Louise Diffey
Member Status: Accredited
Member No: NCS20-01830
Location: Bristol
I am a welcoming integrative online and telephone counsellor. You might come to counselling through a desire to shape your future or to process experience. You might want talk about a long-term situation, stressful events, or perhaps you have no idea why you feel tense, anxious or worried. If you are unsure about approaching a counsellor, sending a brief message or question is a good start, and many people begin counselling this way.
I take a relational approach to integrative counselling, using humanistic therapies such as Transactional Analysis, Gestalt, and CBT. I work with anxiety, self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, emotional regulation, and many other issues. I offer a safe space where you can be really honest about your feelings and be sure that they will be heard with compassion.
Counselling can help to calm and regulate the nervous system, which is important in managing stress, anxiety, trauma, and long term health conditions. I believe that each of us has within us the resources to work our way through difficulties and make differences to our lives. You can specify a number of sessions, or work flexibly with regular reviews.
I worked as an NHS Occupational Health counsellor, providing counselling for NHS staff across two hospital trusts, both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I have worked as a volunteer counsellor for Bath Mind.
I began my career as a Registered Nurse for Learning Disabilities (RNLD) caring for people with additional mental health issues. As my five children grew up, I completed a BA (Hons) History and worked as a helpline worker for people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME, a carers’ support worker, an advocate for people within drugs and alcohol services, NHS services, and social services, and a homelessness support worker.