Safe Shores Counselling
Counselling and Therapy in Poole, Dorset.
Welcome...
and thank you for visiting.
I'm Lucy, a counsellor and IFS therapist based in Poole, Dorset and I specialise in supporting adults who are struggling with grief, bereavement and other significant losses.
Bereavement and the grief we carry can touch every part of our lives. It can affect how we think, feel, relate to other people and make sense of everything around us. It can affect us physically too. Sleep patterns, eating, concentration and memory can all be affected by grief. Sometimes grief comes in waves, sometimes it feels numb and unreal and sometimes it can hit us like a tsunami in ways we weren't expecting.
Nothing can replace your loved one, but having someone to talk to about what's happened can often make the weight of grief feel less lonely and overwhelming. You don't have to know where to begin, or what to say. We can start from wherever you are and go from there together.
Other kinds of losses can also generate feelings of grief even though we don't always think of it like that. The end of a relationship, losing a job or home, changes to our health or the the loss of the future we thought we'd have, can all bring grief.
Sometimes the feelings of loss we hold began a long time ago. Childhood experiences and past trauma can leave us grieving what happened, what was missing, or what we needed but wasn't there for us. All these losses deserve space as well and I'm here to help with those too.
If you're visiting today because of a loss, I'm so sorry for what's happened and I'm here for you. Although therapy can't turn the tide and change the past, it can often help you ride the waves and gradually make your way towards the shore.
How I Can Help
When a loved one dies or something we value is lost to us, ordinary moments can seem heavier, everyday tasks harder, and the solid ground we once stood on can feel more like shifting sands. It can challenge everything we thought we knew about the world and who we are in it.
Counselling and therapy with me isn't about help to "get over" your loss, but to be there beside you while you learn to rebuild a world that's completely changed. It's a calm and supportive space where you can begin to feel lighter, where you don't have to make your grief more manageable for someone else, or try to protect anyone from how you're really feeling. We can talk about the things that matter to you, but if your thoughts and feelings seem too big or jumbled to find the words for just now, don't worry, we can figure it out together, one session at a time.
Grief doesn't have a timetable and there's no right or wrong way to grieve so we'll only go at a speed you feel safe and comfortable with, in whatever way feels right for you. Each session will be a partnership rather than someone telling you what to do or how you should be doing it, which, however well intended, is always helpful. Instead, I'll support you on your journey to find your own answers and walk with you every step of the way.
Here are just some of the areas I can help with.
Bereavement
Anticipatory/Pre-Bereavement Grief
Complicated Grief
Prolonged Grief
Sudden/Traumatic Loss
Terminal/Life Limiting Illness
Pet Bereavement
Other Losses
Loss of Confidence
Sense of Identity
Anxiety/Panic Attacks
PTSD
Redundancy/Job Loss
Relationships
Separation and divorce
Faith/Beliefs/Spirituality
Trauma
Health
This isn't a full list so if you feel I might be able to help you with something not shown, please do get in touch.
About Therapy
A lot of how I work comes from a model called IFS (Internal Family Systems) which is really a fancy name for a therapy that sees us all as having different sides or "parts" to us that sometimes need our help and understanding to heal.
Whilst IFS can often be transformational and bring lasting healing, it isn't the only way I can help.
Sometimes, we don't need lots of information about different counselling methods when we're already feeling lost and overwhelmed. We just need someone who can hold our pain, not fix us, witness our grief however it's there for us and "get it" without us having to explain it.
If the idea of working with parts resonates with you in some way, we can do that, but if it doesn't, that's OK too. I'm trained and qualified in a number of other therapies to help me support you in whatever way feels right for you. Just skip to the next page where you'll find more information about appointments, session costs and my current availability.
IFS for Bereavement, Grief, Loss and Trauma
If IFS is something you would like to know more about , here's a little about what it is and how it can help.
Grief isn't one feeling, it's lots of them, and they can show up in different ways, at different times, for each of us. You might notice a part of you that feels angry, a part that carries guilt or regret, a part that's trying to keep everything together or a part that's trying to avoid difficult feelings. You might also notice parts in opposition to each other; A part of you might want to "move on" while another part can't bear to "let go." None of these parts are wrong, they're all trying to help you through what's happened, whether it's a recent bereavement, another kind of loss, or a trauma from long ago.
How IFS Can Help
In IFS, we make space for all the parts that are showing up, gradually getting to know them and helping them feel heard and understood. This, on it's own, can help them "turn down the volume" on some of those big thoughts and feelings, and enables them to connect with the wise, compassionate Self of you that can hold grief without getting lost in it.
However we journey together in our sessions, I'm a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), so you can be sure I have met all their training requirements, work to their high professional standards and will always put your wellbeing and safety at the heart of everything we do.
Appointments
In-person sessions in Poole and online appointments are available which can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on what you feel would work best for you.
I'm unable to offer group, couples or family therapy and all appointments are on a one-to-one basis.
My normal appointment times are:
Mondays 3pm -8pm
Thursdays 7:30pm - 9pm
Saturdays 10am - 2pm
Availability
I currently have a limited number of appointments available.
Fees
In-person and online appointments are £60 per 50 minute session.
Reaching out for support can be a big step, so I offer an initial, free of charge, 30 minute telephone session so you can see how you feel about it first. Initial sessions are completely confidential and there's no obligation to continue afterwards.
I can also send you an information sheet which contains more detailed information about the service I offer, including payment information, my cancellation policy and complaints procedure if this would be helpful to you.
Outdoor Therapy
Outdoor sessions are £70 per 50 minute session, either in and around the beautiful Poole Park or along Poole's lovely quayside. Sessions are also available in the grounds of Upton Country Park.
Bereavement, Grief & Loss Workshops
I can provide bespoke training workshops to groups and organisations who would like to gain an insight into the impact of bereavement, grief and loss and increase their level of confidence in supporting others.
Please contact for more information
Get in Touch
You can contact me here to make a general enquiry, arrange an initial, free telephone session or to request a service information sheet. You can also call me on 07568 923506.
All enquiries are completely confidential and I aim to reply within 24 hours (Monday - Saturday)
** Please state how you'd prefer me to contact you (phone, text or email) in your message so I can do that for you.
Emergency Support
My Location
Located in the Old Town part of Poole, Dorset close to Poole Quay, the building is easy to find and readily accessible by car, bus or train. There are plenty of carparks nearby and both the train and main bus stations are just a 10-15 minute walk away.
About Me
I've been counselling and supporting people through grief and bereavement for the last 8 years, first as part of my initial counselling training and then after I fully qualified. I'm experienced in running bereavement and loss training workshops and group coaching and before training as a counsellor, worked as a Health and Wellbeing Coach in a GP surgery. In addition to my work here, I'm also a hospice counsellor supporting patients and their loved ones, pre and post bereavement.
I chose to specialise in bereavement, grief and loss because I know, from my own experiences, what a dark and isolating place it can be. It affects us in ways nothing else can and I wanted to be there for others, on their own journey with grief, so they wouldn't have to walk it alone.
Qualifications
(Copies of all my qualifications are available on request )
- IFS Advanced Level 2
- Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling
- CBT Level 5
- Level 2 Certificate in Person Centred Creative Arts Counselling
- Mindfulness Practitioner Certificate
- Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People (8-25 years) *
* I'm currently unable to offer help and support to children and young people under 18