Helen Fairburn
Counsellor in York

About Counselling

Counselling offers you a safe space to talk about something that is on your mind or is a problem to you. If something is important to you or making you unhappy and interfering with your quality of life then it may be a good reason to seek the support of a counsellor.

I work in a person-centred, humanistic way. This means that I value you and your subjective experience, believing that you can and will bring about personal change if given the right conditions and support. These conditions include trust, honesty, non-judgement, to be heard and fully accepted.  I will provide you with a safe and supportive space where I will help you to explore and better understand what it is that you are feeling or experiencing, and help consider ways in which you may work towards finding the right solution for you.  I will not instruct you or tell you want to do, although I may offer suggestions or gentle challenge to help you gain a new or broader perspective on things. 

I will talk to you about the overall focus of your counselling in our first session. You will set the focal point and pace of each session, and together we will regularly review how things are progressing. Some people find that it is the process of talking things through, helping unravel and understand difficult thoughts and feelings, to be most therapeutic for them. Where this feels daunting or difficult we might consider more creative ways of working through things such as writing, doodling, metaphors or visualisation. Some people like to gain practical tools and techniques to use alongside and beyond counselling, such as developing strategies for managing anxiety and stress. There is no right or wrong approach, and I will support you to find the right balance for you.

You can end the counselling sessions at any point.  For example you may decide that you have got sufficient support, that counselling just isn't the right fit for you or that you are wanting to move into a different type of support.  This is something that we can consider together, respecting your choice of what is right for you.

Types of Sessions Offered


I offer in-person (where we will meet face to face) and remote (telephone or videocall) sessions. All three are helpful forms of accessing counselling. However, they do have some different benefits and will feel slightly different.  I can help you consider which approach may best suit you.

For in-person sessions, my therapy room is located at Tower Court in the Clifton Moor area of York, which has good transport links and free onsite car parking.