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Toad Counselling Ltd

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United Kingdom
Bideford
Toad Counselling Ltd

"It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live."

- Mae Jemison

Welcome to Toad Counselling, where our mission is to provide compassionate and effective therapeutic support to individuals and groups. We are professionally trained through accredited courses by the CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body) and the NCS (National Counselling Society), ensuring that we uphold the highest ethical standards and principles in our practice. Our servic

es cater to a diverse clientele, including:

- Individual Therapy: We offer 1:1 sessions for adults, children, and young people, tailored to meet each person's unique needs.

- Specialised Support: Our expertise includes working with individuals affected by ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), as well as those dealing with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), military-related PTSD, and trauma of all forms.

- Couples/Relationship Counselling: We provide a safe space for couples to explore their relationships and overcome challenges together.

- Group Therapy: We facilitate group sessions that promote connection, understanding, and shared experiences.

- Workshops and Courses: We are in the process of developing workshops and courses that focus on various aspects of mental health and well-being. We proudly serve military personnel, veterans, emergency services staff, NHS employees, and school staff, recognising the unique challenges these groups may face. Our goal is to foster a supportive environment where healing and personal growth can occur. For further details about our services, please visit our website at www.toadcounselling.co.uk

You can also connect with us via email at info@toadcounselling.co.uk. Stay updated and follow us on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Google, Tumblr, Pinterest, TikTok!, and our Podcast available on most platforms (Empathy Corner: Conversations with Toad Counselling). We look forward to supporting you on your journey to mental wellness.

07/05/2026

🌅 Ripley vs The Outdoors (Part 1)

I was told we were “just popping out for some fresh air.”

Excellent. Say less.

Next thing I know…
I’m in a field.
The sun is setting.
The vibes? Immaculate.

This is MY environment.
This is where I do my best thinking.
(And by thinking, I mean sniffing everything and carrying this toy like it’s extremely important business.)

Let’s be clear:
I am not just an Emotional Support Dog…
I am also an Outdoor Professional.

Fresh air ✔
Open space ✔
Unmatched main character energy ✔

Reminder from me (a qualified expert):
Getting outside won’t fix everything…
but it can make things feel a little lighter.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have fields to supervise and sunsets to admire.

Back at work tomorrow:
✔ Supporting humans
✔ Accepting snacks
✔ Being iconic indoors and outdoors

🐾 Ripley
Head of Emotional Support & Outdoor Adventures

🌐 www.toadcounselling.co.uk

Toad Counselling, because you are the one that matters.

30/04/2026

🐶 Excuse me… I have returned.

Not that I went anywhere.
I’ve been here the whole time. Working. Very hard. Obviously.

Apparently “being excellent at emotional support” doesn’t count as “posting online”… so here we are.

Today my human brother came to visit.
He brought snacks.
He brought coffee for Tony.
He did not bring snacks specifically for me… which feels like an oversight we’ll be discussing.

Anyway. I’m back online now.
Still supervising sessions.
Still accepting strokes as part of my role.
Still absolutely carrying this team.

If you need support, the humans here are actually very good too (especially the student counsellors, they’re lovely and more affordable, which I’m told is important).

I’ll be around. Watching. Judging. Supporting.

🐾 Ripley
Head of Everything Important

🌐 www.toadcounselling.co.uk

Toad Counselling, because you are the one that matters.

12/03/2026

🐾 Day Fifty-Something: Staff Break

Even therapy dogs need a break.

After a busy morning at Toad Counselling, greeting clients, supervising emotional wellbeing, and making sure the biscuit situation remained under control, management agreed it was time for a quick run in the park.

So here I am in Victoria Park, Bideford, conducting a very important lunchtime inspection.

My responsibilities during this break include:

👃 Sniffing absolutely everything
👀 Scanning the horizon for potential dog friends
🐕 Assessing whether anyone is available for a quick game

There was one small dog in the distance.
We made eye contact.
I wagged.
He wagged.

But sadly… he was busy with his human and did not accept my invitation to Professional Park Zoomies™.

