About Bel Gamlin Counselling

About me

Hi, I’m Bel! I’m a qualified and experienced integrative counsellor and therapist. I’m a registered member of the BACP; the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. I offer counselling in Bradford on Avon in person in my therapy room located in the heart of the town, outdoors with Walk and Talk therapy, and by Zoom and telephone throughout the UK.

I work with individual adults aged 18+. You can “meet me” in my therapy room here (a short video on Instagram).

What does ‘integrative’ mean?

‘Integrative’ means I use different therapeutic approaches to inform my work according to what you need at the time, rather than just being restricted to one theory. This gives me flexibility in the way I work. My approach is to work collaboratively with you, taking your preferences into account so that you get what you need from our time together.

Safety and support

My aim is to listen deeply to what you choose to bring to counselling and to hold your experience of whatever is going on in your life with care, compassion and without judgement, giving us a safe space to explore and re-evaluate what is important to you and where you might like to go from here. All this at a pace to suit you, as we learn to take the pressure off and let things unfold naturally. I follow your lead and I may make suggestions along the way which you are free to explore or decline. I value your autonomy; your freedom to choose your own path and I will endeavour to foster it whenever I can in our sessions.

What is counselling like?

I wrote a short blog here comparing counselling to going on a journey together. Everyone’s experience of counselling is unique. To hear yourself speak your own experiences out loud whilst being really heard, emotionally held and accepted by your therapist can be a powerful experience.

There is plenty of space for you to reflect on what you are saying as you say it, allowing you to be able to adjust some aspect of what you mean so that it ‘feels right’ and makes more sense to you. Things can start to ‘click’ into place for you as a new, clearer perspective is formed. Counselling can also be about learning some useful skills on how to deal with difficult feelings, thoughts and behaviours.

I’m drawn to work in a holistic way, because we’re not computer heads bolted onto robot bodies; we are complex, embodied beings. As we become more in tune with all aspects of ourselves, including our bodies, our lives can transform. So therapy can be about working with awareness of sensation, feelings and movement in the body, working with mind imagery, as well as through talking, and only if you wish to work this way.

How will I know if it’s right for me?

It’s something you need to experience for yourself to decide if it’s for you. I wrote a blog here about what good therapy looks like, which may help you make your decision to try counselling.

I offer a free half hour introductory session to help you decide if working with me is right for you. I have travelled this healing journey myself so I’m very much here for you. Let’s see how we can share this part of your journey forwards together!

How is it different from talking to a friend?

Counselling is different from talking with a friend or relative. I’m able to offer you impartiality and confidentiality. There will be no adverse repercussions if you speak your true mind. No need to take care of someone else’s feelings as well as your own. All your thoughts and feelings will be welcomed. When we work together, you can be sure of my warm acceptance and valuing of you as an individual just as you are. There will be no unsolicited advice giving or hurrying over difficult topics. I’m on your side 100% and the focus will be on you.

Clients I have worked with

I have worked with a diverse range of adult clients regarding age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, neurodivergence and presentations including addiction, dual diagnosis, childhood trauma, anxiety, stress, difficulties with emotional regulation, personal relationships, life choices, trauma, bereavement, a sense of feeling stuck, low self-esteem, life transitions, caring responsibility, coping with disability, depression, sexual identity, anger issues, and burnout.

My special area of focus is around helping people to overcome the things that are holding them back in life and keeping them stuck, such as struggling with a lack of self-worth, lacking confidence or difficulty communicating their own needs to others. I have experienced and worked through similar problems, so I am able to draw on that experience in my work. I welcome all counselling enquires; I do not restrict my work to just that one area of focus.

My influences

My main inspiration comes from the Person Centred and Gestalt approaches, where the development of a certain quality of therapeutic relationship between the client and the counsellor is valued as central to facilitate growth and change. Person Centred approaches value the innate capacity of an individual to grow naturally towards what is right and healthy for them, if the right conditions are created. Gestalt therapy has a strong tradition of working with the body, similar in approach to aspects of mindfulness.

In my work I’m increasingly aware of the importance of compassion for one’s self and of self-care. This may be an important part of our work together.

I find transactional analysis and attachment theory can be helpful to understand how people relate to each other. But maybe theory only appears to explain what is going on. So I try to keep an open mind and am guided by your individual experience.

Embracing diversity

My aim is to provide a safe and inclusive space where all people feel welcomed, valued and affirmed for who they are with their own unique identity. I invite clients to share whatever they feel is important for me to know about aspects of their identity, whenever they choose is the right time for them to do so. This could be around aspects such as neurodivergence, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, spirituality, religion and disability.

Bradford-on-Avon is a fantastic place to live, work in and visit! I feel really blessed to be here. I enjoy living in the countryside and I am starting to incorporate ecotherapy into my practice through Walk and Talk sessions. I am also interested in groupwork and I intend to incorporate the added option of groupwork in the future. If you are interested in joining a group, please contact me.