Talk and Walk
Moving counselling outdoors
What is Talk and Walk?
Most of us face times in our lives when we feel we are struggling. When this feels overwhelming, counselling offers you an opportunity to find a way through these feelings towards a more positive and fulfilling relationship with yourself and others.
The way we feel is a direct consequence of the way we think, so working on distorted patterns of thinking can have a transformational effect on our emotions. I use an evidence-based approach called TEAM CBT that has proved to be highly and rapidly effective in enabling people to recover from anxiety or depression. Together, we would look at what is happening in your thought processes, then use any of 50 or more cognitive and behavioural methods to find more positive and healthy ways to think.
The outdoors is an ideal environment to explore this together. Walking and talking offers a comfortable and relaxed way of working and being surrounded by nature itself can have a positive impact on your well-being. Fot some people, location or other factors may mean meeting up outdoors is not possible, so I am also able to offer online counselling via Zoom. If you are interested in exploring this option, please let me know.
Talk
&
Walk
F.A.Q.
The sessions can be an hour, an hour and a half, or two hours long.
There is no fixed number of sessions but I recommend thinking in terms of a block of six then reviewing at that point. For many people, that is enough to make the changes they are looking for, but others like to explore further issues.
The sessions are on the Downs (Durdham Downs, Bristol). I also offer online counselling via Zoom.
I am happy to go out in any weather, as long as we are able to talk in it. However, I recognise that you may not want to be out in the rain, so there is always the option to have the session over Zoom instead. It is your session, so we will decide together what would work best.
The amount and pace of walking will be down to you. There are plenty of benches on the Downs and from time to time we may want to stop and sit for a while, particularly if there is some writing to do.
Anything you feel comfortable walking in. It is always good to be prepared for a change in weather and not a bad idea to keep an eye on the forecast leading up to the session.
A few years ago I was approached by a young man after a talk I had given on running. He wanted advice on getting back into running and I offered to run with him once a week to support him in it. Our runs became a space in which he began to talk about his mental health issues and the idea for Talk and Walk was born. I am now a qualified counsellor and a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists and offer counselling sessions outdoors as well as online.
Although it was running that initially gave me the idea for doing counselling outside, walking carries many of the same benefits and you are less likely to be out of breath! There is something about being outdoors and in motion that makes talking easy and relaxed.
I have worked in supportive roles all my adult life, starting in community work and then moving into teaching. Alongside this I have been involved in several voluntary roles, working with homeless people and refugees and asylum seekers.
Andy Persson
Prices
I offer a free phone consultation up to 15 minutes to answer any questions you have about counselling and to help you decide if it is something you would like to go ahead with.
Sessions cost £45 per hour and can be 1, 1.5 or 2 hours.
I have some sessions available at concessionary rates. Please ask if you would like to discuss this.
Send Me a Message
Phone
07455 269185
info@talkandwalk.co.uk
Testimonials
“Andy has helped me to work through a difficult period of anxiety using CBT techniques. Within just a few sessions together, I’m feeling so much more like myself again for the first time in a very long time. Without a doubt I’d highly recommend Andy to anyone who needs his services in future. Thank you Andy!”
“You are outstanding at getting to the nub of stuff – thank you”
“I have regained my confidence, begun to care more about myself and discovered the strength I needed to make positive changes in my life. Andy has given me the tools to grow, let go of guilt and feel much calmer and positive about the here and now. I will be able to carry the methods forwards with me, and bring them to mind when tough patches arise. It has been one of the wisest investments of time and money I have made. Thank you.”