Bridget Blackford-Read

Bridget Blackford-Read is an accredited psychotherapeutic counsellor based in the United Kingdom with 3 years of practice. She supports people experiencing stress, anxiety, abuse and trauma, coping with grief, loss and life events, and those seeking to improve motivation, self-esteem and confidence.

She aims to offer an open, emotionally safe environment where thoughts, feelings and experiences can be shared without fear of judgement. Bridget recognises that counselling is about change - and that change can feel risky or difficult even when improvement is hoped for - so she works alongside clients at a pace that feels comfortable for them.

Her training is integrative, meaning she draws on a variety of therapeutic approaches to tailor the work to each person. Common elements of the process include exploring the impact of past experiences and sometimes suggesting between-session activities such as journalling, practising grounding techniques or reflecting on a specific issue, while always allowing clients to tell their experiences in their own way.

Bridget’s wider professional background includes roles with UK-based charities, working as a caseworker and manager supporting victims of crime and witnesses attending Crown and Magistrates courts. She is an affiliate counsellor with a charity that provides trauma-based therapy to people affected by crime, and she has worked with that organisation both as a counsellor and in the office.

She aims to respond to messages as quickly as possible, usually on the same day and certainly within 48 hours (Monday to Friday). At weekends she checks for incoming messages and will typically reply on Monday. She asks for patience when she is in sessions or contacting clients.