Still, the fresh air helps reset the brain and stretch the legs before heading back to work. And sometimes that’s exactly what both humans and dogs need in the middle of the day.

At Toad Counselling we believe breaks matter. A short walk, a bit of fresh air, a moment to breathe, it can make all the difference.

Right. Break over.
Back to supervising therapy sessions and monitoring biscuit logistics.

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

🐾

05/03/2026

🐾 Day Fifty-Something: The Selfie Incident

I would like to begin by saying this was not my fault.

Tony left his phone unattended.
Just… sitting there.
Within reach.

Now, as Head of Security and General Oversight, it is my responsibility to investigate unattended objects.

So I did what any responsible therapy dog would do.

I picked it up.

Unfortunately, the phone appears to have a selfie mode. And apparently when you press it with your nose… it takes pictures.

Several pictures.

Evidence suggests the following occurred:

📱 Nose contact
📱 Camera activated
📱 Extreme close-up photography

I did try to maintain professionalism.

One photo shows my “serious therapy dog” face.
The other shows what I believe is called “accidental tongue deployment.”

Look, nobody warned me about front-facing cameras.

At Toad Counselling we encourage curiosity, exploration… and occasionally discovering that technology is not designed for dogs with noses.

The good news is I’m considering expanding my role to include Social Media Manager.

Although Tony says I need to work on my angles.

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

Right.
I’m off to see if the phone also orders biscuits.

26/02/2026

🐾 Day Fifty-Something: Absolutely Not Approved

I would like to address a very serious matter.

A vegetable was presented to me.

Not in a bowl.
Not chopped.
Not disguised in gravy.

Just… upright.
On the bed.
Like it belonged there.

It’s called a leek.

First of all — rude.
Second of all — I am a dog.
Third of all — dogs should NOT eat leeks.

So naturally, I conducted a full Risk Assessment Sniff™.

👃 Strong onion energy.
👃 Zero biscuit notes.
👃 Definitely not on my approved snack list.

Tony scratched my ear as if this was some kind of taste test.

Sir.

I am here for emotional support.
Not vegetable evaluation.

Let it be known:
I did not bite it.
I did not lick it.
I did not consume it.

I simply sniffed… judged… and declined.

At Toad Counselling, we believe in healthy boundaries.

And sometimes that boundary is:
“No thank you, that is not safe for me.”

💚 Safe, supportive therapy (for humans)
💚 Clear boundaries (for dogs and vegetables alike)
💚 No leeks were harmed or eaten

Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

12/02/2026

🐾 Day Forty-Whatever: Plot Twist

I have made a decision.

Yesterday I agreed to negotiations.
There was a paw.
There was warmth.
There was teamwork.

Today?

I have taken full control.

Yes, that is my paw.
Yes, I am holding the hand.
No, you may not leave yet.

If we are facing this cold, grey, slightly offensive weather… we are doing it properly. That means slow mornings. Extra tea. No dramatic life changes before 10am. And absolutely no pretending we’re bursting with motivation.

Sometimes support isn’t loud. It’s not advice. It’s not fixing.
It’s just staying.
And occasionally applying gentle paw pressure until the human calms down.

At Toad Counselling, we’re big believers in steady presence. Whether you’re thriving, surviving, or just blinking at the week wondering what happened, we’re here.

💚 Affordable, human counselling
💚 No pressure to be “better” instantly
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

Right.
You may proceed with your day.
But I’ll be monitoring you. Closely. 🐾

05/02/2026

🐾 Update: Negotiations Have Begun

Terms and conditions apply.

After declaring a full blanket-based protest against the cold, wet, miserable weather… I have agreed to talks.

This is me, Ripley, placing one paw gently on Tony’s hand.
Not a demand.
Not a bribe.
Just a subtle reminder that emotional support works both ways.

Translation:
“If we must face the day, we will do it together. Slowly. With snacks. And possibly another nap later.”

Some days don’t need fixing. They just need a bit of warmth, a steady presence, and someone to sit with you while the world feels a bit soggy and grey.

