Toad Counselling Ltd

04/09/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Nine: The Mirror Incident

Who. Was. That. Dog.

I was patrolling the counselling room (very professionally) when I saw it.
Another dog.
In the corner. Staring at me. Same fur. Same ears. Same suspicious expression.

I froze.
The other dog froze.
I tilted my head.
They tilted theirs.

Tony said, “Ripley, it’s just the mirror.”
JUST the mirror??? This “other dog” was copying my every move. Very suspicious behaviour.

I gave them one polite bark. They barked back. Rude.
Eventually, I decided to ignore them and lie on my bed. They did the same. Copycat.

At Toad Counselling, we know what it’s like to be confronted with yourself. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s confusing. But facing it is where the real work begins.

💚 Affordable, down-to-earth counselling
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

I still don’t trust that mirror dog. But I’ll let them stay. For now.

31/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Eight: My Favourite Young Friend
Some clients are extra special.

I love all our clients. Every single one. But I’ll admit it — there’s one who makes my tail wag faster than anyone else. His name is Young Mr. S.

Young Mr. S is one of our younger clients. Whenever he comes in, the whole day feels brighter. We have our little rituals — he says hello, I wag so hard I nearly fall over, and sometimes we even share a moment of play before the “serious talking” starts. (Okay, he does the talking. I mostly flop dramatically for belly rubs.)

Working with children and young people is one of my favourite parts of being a therapy dog. They bring honesty, energy, and sometimes even the best giggles. And therapy can be just as important for them as it is for grown-ups — a safe space to share feelings, worries, or just the stuff they can’t put into words yet.

At Toad Counselling, we’re here for everyone — adults, teens, and children. And if you’re lucky, you might even get a waggy welcome from me.

💚 Counselling for children, young people & adults
💚 Affordable, supportive, and safe
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

See you soon, Young Mr. S — I’ll be waiting by the door with my best wag ready.

28/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Seven: Welcome to the Team, Laura!

Big news. Bigger tail wags.

Guess what? My friend Laura has gone from trainee counsellor to fully qualified counsellor! 🥳

When she first joined us, she was kind, gentle, and patient (all the good human things). And now, after lots of hard work, study, and practice, she’s officially ready to see clients in her own right. I always knew she’d be amazing, mostly because she always has a calm voice and gives excellent ear scritches (both very reliable qualities in a human).

Laura’s superpower? She makes people feel safe. She listens in that warm, calm way that says, “It’s okay. You can say it here.” She’s already helped lots of people as a trainee, and now she’s ready to help even more as a fully-fledged counsellor.

At Toad Counselling, we’re proud of our whole team, and I’m extra proud of Laura (and I don’t say that about many humans).

💚 Affordable, compassionate counselling
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

So if you’re looking for someone kind, grounded, and officially very clever, Laura might be the human for you. I’ll wag on her behalf.

26/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Six: My Favourite Client (Don’t Tell the Others)

It’s not bribery. It’s… appreciation.

I know we’re supposed to treat everyone equally. And I do.
But there’s one client who… well… let’s just say they understand me on a spiritual level.

They bring biscuits.
Every. Single. Time.

Not for them. For me. Proper ones, too — crunchy, tasty, perfectly sized for professional consumption.

The second I hear them in the hallway, my tail starts wagging like a propeller. Tony says, “Ripley, remember your boundaries.”
Boundaries? Never heard of them. I’m too busy practising my polite sit and hopeful stare.

Here’s the thing — therapy is about connection. Sometimes it’s shared stories, sometimes it’s laughter, sometimes it’s biscuits. And those little rituals? They make the hard stuff easier.

At Toad Counselling, every client matters. (But if you bring biscuits, I might just wag harder.)

💚 Affordable, friendly counselling
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

I love all our clients. But some of them are just… crunchier.

24/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Five: The Cushion Swap Scandal

Justice must be served. Preferably with biscuits.

Today, I walked into the counselling room and noticed something… was wrong.
My cushion. My perfectly fluffed, perfectly positioned, absolutely essential dog bed… had been MOVED.

Not just moved, replaced.
A different cushion was in its place. A pretender. A fraud. A cushion that did not smell like me.

I circled it. I sniffed it. I gave Tony my best “This is an outrage” face.
He said, “It’s just been washed, Ripley.”
JUST been washed?? My entire professional aura was gone! My fur carefully arranged across the fabric… erased.

Naturally, I refused to lie down until I had made my point. I sighed. Loudly. Repeatedly. Eventually, I flopped onto the “new” cushion, but only after Tony promised biscuits later.

At Toad Counselling, we understand, change is hard. Even when it’s good for us. Even when it smells clean. Sometimes it feels like too much. And that’s okay. We’ll sit with you through it. (I’ll sigh loudly in solidarity.)

💚 Affordable counselling
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

Trust me: if I can survive the Great Cushion Swap, you can survive your changes too.

20/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Four: The After-Session Zoomies

Because sometimes even therapy dogs need to let it out.

The session was calm. Gentle talking. Deep breathing. Me, perfectly professional on my bed, eyes half-closed in wise-dog mode.

Then the client left.

Something in my brain went click. Or maybe zap. Either way, I was OFF.
Round the chairs. Under Tony’s desk. Skid across the rug. Lap the coffee table.
Tail like a helicopter, ears flapping like tiny flags of freedom.

