Counselling & Psychotherapy in South Devon…

How I Work

I see our work together very much as a collaboration, in which kindness plays a key part. I explore your experience with you, so that you may feel truly met and able to relax into a sense of wholeness and safety. Traumas held within our bodies and psyches are pockets or ‘holds in time’, of unmet, unsupported, undigested life. My aim is to provide a space for these ‘short circuits’ to be re-connected, metabolised and integrated into the whole. Through gentle probing and sensitive questioning, through guiding you into a deeper experiencing of your body’s ‘felt sense’, through a sharing of insights arising between us, I aim to facilitate a deepening awareness of your own life.

It is likely that we will engage in inner child or parts work, to encourage the integration of different aspects of yourself which historically have had to adopt survival and protective patterns which may not be serving you now. These patterns are linked to patterns of thought and belief which may be keeping you hostage. Once these parts or younger selves are engaged with in current moment experience, an opportunity for integration occurs, and with that a renewed sense of aliveness, openness, safety and trust.

Feelings, once acknowledged and met are self-liberating, and fuel us into greater wholeness. It is only when they are unrecognised, unmet and unloved that they trap us.

At times we may use meditative practices, sit in silence, and explore dreams and images. You may in our sessions also discover a stillness out of which all these experiences arise, and realise that it is not separate from you.

My non-dual perspective is one in which I recognise a ground of being which is unchanging and ever present. It is infinitely kind, and the source from which our potential and subtle sense of existence arises. It is a deep well of silence and peace that fills our hearts, enabling us to interact with ourselves and our environment in an unburdened way. It is the stillness at the heart of existence. Its doorway is present moment awareness.

Issues that I work with

I work with all issues, including depression, loss and bereavement, trauma, developmental attachment issues, relationships, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, illness, abuse, addictions, work and education issues, parenting , self-development, purpose, life direction and spirituality.

Peter

I’m thinking that I might never have shared with you how much I valued your presence on my journey. I use the word presence intentionally as from the first few minutes of the first session I felt your presence so deeply, so powerfully and with such acceptance of who I was in that moment, no matter what that might be. I needed that holding desperately and it allowed the softening of some of my defences. Your support through the various phases of our work together has surely contributed to the opening of my heart and the trust I feel to be vulnerable.

Claire-Louise
testimonials

Working with Hélène has been a truly life changing experience.

In each session with Hélène, I have been met consistently with kindness, warmth and received gentle, intelligent questioning and guidance. This has allowed me to feel held, safe, supported and cared about. I can feel the change in my body, in my nervous system and the way I am in the world. This has also allowed me to gain real insights into my way of being in the world until now and enabled real positive change to take place.

I have a new recognition of the transforming benefits of the therapeutic relationship.

I am deeply, deeply grateful that I was and still am able to work with a practitioner as heart-centred and as highly skilled as Hélène.

 

continued…
testimonials

I feel blessed to know Hélène. When I first started sessions with her, around 10 years ago, a seed was sown. At the time I was desperate and in need of urgent help. Little did I know that this life-saving step would lead me, with Hélène, to walk a beautiful path of self-discovery, self-love and spiritual growth. Over the years, Hélène has skillfully guided me through some very specific events, such as bereavement, relationship issues, family traumas and work-related stress.

She has helped me to ‘join up the dots’ between my childhood conditioning and current ‘loops’ and ‘stories’ and I feel that I know and understand myself better, without judgement or negative thought. With this gentle awareness, I have been able to move through my own fears, low self-esteem issues and energetic blocks, in order to achieve a healthier relationship with myself and others.

Amy
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I am now joyfully flowing with life as opposed to struggling against the tide. I often recall her words of wisdom or practice techniques she has taught me, to help me through life’s challenges. Hélène showed me the way to discover my own sense of inner peace, or as she so beautifully puts it, to ‘come home to oneself’. I really believe that peace in the world starts with a loving relationship towards the self and this is where Hélène has so profoundly transformed me.

Hélène has a unique approach and is clearly steered by a deep sense of integrity. She has an incredible gift and talent. I always look forward to a session with Helene, and I always leave feeling truly nurtured and enlightened. She has also been a tremendous support to several of my friends and I would recommend her to you with all my heart

Prasann.
testimonials

Dear Helene, thank you for being such a calm and caring therapist. Although it has been over a year since I last saw you, I can still feel the benefits of the therapy in my life. You helped me in getting in touch with my inner self, which I guess I had managed to lose in the hustle and bustle of everyday race. You had just the right approach which helped me tremendously.

I would like to thank you especially for all the support you provided before, around and after the birth of my son. It was a challenging period and I would like to express my deep gratitude for being there for me. I felt that you were really listening and understanding what I was expressing. Sometimes, especially after deep contemplation, I even felt a different kind of energy in the therapy room. Overall, I think the sessions helped me in becoming more grounded and confident in my everyday life. Thank you very very much.

Julia.
testimonials

I would recommend Helene to anyone thinking about getting some counselling – and I have done so to several friends already and always rave about how helpful her style of counselling has been. It is hard to quantify how important Helene’s sessions have been for me personally, but all I know is that she has really helped me recognise some of my negative patterns and ‘beat-myself-up’ habits and helped me come out of my depression and learn to look after and love myself better.

I feel that Helene has a very special way of listening and then adapting her approach to really suit my needs at different times. We spent time identifying issues as well as finding strategies for actually changing them – something that has been extremely useful for me to practice on my own years after my sessions with Helene.

Thank you Helene for giving me a little ‘life-raft’ of self-love techniques which I continue to use whenever I need them.

My article ‘The kindness Cure for Trauma and Emotional Pain’ on the Nondual Therapy website.
Largesse

An owl
heavy with moon
swoops
dusting the earth with feather tips.

She rises glowing
carrying the breadth of the world
between her wings.

Hélène Demetriades