Susan Coldwell Counselling

I am based in Sheffield but offer sessions online via Zoom so can work with people anywhere in the UK. I have two cats who sometimes make an appearance on video sessions, particularly around meal times.

My Qualifications

• BSc Psychology – Sheffield Hallam University
• Dip in Person Centred counselling and Psychotherapy – Temenos Education, Sheffield
• Supervision in the helping professions – University of Salford

I am currently in my final year of completing my MSc in Advanced counselling and Supervision at the University of Salford.

After university I worked in various sectors including hospitality, legal sector, pensions investments and insurance before deciding to return to education and complete my qualification in counselling.

My initial training was in the field of domestic abuse, a field I have since returned to and currently work in a service that supports survivors of abuse, whether that be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual abuse including adults who experienced childhood domestic and/or sexual abuse. I also have extensive experience of working in a trauma informed way with adult survivors of childhood sexual exploitation, particularly those involved in grooming gangs. I work with these survivors on feelings of shame and self-blame, helping them process their emotions around what happened to them, understanding that it was not their fault and exploring how these experiences have impacted on their sense of self and relationships in later life.

In the NHS I worked as a counsellor offering support to adults who had been diagnosed with autism many of whom had been diagnosed later in life. Counselling helped them process their feelings about their diagnosis, make sense of some of the experiences they’d had throughout their life and put this into the context of being neurodivergent and what it meant to them personally as they explored their own identity.

I have worked with students who are in higher education both as a counsellor in a low cost service and as a wellbeing mentor. I have supported students with issues around stress and anxiety, exam pressure, managing workloads, personal development, growing sense of self, loss/bereavement, family and relationship issues.

I am an LGBT ally and have worked with many clients within in the LGBT+ community including clients in various stages of transitioning. I aim to offer an open and safe space where clients can bring what feels important to them, this could be around gender or sexual identity but equally recognise and respect that these identities (whilst important) may not be the primary reason someone choses to engage in counselling.

I am currently in the process of completing my Master’s degree and writing my dissertation looking at the effects of early childhood trauma on people who are going through the menopause.