Lisa Parry Counselling
in Birchington, Kent & online
Trauma-Informed Counselling
Being trauma-informed means looking beyond the behaviours, emotions, or difficulties you may be experiencing and taking the time to understand the experiences that may have shaped them. Instead of focusing on symptoms alone, we explore your story with compassion, curiosity, and without judgement, recognising that your responses may have developed as ways of coping or protecting yourself.
Your wellbeing is always my priority. We will work at a pace that feels right for you, without pressure to revisit difficult experiences before you feel ready. You remain in control throughout the counselling process, and together we will build a relationship based on trust, collaboration, and respect.
Being trauma-informed also means recognising your strengths and resilience. My role is not only to support you in understanding the impact of your experiences but also to help you reconnect with your own inner resources, develop greater self-awareness, and move towards a life that feels more fulfilling and authentic.
Whether or not you identify your experiences as trauma, my aim is to create a safe, supportive, and empowering space where you feel heard, valued, and accepted. Together, we can make sense of your experiences in a way that honours your story while supporting you to move forward with greater confidence, self-compassion, and hope.
Working Creatively
Sometimes, finding the right words can feel difficult. You may know that something doesn't feel right, but struggle to explain it or understand why. This is where creative exploration can be incredibly helpful.
When it feels appropriate and beneficial to your process, I may gently invite you to explore different creative interventions. These are always an invitation, never an expectation, and you are free to choose what feels comfortable for you.
I use a variety of creative resources, including sand tray work, therapy cards, metaphor, drawing, writing, pens and paper, imagery, and other experiential activities. These approaches can help bring thoughts, feelings, memories, and patterns into awareness in a different way. Sometimes, seeing something visually or experiencing it creatively can help make sense of emotions or experiences that have previously felt confusing or difficult to put into words.
Working creatively can also help us notice familiar patterns, explore different parts of ourselves, and gently uncover new perspectives. It allows us to step back, become curious, and discover things that may not emerge through conversation alone.
Counselling doesn't always have to be serious. While we may explore painful experiences and difficult emotions, there is also room for curiosity, creativity, and even moments of laughter. Sometimes, taking a different approach can make the work feel less overwhelming, giving you the opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself before continuing your journey.
Every session is tailored to you. Whether we spend our time talking, working creatively, or using a combination of both, we will work together in a way that feels safe, meaningful, and supportive of your individual needs.
Walk and Talk Therapy
For some people, sitting in a counselling room can feel unfamiliar or even overwhelming. Walk and Talk Therapy offers an alternative way of working, allowing us to meet outdoors in the calming surroundings of nature while exploring whatever is on your mind.
I offer sessions in a choice of beautiful natural settings, including the beach, woodland, and riverside. Being outdoors can help create a sense of calm, encourage reflection, and provide space to think differently. Many people find that walking side by side feels more relaxed than sitting face to face, making it easier to talk openly and naturally.
Just like my room-based counselling, Walk and Talk Therapy is tailored to your individual needs. We can simply walk and talk, or, where appropriate and always by invitation, I may introduce gentle creative or Gestalt-based interventions to support your exploration. This might include using nature as a metaphor, noticing what is happening in the present moment, or engaging with the environment to deepen awareness and understanding.
Nature itself can become part of the therapeutic process. The changing seasons, a winding path, the movement of the water, or the strength of a tree can all offer powerful metaphors that help us make sense of our thoughts, emotions, and life experiences in a meaningful and often surprising way.
There is never any pressure to walk at a particular pace or to use creative interventions. We will work in a way that feels comfortable, safe, and supportive for you. Sometimes we'll walk, sometimes we'll pause to sit, reflect, or simply notice the world around us. The session is led by your needs.
Walk and Talk Therapy combines the benefits of counselling with the restorative qualities of nature, offering a gentle, flexible, and creative space to explore, heal, and grow.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how therapy works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on +44 7746839191 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 enquiries are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential.
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
“Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable. Let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.”
Douglas Adams
“Happiness lies in virtuous activity, and perfect happiness lies in the best activity, which is contemplative.”
Aristotle
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