Pete Tobias Counselling
COUNSELLOR IN LONDON BRIDGE AND ONLINE
Helping You Move Past Trauma & Enjoy Better Relationships
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” – Fred Rogers
As an experienced counsellor, I have worked with clients on issues ranging from anxiety and depression, to trauma, sexuality and identity issues, bereavement, and relationship troubles. The complex challenges and emotions associated with these issues can be overwhelming to face on your own, and can put severe strain on your mental health and well-being. But you are not alone. Your mental health struggles are human struggles. I am here to help you process whatever life challenges you have experienced in the past and present, so that you can grow, heal and make the changes you need to flourish in the future. Reaching out to a professional is the first step toward healing. To arrange an initial free, no-obligation consultation, please fill out the booking form at the bottom of this page and I’ll be in touch.
Below you can read more about my areas of interest. You can also find more information on the most common and challenging mental health struggles on my blog. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
Trauma
Trauma shows up in our lives, in our relationships, our bodies, and in our thoughts in many different and complex ways. You may have experienced a singular traumatic event (e.g. a car accident) or multiple traumatic events (e.g. an abusive relationship). When we experience trauma, our bodies’ natural response is to activate a non-conscious action pattern that prepares it to meet the threat and defend itself. When this response is overwhelmed by the threat, trauma is often the result. Whether you experienced a threatening situation in childhood or more recently, your body can get stuck in a cycle of activating the non-conscious defence action pattern of activation, dissociation, or freezing. This results in a cycle of acute chronic arousal and can create dysfunction in the central nervous system that can severely impede our ability to function normally, and to form and sustain healthy relationships with ourselves and others. I draw on trauma-specific treatment modalities such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing) and IFS (Internal Family Systems) to create a safe and trauma-informed space within which we can begin to understand the ways in which trauma affects your life, and develop healthy coping strategies that can help you overcome and manage the impact trauma has on your life. For more information on EMDR and IFS visit my blog.
Relationships
“Most conflicts in relationships cannot be resolved because most conflicts are unconscious attempts by both parties to solve childhood attachment wounds.” – Thais Sky
The trauma, lack of parental attunement, and attachment patterns we develop as children can impact our ability to form and sustain healthy relationships in adulthood. As adults we all have unconscious relationship patterns and behaviours that can cause tension and strain in our relationships with friends, family, and partners. The good news is that it is never too late to change. What we can bring into consciousness, can be changed. I can help you identify the unconscious patterns and behaviours, trace their origins and help you change and grow into the partner, friend, or parent you want to be. It all starts with developing and nourishing the relationship you have with yourself.
Anxiety
Similarly to trauma, potentially harmful situations at any age can trigger feelings of anxiety. For most of us, anxiety is a normal and necessary part of survival. Feelings of anxiety during stressful times or life transitions (e.g. moving or divorce) are a normal part of the human experience. However, for some of us these feelings of nervousness, fear, apprehension or worry can become more and more intense and increasingly difficult to manage, leading to disruptions in our ability to function normally, and to live our lives fully. Knowing the difference between normal feelings of anxiety and an anxiety disorder, requires medical attention and a potential diagnosis. Oftentimes, there is some unresolved or unprocessed emotions that exasperate the feelings of anxiety in our daily lives. However, there are many approaches to treatment that can help us better understand the underlying emotions and help us process them as we move to work through our inhibiting patterns of anxiety. I will help you identify and find healthy ways of expressing emotion and together we can find ways to reduce and manage your anxious feelings so that you can regain a sense of control over your own life and your emotions.
If you are looking for a counsellor in London Bridge or online and wish to book an initial assessment appointment, please fill out the booking form.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on +44 (0)7815 156 495 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services. Find out more by reading my Privacy Policy.