Counselling and EMDR Therapy in Tewkesbury and Online Across the UK
for anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and emotional overwhelm. I am Kirsty Cartwright MBACP, offering face-to-face counselling in Tewkesbury, alongside online counselling across the UK. I also provide EMDR therapy for trauma and difficult life experiences.
Are you feeling held back by patterns you understand but can't seem to change?
Perhaps you find yourself caught in familiar ways of thinking or relating — people-pleasing, self-doubt, overthinking or feeling responsible for everyone else.
You may understand some of the reasons you feel this way, but still find yourself repeating the same patterns. You might feel exhausted, overwhelmed or disconnected from yourself, while being very good at carrying on and getting through things.
Counselling can help you make sense of what's happening beneath the surface, while beginning to create change that feels meaningful and manageable.
I offer a warm, thoughtful and collaborative approach. We can explore what is happening for you now, understand how you got here, and gently look at what you might want to do differently. You don't need to have everything figured out before we begin.
When insight hasn't led to change
You may have had counselling before and found it helpful to understand yourself, yet still feel stuck in the same patterns.
Sometimes understanding why we do something isn't enough to change it.
Our work can help you connect that understanding with what happens in your thoughts, feelings, relationships and everyday life — so that you can begin to respond differently rather than feeling driven by familiar patterns.
The aim isn't to change who you are. It's to help you feel more able to make choices that reflect what you want, rather than automatically falling back into old ways of coping.
When the past still affects the present
Past experiences don't always stay in the past.
Difficult or distressing experiences can continue to influence how we feel, think and respond — sometimes showing up as anxiety, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, feeling constantly on edge, or reactions that seem bigger than the situation itself.
I am trauma-trained and can integrate EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) where it feels appropriate. EMDR can help reduce the emotional intensity of experiences that continue to affect you, so that the past feels less present and you have more freedom in how you respond.
We'll work with what feels manageable for you now, and only explore what you're ready to explore.
Working with Autism & Neurodivergence
I have additional training in Autism-informed counselling and have a particular interest in supporting autistic and neurodivergent adults.
You may have spent years masking, adapting yourself to fit expectations or feeling that others don't quite understand how you experience the world.
Counselling can provide an opportunity to explore this without having to perform or explain yourself in the same way. I can adapt how we work together to take account of your individual needs, communication style and way of processing.
Working with Misophonia
Living with misophonia can be exhausting, particularly when the intensity of your response to certain sounds is difficult for others to understand.
I offer a compassionate space to explore the impact misophonia has on your emotions, relationships and everyday life, and to develop ways of managing its impact.
A thoughtful approach, tailored to you
I don't believe therapy should be about fitting yourself into a particular model or having the “right” things to talk about. I bring together my experience, training and different therapeutic approaches to work out what is most helpful for you.
Taking the next step
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, particularly when you've been coping on your own for a long time.
You don't need to know exactly what you need before you get in touch.
I offer a free 15–20 minute introductory call, giving you the opportunity to ask questions, tell me a little about what has brought you to counselling and get a feel for how I work. There's no pressure to commit.
I offer face-to-face counselling in Tewkesbury town centre, as well as online sessions.
My practice is easily accessible from Cheltenham, Gloucester, Pershore, Upton-upon-Severn, Bredon and surrounding areas.
If you're ready to talk, you're very welcome to get in touch.
