Charlotte Houghton

Charlotte Houghton is trained in person-centred counselling and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She uses clear, direct language so clients can easily understand what she is offering.

She brings her personality into sessions, is generally unfazed by most situations, has an expressive face and shares relevant lived experience. When appropriate she uses humour and visual images to help make internal experiences easier to describe and work with - for example she sometimes offers a vivid image to help clients recognise how self-criticism feels.

Charlotte presents as open, honest, warm and non-judgemental. She meets clients where they are and walks alongside them as they unpick the issues troubling them. Rather than telling people what to do, she focuses on empowering them to reach their own decisions and make the changes they want to see.

Her style is shaped by work supporting people bereaved by suicide or sudden death. In that context, kindness, acceptance, direct questioning and bringing underlying feelings into the open can help people move toward acceptance of life as it is now, so they can move forward with fewer conflicting thoughts and feelings.

Charlotte also enjoys exploring links between adult behaviours, thoughts or feelings and childhood experiences. She believes that awareness of why a person reacts a certain way creates a platform for change.

She is experienced in working with raw grief in the first few weeks after a sudden death or suspected suicide. She has lived experience of a family member with autism and ADHD, and a special interest in parenting issues and the journey to parenthood.

Charlotte has successfully worked with clients whose countries of origin span the globe and for whom English is not a first language. She has worked with people from all major religions, spiritual traditions and those with no beliefs; with clients of all genders aged 18 and over; and with neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary clients. She also has experience and training in counselling people who live with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and understands the anxiety a long-term medical diagnosis can bring.

She treats every client as a unique individual and believes respect, openness and a non-judgemental stance are central to effective counselling. Charlotte reads and replies to emails and will send worksheets outside session times, especially for email-only clients, as she has found a flexible approach to be mutually beneficial. She offers live evening sessions starting at 7pm a few days a week, with daytime availability on Monday and Thursday, so there are options to fit different schedules.

Charlotte recognises the courage it takes to seek support and encourages people to be proud of that step toward a more fulfilling life. If someone is ready to begin, she offers support and empowerment and looks forward to working with them.