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Service Personnel, Veterans & Emergency Responders
A space where you don't have to be the strong one
When your job involves looking after other people, responding to difficult situations or staying calm when things go wrong, being vulnerable can feel unfamiliar.
You may have spent years being the person others depend on.
You may have learned to keep going, put difficult experiences to one side and deal with things yourself.
But sometimes what you've experienced doesn't simply disappear when the shift ends, the uniform comes off or your service comes to an end.
You deserve somewhere to put it down.
I offer counselling for...
I am specialising in supporting:
Serving military personnel
Veterans
Reservists
Service families
Police officers
Firefighters
Paramedics and ambulance staff
Other emergency responders and people working in high-pressure frontline roles
You may be struggling with something connected to your work or service, or you may be dealing with something completely separate.
Either way, you don't need to justify why you are asking for help.
When you've spent your life being the one who copes
People who work in demanding environments can become extremely good at coping.
You might be used to:
Getting the job done.
Keeping your emotions under control.
Looking after your colleagues.
Being dependable.
Carrying on regardless.
Those qualities can be incredibly valuable.
But coping doesn't always mean that something isn't affecting you.
You might find yourself struggling once you're away from work, or noticing that things have changed since leaving your role.
Perhaps you're experiencing:
Anxiety or feeling constantly on edge
Anger or irritability
Sleep difficulties or nightmares
Difficult memories
Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected
Guilt or questioning things that happened
Difficulty relaxing or switching off
Relationship difficulties
Loss of confidence or purpose
Feeling misunderstood by people around you
Difficulty adjusting to civilian life
Feeling that you have changed since your experiences
You may not even know exactly what is wrong.
You just know that things don't feel the way they used to.
Military and emergency-service life can be difficult to explain
There can be a strong sense of identity, belonging and purpose within military and emergency-service environments.
There can also be an expectation to be resilient, capable and able to deal with difficult situations.
For some people, talking about mental health can feel uncomfortable.
You might worry that people will see you differently.
You might think:
“Other people have been through worse.”
“I should be able to handle this.”
“I don't want to burden anyone.”
“They won't understand.”
“I've managed this long on my own.”
If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone.
Coming to counselling doesn't mean that you have failed to cope.
It can simply mean that you have decided you don't want to carry everything by yourself anymore.
My interest in trauma and PTSD
Trauma is a particular focus of my counselling practice, with a strong focus on supporting veterans, serving personnel and emergency responders .
My undergraduate dissertation explored working with veterans experiencing PTSD, which developed my interest in the longer-term effects that traumatic experiences can have on people and their lives.
I am particularly interested in supporting people who have experienced demanding, frightening or overwhelming situations through military or emergency-service work.
My approach is person-centred, which means that I won't make assumptions about your experiences or tell you what you should be feeling.
You are the expert in your own experience.
We can talk about what is happening for you now and, if you choose, explore experiences from the past that may still be affecting you.
Leaving the service can bring its own challenges
For some veterans, the difficult part doesn't necessarily begin while they are serving.
It can come afterwards.
When you leave, you may suddenly find yourself without the structure, routine, identity, purpose or sense of belonging that once shaped your everyday life.
Civilian life can feel very different.
You might find yourself asking:
“Who am I now?”
“What am I supposed to do with myself?”
“Why don't I feel like I belong?”
You may be dealing with changes in relationships, work, confidence, identity or purpose.
Sometimes experiences that were manageable while you were serving become more difficult once life becomes quieter.
There is no shame in finding that transition difficult.
You don't have to talk about trauma
Counselling isn't about forcing you to revisit experiences before you're ready.
You don't have to tell me everything.
You don't have to have a diagnosis.
And you don't need to know exactly what you want to talk about.
We can start with what's happening in your life now.
Perhaps you're struggling with your relationship.
Perhaps you can't switch off.
Perhaps you're angry all the time.
Perhaps you're exhausted.
Perhaps you simply feel different and don't understand why.
That's enough of a reason to start a conversation.
A confidential, non-judgemental space
My role isn't to judge you, tell you what you should do or tell you how you should feel.
I offer a warm, accepting and confidential space where you can talk openly about what you're experiencing.
We work together at your pace.
You remain in control of what you choose to explore.
Sometimes having someone genuinely listen — without needing you to be the strong one, the professional one or the person who has all the answers — can be the beginning of something changing.
Counselling or coaching?
Not everyone who contacts me is looking for therapy.
You may be functioning reasonably well but facing a significant transition or wanting support with what comes next.
I also offer coaching around areas such as:
Transitioning from military or emergency-service work
Finding direction and purpose
Confidence
Career decisions
Identity and life changes
Goals and motivation
Adjusting to a new chapter of life
Counselling and coaching are different forms of support, and I will work with you within the appropriate professional boundaries.
If you're unsure which would be right for you, we can talk about that before you decide.
You don't have to carry it alone
You may have been trained to respond when everyone else is struggling.
But you matter too.
Asking for support isn't a sign of weakness.
It's okay to have a space that is about you.
If you are a serving member of the military, a veteran, reservist, service family member, police officer, firefighter, paramedic or emergency responder, and you would like to explore whether counselling could help, please get in touch.
You don't have to have the right words.
You just have to take the first step.
1 2 1 Here For You
Confidential counselling & coaching
Online and face-to-face appointments available.
Get in touch to arrange an initial conversation.
Limited reduced-fee places may be available for service personnel, veterans and emergency responders.
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