(LB, Dunmow) “Sharing my feelings and emotions is not something that has ever come naturally to me. The prospect of seeing a therapist to begin with was daunting and surrounded with a stigma that was very present in my mind as I walked into my first one-to-one session with Katie at Therapala.
I don’t mind admitting that I was anxious and defensive.
The Therapala studio is set in a beautiful part of the Essex countryside near Great Dunmow and I was greeted with a warm and inviting smile by Katie. The calm and natural environment was peaceful and relaxing and as we began to speak, I soon felt easy and restful.
The sessions I have had with Katie have been nothing short of phenomenal. I have learnt more about myself, my traumas and triggers than I ever could have imagined and have never been so vulnerable. But that, I believe, is the key. All of which have been integrated into couples therapy. I honestly believe it has helped save our marriage.
Katie is such a friendly, understanding and insightful person that the sessions have almost been like sitting down with a friend over a cup of coffee”
(LP, Dunmow) “I first went to see Katie 3 years ago when it started to become harder and harder to distract myself from my anxiety. From the first session I knew that Katie would become a big part of my life. She is extremely knowledgable but also empathetic with a great sense of humour, which makes me look forward to every session with her. When I met Katie for the first time I was a shell of myself, I had completely forgotten who the real me was as a result of my anxiety and depression, and I was intensely scared of any criticism due to past trauma. I am now a completely different person, my anxiety no longer controls me, I have been able to implement boundaries in order to protect my mental health but have also learnt to knock down the walls I built up and start letting people in.
I know that I will forever struggle with my mental health, but I also know that with Katie in my corner I can tackle anything life throws at me.
I cannot recommend Katie more highly. She is by far the best therapist I have ever had the pleasure of working with and I am so glad that I found her.”
(DN, Chelmsford) “I was recommended Katie by a friend and contacted Katie after hitting a large period of grief when everything came to a head for me. A few months of face to face sessions and identifying and working through things that had happened to me in the past, I gradually started to feel lighter week by week. Thank you Katie for helping me start my journey to knowing my self worth again!”
(JC, Ongar) “Genuinely the best thing I could have done. I’m 4 months in to therapy with Katie, and from the get go she has made me feel really comfortable. It’s been a life changing experience for me, at a time when I didn’t know where to turn. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help, if you’re as apprehensive as I was, then look no further. Katie is absolutely fantastic.”
(CG, Chelmsford) “My 11 year old daughter was becoming very anxious about lots of aspects of life… she seemed scared of everything and didn’t want to join in with much at all. She started seeing Katie, which was a big deal, as she’s pretty shy. She really benefitted straightaway! After the first session she said “I felt like there was liquid filling up my head and no space in it, now it’s feels like it’s emptied and there’s some room left”. On the car journey home after the first session she seemed lighter and chatty again. She continued to improve, week by week. Then began wanting to go to school again and gradually started to enjoy life. She hasn’t looked back since. I’m so pleased we found Katie and she was able to help us so effectively.”
(LM, Dunmow) “Such an amazing help! In my first sessions with Katie, I immediately felt that whatever we talked about was confidential and I felt safe! I arrived with what had been diagnosed as generalised anxiety disorder which progressed to uncontrollable and additional anxieties about medication, I felt destroyed and needed help. Katie unpicked a lot of my issues before I recognised it, she was like a mind reader. She taught me that I was carrying baggage that was not mine and that I needed to let go. I started with an uncontrollable feeling of dread, worry and doom and now I feel so much better, I can get on with my life again. Very Highly recommended.”
(MS, Dunmow) “My daughter, age 11, had a small underlying fear of being sick, which was intensely accelerated due to an episode of sickness. Any little pain in her stomach would send her spiralling out of control. We were having blood tests and scans on her stomach to eliminate what was causing the pains. We were highly recommended to Katie and as soon as I spoke to her she reassured me that she could help my daughter and I would find the stomach pains would be all related to anxiety due to emetophobia. Katie has literally given my daughter the confidence to control this anxiety and we are now growing in confidence each day. The pains have all gone too. Pretty amazing! I find it truly reassuring that Katie is only a phone call away should we ever need her. My daughter always enjoyed her sessions with Katie, she was always made to feel extremely relaxed and at ease. Thank you Katie .”
(CW, Dunmow) “I am an 11 year old boy and I went to Katie because I was suffering with severe anxiety due to starting secondary school and feeling like I had no confidence. Katie helped me so much by giving me techniques to relieve the stress. I felt happier after every session, which in time allowed me to be myself again. I now feel able to do things again like I used too and I believe in myself again. Katie is funny and easy to be around. She is honest and made me feel safe and relaxed. Thank you Katie for everything. “
(SS, Bishop’s Stortford) “I contacted Katie for help with anxiety associated with several family situations. After an initial phone call I was very pleased that Katie offered face to face sessions. Her counselling room was spacious and airy so I felt very safe. At the first session I immediately felt that Katie was someone that I could talk to. She was extremely perceptive, quickly helping me to identify the issues driving my anxiety. I was aware of some of the issues, but we identified causes that I was not aware of. Over about 8 sessions we explored the various situations in depth and this helped me to achieve a much better understanding of the roots my anxiety, and also strategies to deal with it. There was a natural break in my sessions due to a holiday and Katie encouraged me to reflect on whether I needed to continue with the sessions or whether I could now cope without. A really great counsellor.”
