Why counselling still matters in the community
At Deal and Walmer Counselling Services, we are a small team, and each of us brings our own experience, personality, and way of working. To me, that matters because people are different, and finding the right counsellor can make a real difference. As a local practice, we are committed to offering thoughtful, professional support within the community.
I’m a person-centred counsellor and clinical supervisor, and at the heart of my work is the belief that people need a space where they can bring what is going on for them in their own way and in their own time. I really do trust what clients bring. People do not need to arrive with everything worked out or neatly explained. Often, they come because life feels heavy, confusing, or simply harder than usual, and they want somewhere to begin.
Being professional is very important to me, but so is warmth. I want people to feel comfortable enough to talk honestly, without feeling they have to explain themselves perfectly or have everything in order before they reach out. Sometimes just having the space to slow things down, feel heard, and sit with what is really going on can be a relief in itself.
A lot of the themes that come up in my work are around low self-esteem, burnout, body image, and life transitions. I also work with people who may be struggling with addiction or with difficulties around eating. Often, these experiences are closely connected to self-worth, coping, shame, pressure, and the ways people have learned to get through difficult feelings. Very often, there is more going on underneath than what can be seen from the outside.
I work with both younger and older clients, and I value that because these struggles can show up at any stage of life. A younger person may be dealing with identity, pressure, comparison, or not feeling good enough. An older person may be carrying loss, change, long-standing patterns, or the tiredness that can come from coping for a long time. The circumstances may be different, but the feelings underneath can be more familiar than people sometimes realise.
I think counselling remains deeply needed in the community because many people are carrying a great deal. Life can feel relentless. There is often pressure to keep going, keep coping, and put things to one side. Not everybody has a space where they can speak openly and feel properly heard.
That is part of why local counselling matters to me. Having a space nearby where people can come as they are, without judgement, can matter enormously. Sometimes people come with something very clear they want to talk about. Sometimes they just know that they feel tired, stuck, or not quite like themselves.
For me, counselling begins there. With what the client brings, with who they are, and with the sense that they do not have to carry it all on their own.
Francesca Robson
Counsellor & Supervisor