Chris Orton

Chris Orton recognises that parts of life can become difficult and, at times, overwhelming. He believes it takes courage to face and make sense of what is unsettling, and that exploring these issues within a safe and confidential space can reveal why certain patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving persist.

Central to his practice is a trust in clients' inherent capacity to use a constructive therapeutic relationship to deepen self-understanding within the context of their unique life circumstances. He also trusts that increased self-awareness, supported by the therapeutic work, can lead to meaningful change, greater self-acceptance and more satisfying ways of living.

Chris is committed to being fully present and to empathically walking alongside people in their distress while supporting a holistic exploration of emotions, thoughts and behaviours. He recognises that the roots of psychological distress are rarely only internal - they often interweave with external, societal factors that affect wellbeing. While those wider causes may not be easily changed, he works to help clients adapt their relationship to these issues in ways that feel empowering.

He aims to establish a comfortable therapeutic connection grounded in mutual trust and respect, offering a non-judgemental space where individuality is honoured. Working in a client-centred way, Chris privileges difference and diversity and respects the uniqueness of each person he meets. Throughout therapy he strives to understand as accurately as possible how clients experience their world and to gain a real sense of the challenges they face.

With three years' experience, Chris supports clients to explore more deeply how they feel and think so they can develop clearer meaning from their experiences. He allows clients to set the pace and depth of emotional work, remaining a professional and compassionate companion throughout the process. He is registered in the UK with the BACP and trained to postgraduate level in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Before establishing his private practice he worked in a university counselling service providing therapy to a diverse student group, and his profile is also listed on the BACP therapist directory. His clinical approach is integrative, drawing on humanistic, person-centred, experiential, existential and phenomenological traditions, and he has a research interest in cross-cultural therapy.