(RB, Dunmow)“Thank you so much for helping me get my life back on track. This has been a difficult year + for a lot of people. You come highly recommended from me. You helped me find the light at the end of the tunnel. I am now looking forward to my future plans & being the best bride I can be.”
(AP, Dunmow) “From the moment I spoke to Katie on the telephone, I knew the counselling sessions would be beneficial. Katie made me feel at ease straight away. The sessions have been informative and uplifting and I would highly recommend Katie to anyone currently struggling with the challenges of life.”
(CK, Bishop’s Stortford) “Katie is amazing, I have only just started therapy with her, but I already feel so much lighter!”
(RD, Bishop’s Stortford) “Katie has not only experience, but empathy and a complete understanding of a person’s problems. Also a sense of humour which made me laugh again. Highly recommended.”
(EB, High Roding) “I felt so welcome the second I walked through the door. I never had a problem talking about anything with Katie and she always seemed to say the right things to help. I always left our sessions smiling and feeling a lot lighter than when I went in. There was never any judgement and I always felt so comfortable talking about all of my feelings. She has helped me so much and I now feel like a different person to who I was before!”
(BY, Thaxted) “From my very first meeting with Katie, I could tell she was different from previous counsellors and therapists. I came with a whole heap of anxieties and issues to work through, and she was there every step of the way with honesty, advice and a pair of ears to listen. I could not recommend her services enough, it’s been a long road and she’s helped me really process the everyday ups and downs throughout our sessions. Someone who, through honesty and understanding, helps you become more rooted, aware of the realities around anxieties and gives a clear path to work through issues. I always left every session feeling a million times lighter and ready to tackle life head on.”
(DG, Bishop’s Stortford) “When I first visited Katie, I couldn’t imagine not feeling anxiety as part of my daily life, almost constantly, alongside huge peaks. I also didn’t know or understand how counselling could help. Yet, over the course of 8 months, I’ve seen huge change in my mental health, which has now started to impact my physical health, positively. Katie helped me navigate the pain, which was the source of my anxiety, and provided me with resources to help effect long term change. I now don’t wake up every day feeling anxious!”
(EB, Dunmow) “Katie is a lovely person who will sit and listen to you and she will not make you feel judged at any moment. I felt very comfortable straight away, which I did not expect when speaking to someone I did not know. I walked into counselling a girl who I didn’t expect to change very quickly but with her help I’ve managed to help myself become a better person, whom I didn’t believe I could be. Very thankful for the support and help she has given me.”
(JF, Felsted) “I wanted to write and thank you for all your help with my daughter. From our very first telephone conversation I felt you listened and made me feel reassured that you would be able to help her. My daughter always returned from your sessions happy and positive and her confidence has grown. You were able to provide a safe and comfortable environment where she felt she was able to open up and you provided her with the tools and strategies she needed to face situations. Your warmth and kindness radiates and my daughter was reassured after your sessions that everything was going to be all right, which was vitally important.”
(MD, Bishop’s Stortford) “I love our sessions and I look forward to seeing Katie every Thursday. I’m looking forward to seeing this journey through with her. I think she is fantastic and I already have formed a bond with her.”
(JW, Dunmow) “Finding a way through a bout of depression and anxiety proved difficult alone. Although positive things were happening in the present, my past experiences of baby loss and breast cancer overwhelmed my thoughts. With compassion and patience Katie worked with me weekly to focus on self confidence and self belief. I felt supported to make positive changes to my lifestyle and attitude. Moving forward I feel full of hope and ready to take on the challenges of life with renewed energy.”
(HS, Thaxted) “I began seeing Katie to help deal with a traumatic event that had happened 18 months prior and was negatively impacting on certain areas of my life. I had never had counselling before and I wasn’t sure what to expect but Katie was very welcoming and extremely easy to talk to. She helped me to talk through my issues, understand why I was feeling a certain way and regain some self-confidence. It was helpful to talk to someone completely independent and I instantly felt lighter and happier after each session. Katie is not only a brilliant therapist but a lovely, warm and kind person. I can thoroughly recommend her to anyone looking for therapy sessions, especially if you are a first timer and are feeling a little unsure!”
(RS, Bishop’s Stortford) “I started going to Katie as I was struggling with my self esteem and how this impacts my adult life, both with relationships and work. We started right at the beginning, looking back at my childhood and then piecing together how this impacts my life. I have always been quite skeptical of counselling and, if I’m honest, I wasn’t sure what I would gain from going. However after 7 weeks, and breaking down exactly why I think the way that I do and why I react the way that I do, I have come away from this feeling not only lighter, but also with a greater understanding of myself. I have learnt what my triggers are and also how to avoid them taking over my day to day life and, most importantly, I have taken back some control on how I look at, and value, myself. I am extremely grateful to Katie for helping me break down my barriers and begin this journey of self discovery. I would highly recommend Katie to anyone who feels they need some extra support as I found her sessions invaluable.”
(TD, Chelmsford) “I’ve been seeing Katie at Therapala Counselling and Therapy for 4 months, and from where I was in life and not knowing what to expect, to where I am now, has changed me around on how I look at myself and life. You are greeted with respect and put into a very comfortable environment where you feel relaxed to talk and not have to experience a clinical office environment. I highly recommend Katie as she’s professional, understanding and knows her stuff well.”
(PR, Witham) “Fantastic counsellor who helped me to find my own headspace when I was feeling lost and confused.”
Tel: 447383741226
Email: katie@therapala.com