Serenus Psychotherapy

I’m Hannah and I provide counselling and psychotherapy in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and online to adults experiencing a range of issues, ranging from anxiety and depression to trauma, grief and relationship difficulty.

If you have found yourself here, you are probably really struggling at the moment and are looking for some help. Wading through the hard situations we find ourselves in can stir up many different feelings, such as fear, overwhelm and helplessness. We may well feel alone in it all. We all go through hardships in life and sometimes need extra support or company to work through the challenges we face. Counselling can be a great way in obtaining this.

I chose the name Serenus — Latin for serene — because whatever brings someone here, my aim is to support them in returning to a place of serenity and inner peace.

Central to my work as a counsellor and therapist is creating a respectful, compassionate and non-judgemental space in which you can begin to explore and better understand yourself and the situations you find yourself in. Together, we journey towards making the positive changes you feel ready to make. Sometimes this will take a short set of six to twelve sessions; sometimes it will be a longer open-ended working relationship. We will work out together what feels right for you.

Clients often say they feel safe to open up in ways they haven’t before and have felt comfortable from the start. Others have shared that our work was “life-changing” and has led to meaningful, lasting growth (see my Testimonials).

If you’re considering therapy, please feel free to explore my website, to get to know more about me and my practise, and to see if I could be of help to you.

I work with adults facing a wide range of challenges, including:

Anxiety, stress and overwhelm
Low mood and depression
Emotional regulation and managing difficult feelings
Self-criticism and low self-esteem
Relationship difficulties
Trauma and the lasting impact of past experiences
Grief and loss
Loneliness and feelings of disconnection
Life transitions and uncertainty

What I Can Help With

Whether you are seeking support with a specific issue or looking for deeper self-understanding and personal growth, I can provide a space to explore what is happening in your life and move towards meaningful and lasting change. Some people come for short-term counsellingfocused on a particular issue. Others choose longer-term psychotherapy, allowing space to explore deeper patterns, past experiences and relational dynamics over time.

Working With Spirituality

I have a deep appreciation of the physical, mental and spiritual dimensions of being human. Many people find themselves longing for a greater sense of wholeness — a deeper connection with themselves, with others, with nature, with life, with something beyond themselves or with the Divine/God. Spirituality and faith do not have to be part of our work, but it is welcome if it feels important to you.

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My Therapy Approach

I am an Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist, which means I am trained in different approaches. This means I am able to tailor therapy and the approach to each individual, recognising that every person’s experiences, needs and goals are unique. This is done collaboratively, based on what feels most helpful and of value to you.

The main approaches I draw on are:

Humanistic/Person-centered
Psychodynamic
Cognitive-behavioural
Emotion- focused
Compassion-focused
Internal Family Systems/Parts work

Life can often feel fast-paced, with constant demands on our attention and always something to think about, organise and prepare for. In the midst of this, it can be difficult to pause and make sense of what is happening within us.

I offer a safe space to slow down, for reflection and reconnection with yourself. Together, we can explore the challenges you are facing and help you develop greater self-awareness, emotional understanding and self-acceptance, and move towards greater clarity, resilience and inner peace.

I draw upon mindfulness, grounding and somatic approaches to help you become more present with your thoughts, emotions and bodily experiences, and regulate these. By slowing down and learning to listen to yourself more deeply, we can also begin to make more sense of recurring patterns, difficult emotions and the past experiences that have shaped you.

Alongside emotional exploration, we may choose to explore and challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, develop new perspectives and learn practical ways of coping with life's challenges. My hope is to support you in moving beyond fear, shame, hopelessness and self-criticism, towards greater confidence, authenticity and inner peace.

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I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Level 7) from the University of South Wales. My academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Stephen’s University.

In addition, I’ve completed specialist training in the BACP competencies for telephone and e-counselling. This ensures that I can offer a safe, ethical and attuned therapeutic experience when working with clients online.

Alongside my private practice, I have gained valuable experience volunteering at several low-cost counselling services. I have also been a befriender with charities supporting the elderly, people facing addiction, homelessness, and mental health crises, as well as coaching school children. These experiences have exposed me to many different communities and life circumstances, deepening my understanding and appreciation for the diversity of human experience.

