many years. He studied and practices one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation, Vipassana Meditation, as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

Colin continues to explore and be influenced by Eastern and Western philosophies and approaches - from the ancient wisdoms of Taoism and Buddhism to contemporary research in neuroscience and evolutionary psychology. His sole intention is to continue to develop a deeper understanding of how to cultivate and promote a way of being that reduces much of the unnecessary psychological distress that debilitates so many of us throughout our lives.

As an Accredited Member of BACP and NCPS, Colin works in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018, providing an assurance for clients that the service they receive is bound by professional and ethical standards.

Questions

Should you have any other questions or wish to book a consultation / appointment, please contact me by telephone (01420 513 542 or 07542 416 260), email colin@cctherapyandmindfulness.co.uk or use the online form below.

Can therapy help Me?

Unravelling how we feel, think and behave is a challenging process for anyone. Often the first casualty is honesty, as we are often concerned with how we may be received or thought of by others, especially those that are close to us. A therapeutic relationship provides a safe, supportive, honest environment that invites you to explore you and your world openly, absent of the fear of judgement or consequence of revealing ourselves to others.

What issues can therapy help me with?

Therapy provides a space for you to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, behaviours and experiences. Psychological and physical distress are often complex and many of the experiences we feel are symptoms of underlying issues yet explored. Depression, anxiety, stress, abuse (sexual, physical, psychological), loss, trauma, addictions and relationship breakdowns are all examples of issues that often require a healing process that a safe, supportive, honest and compassionate therapeutic relationship can provide.

How long will I need therapy for?

The length of time people spend in therapy is as unique to them as their story. It is for the client to choose when they feel they no longer wish to continue with the therapeutic process.

What types of therapy do you offer?

Colin offers short or long-term therapy with individuals (adults and teenagers), groups and organisations. Face to face and group sessions take place at his private practice in Alton. Remote sessions are also available online via videocall (including Zoom and FaceTime) or telephone. If you would like to enquire about home visits, or arrange a workshop at your organisation, please email for further details and availability.

What is the cost of therapy?

A free 30-minute consultation is offered to allow us to explore the possibility of working together. If you choose to continue, each session is 50 minutes at a cost of £60 per session. Individual therapy usually takes place weekly, however more or less frequent sessions are available if considered appropriate. Costs for groups and organisations are available on request.

Welcome to CC Therapy and Mindfulness, a holistic approach to well-being.