I offer in‑person, online, phone, and Walk & Talk therapy. Hello, I’m Kirsty (she/her)
I’m a Level 7/Postgraduate-qualified therapist, a registered member of the BACP, and a trained Mental Health First Aider. I work with adults of all ages and genders, and I have experience supporting people with a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety and worry, low mood and depression, stress and burnou
t, anger, bereavement and loss, relationship or family difficulties, chronic health conditions, feeling stuck or unfulfilled, and low confidence or self-esteem. I help people to think about their life, who they are, how they feel, what they want and what has happened to them, and support them to make any changes they would like to make. I provide calm and compassionate support, and I genuinely care about my clients. I offer in-person, online, and phone therapy, as well as Walk and Talk sessions. In-person sessions take place in my therapy room in Well, close to Bedale, Masham and Ripon in North Yorkshire. I also work online and by phone with clients across the UK. Walk and Talk Therapy is available in a choice of locations near Well. If you’re considering starting therapy, I’d love to hear from you. And if you have any questions, you're very welcome to ask. If you’d like to get a feel for who I am and what therapy with me is like, you can find out more on my directory profiles:
➤ https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/.../kirsty-dawson
➤ https://www.bacp.co.uk/.../415138/kirsty-dawson/bedale-dl8
I offer a free 15-minute introductory phone or video call. This gives you a chance to get a sense of how I work and ask any questions. It also helps me learn a little more about you and what brings you to therapy. A little more about me...
I’ve spent the past 15 years working in healthcare. Alongside my private practice, Silver Springs Counselling & Psychotherapy, I’m also part of the team at Mind in Harrogate District, a local mental health charity. My work specialises in rural wellbeing, making mental health support more accessible wherever people live. Through Mind, I provide one-to-one mental health support and facilitate several wellbeing groups within rural communities. I came to counselling and psychotherapy through my own experiences of low mood and anxiety, related to physical health challenges. Having therapy myself showed me the positive difference it can make, and I’ve been an advocate for it ever since. Outside of my work, I live rurally and love walking in the beautiful countryside I’m fortunate to be surrounded by. It’s an important part of my own self-care. I also love music and regularly go to gigs and festivals. My practice is even named after my favourite Fleetwood Mac song. My qualifications and training:
BACP‑accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Leeds Beckett University (Level 7)
Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling and Interpersonal Skills from Leeds Beckett University
BA (Hons) Philosophy from The University of Manchester
Mental Health First Aider (MHFA England)
Walk & Talk – Therapy in the Outdoors (Creative Counsellors). How do sessions work? My main availability is on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you have a specific request, please get in touch. Sessions last 50 minutes and cost £60. Payment can be made by BACS, cash, or PayPal. Payment is taken in advance, and a cancellation policy applies; I'll share this with you before any payment is requested. I offer short, medium, and long-term therapy, guided by your needs and preferences. I recommend weekly sessions. Fortnightly sessions may be possible once we've established a strong therapeutic relationship and depending on availability. Your time and commitment matter, and I offer the same in return. Email is the best way to reach me, and I aim to reply within one to two business days. As I balance my therapy practice with other professional commitments, I'm not always able to monitor phone calls or voicemail. If you do leave a voicemail, please know that email enquiries will receive a quicker response. What is therapy with me like? My postgraduate training is in relational and integrative counselling and psychotherapy. In everyday terms, relational means that the relationship we build together will be central to the work we will do. Feeling safe and able to trust one another is important for therapy to be effective. Integrative means that I draw from a range of therapeutic approaches, allowing therapy to be personalised to you. I work mainly from a Person‑Centred approach. This means I believe you are the expert in your own life, and I accept you as you are. I won’t judge you, and we'll work collaboratively, at a pace that feels right for you. Depending on your needs, I may also draw on other approaches, including:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): exploring how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected, and adjusting unhelpful patterns. Psychodynamic Therapy: considering how past experiences may be influencing your present. Transactional Analysis: exploring communication patterns and how you relate to others, and finding ways to respond more helpfully. Solution-Focused approaches: identifying your existing strengths and resources to help move towards change. I'm also open to using creative approaches, which can help gently open up conversations and offer different ways to express difficult experiences. I offer Walk and Talk therapy for those who feel more comfortable outdoors, enjoy gentle movement, or find side‑by‑side conversation more natural. I work with individual adults rather than couples, and I’m not able to offer pre‑trial therapy.