I also help to lead retreats which use the natural world, music and creative art to aid self-expression and discovery, and bring a sense of restoration and recovery. I have interests in holistic health and well-being, and the connection between physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Education and Experience

What To Expect

I offer in-person, online (Zoom), and telephone appointments. In-person sessions take place in Filton (Bristol) and Weston-super-Mare. Each session lasts 50 minutes and is priced at £55.

Sessions take place on a rolling basis, with no set number required — you are free to continue for as long or as little as feels right for you. Some clients come for a few weeks or months; others find ongoing work helpful over a longer period. We will work together to find the right pace and length of your therapy journey.

It’s really important that you feel comfortable with the therapist you choose, and that the relationship feels like the right fit. That’s why I offer a free initial session, so we can see whether working together feels right for you.

If you’re interested in starting therapy with me, I will offer a free initial assessment session, lasting 30 minutes. In this session, you’re invited to share what’s bringing you to counselling and I’ll take time to understand more about your situation, your needs and preferences for counselling. We’ll also discuss how we might work together.

This first meeting is as much about how things feel as it is about the content. It’s a chance to see whether we both feel comfortable to begin working together and are a good fit. There’s no pressure to decide immediately — you’re very welcome to take some time afterwards before making a decision.

“The counselling relationship with Hannah was nurturing, enlightening, and completely accepting. It felt like a collaborative process which was full of compassion and kindness.

I have had counselling in the past and it has had a positive impact, however, my counselling journey with Hannah has been a complete revelation. It was been life changing and transformative for me.”

~

Testimonials

“Could not recommend Hannah more, I felt comfortable opening up to her from the first session. Our work together has been transformative and it is thanks to her excellent skills and the safe environment she creates. Hannah gave me tools and understanding to help cope with everything I'd been going through, and been so supportive the entire time. Incredibly grateful for the work we've been able to put in together.”

~

“Counselling with you, has made all the difference to me. From the first phone conversation you put me at ease and made me feel comfortable enough to say how I was really feeling. Our conversations have taught me much about myself and my experience of grief. I am, and will always be, deeply grateful for the change this has made to my life. I am a better wife/mum/daughter/sister and am much more at peace with my own feelings, and indeed the circumstances which led me to you.”

~

It has been a healing and relieving experience being able to express myself in ways I haven’t before in a space that is not judgemental or critical of my thoughts and feelings. I am glad to have had counselling and finally be able to say things out loud to another person without fear of ridicule or demands for explanations. This counselling experience, using IFS, has allowed me to find parts of myself I had buried or forgotten for many years. It has been amazing to rediscover those parts and reconnect with them. I am coming out of this experience with a feeling of peace and calm in my internal world for the first time in years.

Counselling with Hannah has helped me to better understand my reactions to some of the issues I have faced. She has challenged my thinking and also helped me to understand why my brain has reacted in the ways that it has by identifying moments from my past that have shaped my thinking.

This was done in a supportive and open way, and could not have happened if I did not feel comfortable fully discussing these issues with Hannah in the sessions.

~

“I had a really positive experience that has helped me in so many ways. Counselling helped me to explore various issues that I didn’t know how to navigate on my own and armed me with tools and techniques that I can use as and when I need to. I feel like a different person now compared to when I started.”

~

“Hannah is kind, empathetic and an excellent listener. She provided me with a safe space where I felt like I could be open and honest about whatever I was feeling and experiencing. She was never judgemental and helped guide me towards a better understanding of myself and my problems. I would leave our meetings feeling empowered and more confident. I very much recommend Hannah’s services to anyone who is seeking therapy.”

~

“It has been a really useful experience. It helped during a really tough time to talk about what I was feeling and that sometimes, things are not my fault and it just happens. I have become more aware of situations which can be anxiety inducing and have developed ways to cope with them and understand my reactions to them.”

If you would like to ask any questions or are interested in exploring counselling with me, please send me a message either using the form below, telephone or email. I will respond as promptly as I can.

Contact

Phone: 07592 418214

Email: serenuspsychotherapy@protonmail.com

Practice Rooms: Network Counselling, Filton

Myrtle Tree Therapy Room, Weston-super-Mare