TRACY SHEPPARD THERAPY

Counselling for Children & Young Adults

If you are concerned about a young person navigating challenges, worries, or distress it can be hard to know how to help. Therapy offers a space to explore difficulties making room for change and growth.

In our younger years we might feel we’re in a state of constant change. As we grow physically and emotionally towards adulthood, we can experience upset and turmoil.

I offer individual counselling for children (aged 9+), teenagers and young adults in Bristol and South Gloucestershire areas with face-to-face or online sessions available.

A warm welcome, along with plenty of support and reassurance awaits, as you choose to seek counselling

Tracy Sheppard from Tracy Sheppard Therapy, counselling a young person

I’m Tracy, an integrative therapist

As a qualified professional, I take seriously and meet all requirements outlined by the professional and ethical regulator for my counselling work with Adults and Children (aged 9+), teenagers and young adults.

Navigating into adulthood can be confusing and upsetting. Coping with relationships, education and personal issues combined with minimal control over many areas of life, can enhance feelings of frustration and imbalance.

I offer a safe, accepting space for young people to share openly their life experiences that may be causing stress or worry.

My priority is to ensure you feel comfortable, accepted, and able to trust me with your worries. I understand coming to therapy can be daunting and that you may be feeling apprehensive. Together we can build a space for you for long or short-term work as you wish.

Remembering well how this stage in life feels so overwhelming, I gently work using an approach that doesn’t feel intimidating or awkward. Using creative, symbolic and interactive techniques, we can together gain clarity in the areas causing discomfort or problems.

I work in a person-centred way meaning you are in control of your sessions while I gently support you. I believe you already have many inner resources and abilities though currently, you may feel lost or muddled. Making sense of yourself, your feelings and processes in a non-judgmental space can be an enlightening, relieving and positive experience.

My experience has enabled me to support a wide range of issues around (but not limited to) anxiety, panic disorder, depression, low mood, eating difficulties, body image, gender, sexuality, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, ASD & ADHD, grief/loss, stress, relationships.

Many years of working within the NHS means I am experienced in working with individuals with health concerns and medical phobias.

What’s an integrative therapist?

Integrative therapists are trained to work by combining a variety of approaches. My core modality is Person Centred Therapy (PCT) but I can work flexibly using a variety of techniques to meet your individual needs. This may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), and Creative and Symbolic strategies for a Proactive Approach.

My counselling locations for children & young adults

You can find me in the following areas of Bristol and South Gloucestershire, UK:

Feel free to send me a question or request a call

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Counselling is a talking therapy where you can explore your worries, thoughts and feelings in a safe non-judgmental place with a professional who is there to support you to make your own choices and decisions. It gives the opportunity for increasing self-awareness, change, and empowerment.

  • Counselling is not about giving you advice, fixing your problems for you, judging you, expecting you to follow instructions, or telling you what to do.

  • You can send an enquiry, or I can be contacted via email or telephone. We can arrange a short telephone or video call to establish if we are a good fit and decide an appropriate time and way to begin sessions.

  • Sessions last 50 minutes and are charged £60 per session.

  • The first session will be for me to understand what’s going on for you. To identify your needs and for me to understand how I can help you. It’s also a time for you to get a feel for the space and a taste of how we can work together.

  • This is entirely up to you. Therapy can be a few sessions or longer stretches of work. Individuals sometimes pause and return in chapters when they feel ready.

  • For face-to-face sessions we will meet in a quiet private room. For online sessions we will ensure that privacy is maintained.

    Everything you share in counselling is confidential unless there are areas of concern around you or anyone else being at serious risk of harm. In this incidence, I would work with you to seek additional support.

    To work safely and ethically I have regular supervision in accordance with the professional standards of NCPS. Throughout this process, your identity will be anonymised.

    I’m also registered with the ICO and ensure I securely store any of your personal details or confidential notes.

  • I offer Talking therapy. My core modality is Person Centred Therapy; however, I am trained to work integrating a variety of other approaches. This means that I can work flexibly using a variety of techniques to meet your individual needs. This may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Creative and Symbolic strategies for a Proactive Approach.

Feel free to send me a question or request a call