At Toad Counselling, that’s kind of our thing. Whether you’re wrapped in a blanket or trying to hold it together, you don’t have to do it alone. Sometimes support looks like talking. Sometimes it looks like a paw on your hand.

💚 Affordable, supportive counselling
💚 No pressure. No rushing.
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

Right.
Handshake complete.
We’ll try the day now. 🐾

30/01/2026

🐾 Cold. Wet. Absolutely Not.

January has gone too far.

It’s cold.
It’s raining.
The sky has that grey disappointment look about it.

So today, I’ve made an executive decision: I live here now.
Under the blanket.
No meetings.
No motivation.
Just naps, snoring, and occasional sighing for dramatic effect.

Tony suggested a walk.
I suggested he look outside again and reconsider his life choices.

If you’re feeling slow, fed up, unmotivated, or like you’d rather hibernate until spring, congratulations, you’re responding perfectly to the weather. You don’t need to be productive. You just need to be warm and get through the day.

At Toad Counselling, we get it. Some days are for big feelings and brave steps. Other days are for blankets, gentle pacing, and doing the bare minimum required to exist. Both count.

💚 Affordable, supportive counselling
💚 No pressure. No judgement.
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

I’ll be here for now.
Wake me when it’s dry. Or spring. Whichever comes first. 🐾

22/01/2026

🐾 Important Announcement

I can smell you through the screen.

Hello. It’s me. Ripley.
Please don’t be alarmed — I’m just checking in very closely to make sure you’re okay.

This is not personal.
This is not intrusive.
This is therapeutic sniffing.

Tony says, “Ripley, personal space.”
I say… personal space is a social construct. Especially when I can sense feelings, biscuits, or mild emotional distress.

At Toad Counselling, we take a very hands-on (nose-on?) approach. Whether you need support, reassurance, or someone to stare deeply into your soul until you laugh — I’ve got you.

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

Now please remain still while I finish inspecting your face.

06/01/2026

🐾 January 6th: The Bit Where We All Pretend We’re Fine

Spoiler: it’s okay if you’re not.

Right. Christmas has packed up and left.
New Year has waved enthusiastically and then disappeared.
And now it’s January 6th, the day where everyone quietly realises this year is actually happening.

This is me, Ripley, and my sister Milly. We’ve had a few good walks, a few big naps, and a long discussion about whether we should still be getting treats just for existing (answer: yes).

If you’re feeling a bit sluggish, unmotivated, or like your brain is still buffering, congratulations, you’re doing January correctly. No one needs a new personality by now. No resolutions required. Just showing up counts.

At Toad Counselling, we’re properly back, cushions fluffed, kettle on, therapy dog operational (me). Whether you’re starting the year with hope, dread, or a vague sense of “what is time?” you’re welcome here.

💚 Counselling for adults, children & young people
💚 Affordable, human, and judgement-free
💚 Self-referral: https://toadcounselling.co.uk/

January doesn’t need big goals. Sometimes it just needs kindness, a steady pace… and maybe a dog who will sit near you while you figure things out. 🐾

08/12/2025

🐾 Day Forty-Five: The Full Flop

Sometimes, you just have to give in to gravity.

After a long week of guarding doors, counselling clients, resisting chocolate, and surviving the Great Chew Toy Incident… I have officially reached The Flop Stage.

No more sitting. No more half naps. No more pretending to be alert. Just… full stretch. Maximum surface area. Flat as a pancake.

Tony said, “Ripley, are you okay?”
I didn’t move. If he wanted a sign of life, he could check for tail wag vibrations.

Because honestly? Even therapy dogs need a break. It’s not easy being this emotionally available and this cute.

At Toad Counselling, we know the feeling, when you’ve given your all, and there’s just nothing left but the world’s most dramatic lie-down. And that’s okay. Sometimes resting flat is the best kind of progress.

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

Do not disturb. I’m currently recharging my wag.

Address

5 Mill Street
Bideford
EX392JT

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 10pm
Tuesday	10am - 10pm
Wednesday	10am - 10pm
Thursday	10am - 10pm
Friday	10am - 10pm

Website

http://www.toadcounselling.co.uk/

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