About Charis
Hi, I’m Charis, a BACP-registered therapist offering counselling in Hertford and online.
I value kindness, compassion and integrity.
I have a background in education which has consequently made me very interested in child development and the impact early experiences have on your adult identity and relationships.
I decided to train as a therapist to develop that interest into a career. This enables me to support those who have had adverse experiences in their childhood to create a life in adulthood that feels safe and happy.
I trained with The Counselling Foundation, where I undertook a robust programme of study that included clinical placements, regular supervision, and mandatory personal therapy as part of my professional development.
I have extensive experience supporting people who are struggling to manage overwhelming emotions, make sense of their experiences, and reconnect with their own voice and feelings in a noisy world.
My Approach
My approach is kind, relational and compassionate. I care deeply about helping people feel safe enough to explore their experiences, emotions and relationships at their own pace.
My main approach is Psychodynamic which helps you to explore the deeper roots behind the ways you think, feel, behave and relate. Together, we can begin to make sense of how past experiences and relationships may still be shaping your present life, often outside of awareness.
You will not be told what to think and what you should and shouldn’t do. I will not be judging you. I will help you to understand why you think and feel in a certain way. If you want to adapt to enable you to manage life in a different way, I can help you to find the roots of why you may be stuck repeating the same patterns. We can unpick those patterns to help you find ways of relating that may feel more authentically you, rather than who you’ve been conditioned to be.
Who I Work With
You may appear to cope well on the outside whilst privately feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or unsure why expressing your needs feels so difficult.
Many of the people I work with find themselves overthinking conversations, struggling to say no, feeling emotionally exhausted in relationships, or wondering why they keep repeating the same painful patterns despite being self-aware.
Working Together
I work relationally, meaning therapy is very much a shared process built on trust, honesty and understanding. While space for reflection is important, I don’t believe therapy should feel cold or distant.
I may challenge you at times, but gently. I am not a blunt person. I may carefully help you see yourself, your relationships and your experiences from a slightly different perspective than the one you have always known.
Qualifications & Professional Memberships
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work within its ethical framework and professional standards, including confidentiality, regular supervision and ongoing professional development.