Counselling First

01/10/2025

Freud’s Defence Mechanisms Series: Repression.

Ever find yourself suddenly forgetting something painful or stressful? That’s repression—a mental trick our brains use to keep hard memories just out of reach, often without us even realising it. 🪟

It’s completely normal and can protect us in the short term, but understanding it is the first step toward self-awareness and healing. How do you notice repression in your life?

29/09/2025

Not long to book your spot

Silencing the Inner Critic is a 6-hour CPD workshop co-created by Counselling First and Grid Society. It builds upon the foundation of our signature session, Confront the Grey Voices and layers it with the counselling theories that professionals rely on. The result is a framework that is academicall...

29/09/2025

🚨 WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT: Tackling Your Clients' Inner Critic 🚨

📅 October 18th, 2025 | 9:30AM-4:00PM | Online Workshop
Perfect for Counsellors, Trainees, Supervisors & Coaches

"I'm not smart enough." "Everyone will see I'm a fraud." "I always mess things up."

Recognize these thoughts? Your clients' harsh inner voice is sabotaging their progress, preventing healthy boundaries, and blocking personal growth.

Studies reveal how self-critical patterns fuel anxiety, depression, and crush self-worth. We witness this destruction daily - yet giving clients effective, research-backed strategies to silence their inner critic can feel overwhelming.

This training changes everything.

✨ You'll Master:
• Spotting where the inner critic comes from and how it damages client confidence
• Proven techniques to help clients catch and challenge harsh self-talk
• Theories explored for the inner critic: Humanistic, Psychodynamic, TA, CBT & SFT methods
• Innovative tools including Grid Concept and Voice Template techniques
• The complete 13-Step Grey Defence Process for varied client presentations

🎓 6 CPD Hours | £65
🎓 Student Discount: 25% off with 'student25'
🎓 Financial hardship support - contact kay@counsellingfirst.com

Delivered by Counselling First & Grid Society Partnership

Transform how your clients relate to themselves!
REGISTER HERE ⬇️
https://www.thisisgridlife.shop/counselling-room-strategies

27/09/2025

🎯 WORKSHOP ALERT: Addressing the Inner Critic in Clients
📅 18th October 2025 | 09:30-16:00 | Online via Zoom

For Qualified Counsellors, Trainee Counsellors, Supervisors & Coaches

"I'll never be good enough." "If it isn't perfect, I've failed." "They'll figure out I don't belong here."

Sound familiar? Your clients' inner critic is holding them back from achieving their goals, setting boundaries, and embracing growth opportunities.

Research shows a strong link between self-critical thinking and increased anxiety, depression, and lowered self-esteem. As counsellors, we see the devastating effects of negative self-talk daily - but equipping clients with practical, evidence-based tools to combat the inner critic remains a challenge.

This workshop bridges that gap.

✨ What You'll Learn:
• Identify the origins and impact of the inner critic on clients' confidence and behaviour
• Explore practical tools to help clients recognise and reframe self-critical dialogue
• Understand theoretical foundations using Humanistic, Psychodynamic, TA, CBT, and SFT approaches
• Gain creative strategies like the Grid Concept and Voice Template
• Master the 13-Step Grey Defence Process tailored to diverse client needs

🎓 6 CPD Hours | £65.00
🎓 Students: 25% off with code 'student25'
🎓 Low-income support available - email kay@counsellingfirst.com

Facilitated by Counselling First in partnership with Grid Society

Ready to help your clients defeat those negative voices?

BOOK NOW ⬇️

25/09/2025

🎯 WORKSHOP ALERT: Help Your Clients Silence Their Inner Critic

"I'm not good enough." "I don't deserve this." "They'll find out I'm a fraud."

Sound familiar? Your clients' inner critic isn't just negative self-talk - it's a barrier to their healing, growth, and breakthrough moments.

Recent research confirms what we see daily: self-criticism directly fuels anxiety, depression, and keeps clients stuck in destructive patterns. But here's the thing - most of us weren't taught specific, evidence-based strategies to tackle this head-on.

That changes on October 18th.

✨ ADDRESSING THE INNER CRITIC IN CLIENTS
📅 18th October 2025 | 09:30-16:00 | Online
🎓 6 CPD Hours | £65 (Students: 25% off)

What makes this workshop different? You'll walk away with:

🔹 The 13-Step Grey Defence Process - a practical framework you can use immediately
🔹 Creative tools like the Grid Concept and Voice Template
🔹 Multi-theoretical approaches (Humanistic, CBT, TA, SFT, Psychodynamic)
🔹 Real strategies that work for diverse client presentations

Whether you're supporting clients with imposter syndrome, perfectionism, or deep-seated shame - this workshop bridges the gap between theory and practice.