Tony said, “Ripley, what are you doing?”
I didn’t answer. The zoomies cannot be explained. They can only be lived.

At Toad Counselling, we know that sometimes you carry big feelings through a whole conversation, and when it’s over, you just have to MOVE. Or laugh. Or, in my case, run in inexplicable circles until your bed looks like a crime scene.

💚 Affordable, down-to-earth therapy
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

Sometimes the release is messy. Sometimes it’s loud. But it’s always worth it.

19/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Three: The Waiting Room Watch

It’s not being nosy. It’s being thorough.

We were early. Tony had the room ready. No client yet.
So I stationed myself at the doorway, like the furry concierge I am.

Every sound in the hallway got my full attention:
👟 Footsteps? Possible client.
📦 Parcel delivery? Suspicious. Could be biscuits.
🗣 Voices? Definitely worth leaning forward and staring intensely.

Tony said, “Ripley, come back to your bed.”
But what if the client arrived and I wasn’t there to greet them? What if they NEEDED me at the door? What if a stray biscuit rolled in from the corridor and I missed it?

I paced. I listened. I may have huffed at a passing shoe. And when the client finally arrived, I was READY, tail wagging, head high, making them feel like the most important person in the building.

At Toad Counselling, we believe in a warm welcome, even if it comes with a lot of staring and a side of biscuit surveillance.

💚 Affordable, friendly therapy
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

I’m not just a therapy dog. I’m the head of client reception.

18/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty-Two: Setting the Record Straight
Because SOME dogs like to talk big from the sofa.
Hello. Ripley here. I’ve read Milly’s so-called “review” of my work, and while I appreciate her… creative writing, I feel the need to clear a few things up.
1. “She lies on a bed and stares at people.”
It’s called active listening, Milly. You wouldn’t understand because you’ve never listened to anyone who isn’t holding a biscuit.
2. “She doesn’t guard the snacks.”
Therapy isn’t about hoarding snacks, it’s about sharing… sometimes.
3. “She snores until someone laughs.”
That’s called humour-based tension release. Totally intentional.
The truth is, I work hard. I greet clients, keep the atmosphere calm, and sometimes even change the entire mood of the room with a single tail wag. Meanwhile, Milly’s biggest accomplishment this week was “not moving for five hours.”
At Toad Counselling, we all play our part, even if some parts involve lying on the sofa. But if you want the real deal, the in-the-room, tail-wagging emotional anchor? That’s me.
💚 Affordable, friendly therapy
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/
And Milly — keep the sofa warm. I might need a nap later.

15/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty One: Sibling Review – By Milly

Because apparently Ripley isn’t the only one with opinions.

Hello. I’m Milly. I’m Ripley’s sister. I don’t go to work. I’m not a therapy dog. I’m a sofa professional.

But I’ve heard all about what goes on at Toad Counselling, so I thought I’d give you my honest review of my sister’s so-called “job.”

Things Ripley says she does:
🐾 “Provide emotional support” — She lies on a bed and stares at people. I can do that.
🐾 “Help create a safe space” — She doesn’t even guard the snacks. What’s the point?
🐾 “Assist with therapeutic breakthroughs” — Translation: she snores until someone laughs.

Things I do instead:
🛋 Keep the sofa warm.
🛋 Supervise the kitchen.
🛋 Provide emotional support to delivery drivers (at a safe distance).

Still, I suppose someone has to do the office work, and Ripley seems happy about it. So if you need gentle humans to talk to (and a dog who thinks she’s the boss), Toad Counselling is probably fine.

💚 Affordable, down-to-earth support
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a sunbeam to sit in.

14/08/2025

🐾 Day Twenty: The Tissue Box Incident

Some stories start with tears. This one starts with cardboard.

The session was going well. Calm voices. A few sniffles. Tony reached for the tissue box and set it down… right. in. front. of. me.

Mistake.
Big mistake.

I sniffed it once. Then twice. The corner looked suspicious. I tugged. One tissue came out. Then another. Then the magic happened,they just kept coming.

Suddenly, I was surrounded by a glorious snowstorm of soft paper. Tony said, “Ripley—” in that voice that means I’m halfway between adorable and in trouble.

The client laughed so hard they forgot what they were sad about. I consider that a win.

At Toad Counselling, we believe it’s okay when things get messy. Sometimes it’s part of the process. Sometimes it’s the thing that breaks the tension so you can breathe again.

💚 Affordable, friendly counselling
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

Come as you are. Bring your mess. I might add tissues.

14/08/2025

13/08/2025

🐾 Day Nineteen: The Hand That Found Mine

Sometimes, you don’t need words.

The client sat down quietly. Shoulders tense. Eyes on the floor. The room felt… heavy.

Tony spoke gently. I stayed on my bed. Still. Patient. Watching.

Then, halfway through the silence, it happened, a hand reached down. Not a big movement. Not even a glance at me. Just a hand, resting near mine.

So I moved. Slowly. Carefully. Pressed my paw into their palm. Stayed there.
We didn’t look at each other. We didn’t need to.

For the rest of the session, their hand stayed on my paw. And I stayed with them.
Sometimes, that’s enough.

At Toad Counselling, it’s not just about talking, it’s about connection. Feeling safe enough to reach out, even in the smallest ways. We’re here for those moments.

💚 Affordable, gentle counselling
💚 No long waiting lists
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

You don’t always need the right words. You just need to be here. I’ll be here too.