Hello and welcome
Hello, I’m Miriam Devine, an Integrative Counsellor and Therapist working in private practice.
I offer counselling sessions in-person based in the Eastbourne and the East Sussex area, or alternatively I am available for online sessions where required.
My approach
My approach to therapy is about tuning in to you – what’s really going on, how you feel about the issues you bring, what’s making you feel stuck or out of your depth, how these experiences are linked up to older narratives that thread through your life story (and sometimes even the stories of your family before you).
I’m not bringing an agenda or a schedule, nor am I here to wave a wand and ‘fix it’ (if only that were possible!). This is about you, and perhaps also ‘us’ – therapist and client, committing to spending some time exploring and understanding where you are, why, and where you want to go from here.
In this way, I would describe my approach as relational, collaborative, and explorative.
Bespoke therapy, meeting your needs
Being an integrative counsellor means that I’m trained in three therapeutic approaches:
- Psychodynamic
- Person-Centred
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
To translate; I’m applying some of the theories belonging to each approach as a way to better understand you and the things you bring to our sessions – mostly this isn’t something you will notice, but there may be moments where I offer up a theory as a lens through which we can understand things better, if this is something you might find useful.
Additionally, there are elements to the way I work that are more bespoke to you, meaning I can adjust my way of working according to what you’d prefer from me as your therapist.
For example, maybe you’d like more challenge from me – I’m responsive and give you tactful feedback rather than simply taking a listening role. Maybe you find it grounding to do somatic work (listening to your body and how your feelings physically manifest themselves) and would like me to facilitate more of that. Perhaps starting or ending our sessions with a brief moment of mindfulness is useful to you before diving into a painful memory. Or alternatively, maybe you like to really zoom into a topic and need me to help you to dig deeper rather than feeling side-tracked by the issue of the week. I’m here to work with you in the way that works best for you, so let’s get creative with it.
Let’s talk about our roles and expectations…
As my prospective client, you are coming to therapy with a willingness to bring yourself, in whatever psychological place you find yourself in. You are able to commit to the process – you are available to attend our weekly appointments, and you’re open to exploring topics that may take you beyond your comfort zone.
As your prospective counsellor, I am prepared to facilitate a safe and supportive space for you to engage in the therapy work. I’m active in the process with you, I receive feedback from you with openness, and I continue to uphold my commitment to care. I’m also a different perspective, supporting you without some of the entanglements that friends and family may have, and with the primary focus being to work with you in meeting your personal goals.
Committing to counselling is a promise to show up for and prioritise yourself. As your therapist I sincerely consider it a privilege to be part of this experience with you.
My clinical focus
I work with a range of clients and presenting issues, but my areas of clinical focus include the below:
Exploring identity
Deepening your understanding of sense of self, gender identity work, sexuality, familial and relational self, life stages, journeying into motherhood, impacts of neurodiversity on identity
Relationships
Family dynamics and inherited family trauma, attachment styles and the ‘roles’ we play in relationships, sexual relationships and partnerships (monogamous and open), relationship endings
Religious and spiritual trauma
Deconstructing beliefs, grieving losses around religious beliefs and community, internal transitions after changing your belief system, boundary setting and detaching, reclaiming spirituality after deconstruction
Group work
Creating space for shared experiences in a supportive, ‘holding’ environment to foster community and connection
What does that look like?
Examples of these areas in action (for you as my potential client) may be as follows…
- I feel like I should have my life together by now but I’m completely lost
- My past relationships are haunting me and now I’m anxious about losing my current partner
- Ever since I left the religious community I was so deeply involved in, I feel both incredibly relieved and also totally alone
- I’m a different person now that I’m a mother, and I really need to talk about it
- My family won’t use the pronouns that describe who I am as a non-binary person and I feel rejected and misunderstood
- I need help to make sense of myself and my beliefs now that I don’t believe anymore
- I’m looking for a supportive group to share the journey of matrescence with
If any of these statements resonate with you, then I might be the right therapist for you. I’d love to hear from you, so please do get in touch.
Commitment to care
I work within the ethical guidelines as set out by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), of which I am a registered member. As part of this, I continue to build on my professional understanding through supervision, additional training and reading on a regular basis.
I am fully committed to providing inclusive therapy, with clinical experience that is racially sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming and neurodiverse aware.
Book
If you’re considering the next steps, please get in touch with me via email if you have further questions, or simply book in for an online consultation appointment (this is free of charge) via our booking system.
I am available for online sessions upon request.
Consultations are a helpful way for us to get a sense of one another, for me to learn more about what brings you to therapy, and for you to address any questions or concerns you have. It’s important for us to establish whether there is a sense of connection, trust and rapport between us for the therapy to feel safe and effective.
The sessions I offer run on a weekly, open-ended basis (with no fixed number of sessions) unless you specify otherwise. We review our progress as we go, and I welcome your honest feedback for us to best attune our sessions to meet your needs.
My rate is £70 per session. Please enquire for concession rates if required – I have a limited number of slots available.