For qualified counsellors, trainees, supervisors & coaches.
Low-income support available - just email kay@counsellingfirst.com

Ready to give your clients the tools they need to rewrite their inner dialogue?

BOOK NOW: https://www.thisisgridlife.shop/counselling-room-strategies

Facilitated by Counselling First in partnership with Grid Society

24/09/2025

Healing doesn’t always look picture-perfect.

Sometimes, recovery begins with small steps—like simply getting out of bed. One client recently shared how, after months of sleepless nights and overwhelming anxiety, they finally woke up feeling a sense of calm. The journey wasn’t easy, but with trauma-focused therapy and gentle support, hope returned.

If you’re feeling stuck or exhausted, you’re not alone. Discover how personalised, evidence-based therapy can help you reclaim restful nights and brighter mornings.

Reach out today for a confidential chat. 🌱

22/09/2025

Ever notice how your clients' harshest critic isn't their ex, their boss, or even their mother?

It's the voice inside their head.

"I'm not qualified for this promotion."
"Everyone will see I'm a fraud."
"I should have done better."

That inner critic? It's not protecting them—it's sabotaging their growth, relationships, and happiness.

Here's what most therapists struggle with: We can spot self-critical patterns easily, but helping clients actually SILENCE that voice? That's the real challenge.

🎯 WORKSHOP ALERT: Addressing the Inner Critic in Clients
📅 October 18th, 2025 | 9:30am-4pm | Online

This isn't another theory-heavy session. You'll walk away with:

✅ The 13-Step Grey Defence Process (game-changer for resistant clients)
✅ Creative tools like the Grid Concept that actually work
✅ How to identify where the critic originated.
✅ Practical reframing techniques using therapeutic approaches
✅ Real strategies for clients who say "but what if they're right?"

Perfect for qualified counsellors, trainees, supervisors & coaches who want to see breakthrough moments, not just breakthrough sessions.

🎓 6 CPD Hours | £65
🎓 Students save 25% with code 'student25'
🎓 Can't afford full price? Email kay@counsellingfirst.com

Ready to help your clients become their own biggest supporter instead of their worst enemy?

👆 Link to book
https://www.thisisgridlife.shop/counsellorsandcoaches

19/09/2025

🎯 WORKSHOP ALERT: Addressing the Inner Critic in Clients
📅 18th October 2025 | 09:30-16:00 | Online via Zoom

For Qualified Counsellors, Trainee Counsellors, Supervisors & Coaches

"I'll never be good enough." "If it isn't perfect, I've failed." "They'll figure out I don't belong here."

Sound familiar? Your clients' inner critic is holding them back from achieving their goals, setting boundaries, and embracing growth opportunities.

Research shows a strong link between self-critical thinking and increased anxiety, depression, and lowered self-esteem. As counsellors, we see the devastating effects of negative self-talk daily – but equipping clients with practical, evidence-based tools to combat the inner critic remains a challenge.

This workshop bridges that gap.

✨ What You'll Learn:
• Identify the origins and impact of the inner critic on clients' confidence and behaviour
• Explore practical tools to help clients recognise and reframe self-critical dialogue
• Understand theoretical foundations using Humanistic, Psychodynamic, TA, CBT, and SFT approaches
• Gain creative strategies like the Grid Concept and Voice Template
• Master the 13-Step Grey Defence Process tailored to diverse client needs

🎓 6 CPD Hours | £65.00
🎓 Students: 25% off with code 'student25'
🎓 Low-income support available - email kay@counsellingfirst.com

Facilitated by Counselling First in partnership with Grid Society

Ready to help your clients defeat those negative voices?

BOOK NOW ⬇️

https://www.thisisgridlife.shop/counselling-room-strategies

17/09/2025

From isolation to hope: one client’s journey.

He arrived feeling weighed down, unsure if things could ever change. Over time, through tailored trauma therapy and gentle encouragement, he began to see light in places he thought were lost.

Real stories like his remind us: healing is possible, even after years of carrying heavy burdens. If you’re ready to take a first step, our confidential online sessions offer a safe space to begin.

Reach out today to discover how Counselling First can support your journey. 🌱 generic photo used to protect identity.

15/09/2025

Think trauma therapy is only for crises?

Many believe you need to be at ‘breaking point’ to seek help—but trauma shows up in so many ways, from sleepless nights to feeling on edge, or just stuck in old patterns. Therapy isn’t about being ‘broken’; it’s about understanding your story and finding new ways forward, at your own pace.

Curious about how evidence-based trauma therapy like EMDR or Alpha Stims can help you? Let’s talk—your questions are always welcome.

Reach out today for a confidential chat. 🐇