Sharon McHugh

A space for you

Feeling anxious and overwhelmed can leave you stuck and confused if this sounds like you and you would like somewhere to talk things through, please reach out. I'm here to help. I offer personalised Counselling and Hypnotherapy tailored to your needs and guided by you. I offer face to face in Wickford, Essex and online covering the UK and Ireland. Please feel free to book a 15 minute call to discuss your needs.

I provide you with a safe, non-judgemental space


Where you can openly and honestly talk about the negative thoughts and feelings that affect how you feel about yourself. I know how hard it is to reach out for help – taking that first step is daunting, but it’s the most important part of moving past the challenges you face.

With me, you decide what you talk about in sessions and how we work together. This is your time and your space to be yourself and speak freely about whatever is on your mind. I am here to listen closely to your issues and support you in any way I can.

You are not alone. Whether you would like to discuss your diagnosis of ADHD, or feel that you have ADHD and need somewhere to voice this, or if you are suffering from Anxiety, or experienced trauma and would like somewhere safe to talk and try to make sense of what is going on for you, I will give you a welcoming, totally confidential space to do this and be you. Please feel free to book a free 15 minute phone call to discuss your needs.

My Background


From a young age, I have always been a sensitive and empathetic individual, who due to an unorthodox upbringing have always been able to relate, sense or identify emotional stress or anxiety in others.

Being such a young age, I felt emotionally overwhelmed as my trauma had taught me that I needed to behave in a certain way to feel safe. I did not understand the anxiety or feelings of sadness or worthlessness and felt completely overwhelmed on a daily basis.


I felt powerless to change how I felt or to know how to remove the feelings of anxiety and helplessness.  My unconscious responses to my  trauma would be triggered by certain  people and situations, and my anxiety and stress would cause me to become fearful, however at this stage in my life, I didn’t understand what was happening.



As I moved through my teenage years, I

became more socially aware and found speaking to certain people created a connection and trust that enabled me to communicate and help

share my own experiences. I found having this sense of trust allowed me to open doors that

were often closed and help with gaining the trust that is needed to offer a person the care and support that can and often makes a

difference in our lives. 

Over the years, I've been fortunate to meet some truly wonderful professionals. There were moments when I felt deeply at peace and accepted because they really understood me. They listened to me without judgement and made me feel safe to share my unique thoughts. This journey led to my diagnosis of ADHD. After feeling alone for so long, these moments of being truly seen and heard were life-changing. I realised that that if I could help just one person feel as understood and supported as I did, that would be my goal.





I love that I am the person that strangers want to sit beside and tell me things that they probably haven’t shared with anyone before, I love that people allow me to hear their stories, and  I feel humbled  that I have been allowed into the lives of individuals I have met along the way during my own journey and overwhelmed that I have been entrusted to listen to people’s innermost thoughts and feeling and to be able to share in such a private and vulnerable part of their lives. 

II became a counsellor as I knew that my experiences with anxiety and trauma could be used, with the right training, to connect with others who have experienced this in their lives too, and to see that  through talking about their experiences and making sense of any behaviours relating to them  they can be allowed the experience of a better life,  and to know that the feeling of Anxiety and negative emotions do not have to be at the forefront of their lives on a daily basis, that things can change. 



Being a counsellor is not just something I do; it is something I am.

My Qualifications


I am a Registered Member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and as such follow their ethical framework, keeping you and myself safe by the boundaries they require, such as confidentiality and doing no harm.

I offer Integrative counselling and Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. I use skills from different modalities such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Person Centred Therapy and Transactional Analysis.

  • Counselling Skills Level 2
  • Counselling Skills Level 3
  • Integrative Counselling Advanced Diploma Level 4.
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Advanced Diploma Level 5
  • Certificate in Transactional Analysis 101
  • Certificate in Transactional Analysis 102
  • Certificate in DBT Skills Training with Behavioural Tech
  • Certificate in CBT Skills Training with Beck Institute and British Psychology Society
  • HND Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
  • Level 2 Accreditation in DBT Skills APT training
  • Training in 'The Rewind Technique"
  • Training in 'Integral Eye Movement Therapy"

As well as my lived experience of ADHD, Anxiety and Trauma, I have volunteered at St. Lukes Hospice as a counsellor, and as a counsellor at Synergy Addictions in Billericay. Alongside my private practice I have worked as a 1-1 counsellor and a group counsellor for The Lighthouse addictions in-house rehabilitation in Southend, before deciding to commit all my time to my private practice where I was able to continue volunteering some of my time to counselling our frontline workers affected by the pandemic.

I have also completed many hours of continued professional development, keeping myself up to date on any changes within the counselling world, along with different counselling techniques. This allows me to be my best for each individual client, regardless of the issues they are facing.


I give you a confidential, strictly non-judgemental space in which to process your thoughts and feelings. If you think you could benefit from counselling, hypnotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy in Wickford and online get in touch.

Get in touch

Please feel free to contact me for a free, no obligation 15 minute discovery call, or to arrange an initial appointment. This enables you to ask me any questions you may have and for us to discuss the reasons why you are thinking of coming to counselling. This also gives you the opportunity to see whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help. You can also book a free 15 minute discovery call by clicking the 'Book Now' button.


You can also call me on 07484386985 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.

FEES

Counselling £80.00 per session.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy £80.00 per session.

Rewind Technique £80 per session.

Integral Eye Movement Therapy £80.00 per session.


©2022 Sharon McHugh

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