Time for A Change
Welcome — I’m Rebecca Noorian, a psychodynamic counsellor and therapist based in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
Starting therapy is a brave step. It takes courage to reach out — and I’m here to support you.
Counselling offers a space to be truly heard, perhaps for the first time. When someone listens without judgement, it can help you speak openly about what matters most — and begin to ease the weight you’ve been carrying.
There are many different reasons people come for counselling or therapy – grief, loss, repeating patterns in relationships, depression, childhood wounds, trauma, addiction, anxiety, feelings of self-doubt, fear, shame, feeling lost, unfulfilled, disconnected, confused, frustrated or perhaps a general sense that something isn’t quite right. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need a place to begin.
Together, we can explore what you’re facing and help you find clarity, confidence and a renewed sense of direction.
It’s a time to focus on you, to think about your needs and what you want from life.
GET IN TOUCH FOR A FREE INITIAL CALL
How Counselling or Therapy Can Help
Counselling and therapy can support you in making meaningful changes in many aspects of your life and help you reach a better understanding of yourself. Over time, difficult, confusing and painful emotions and feelings can be expressed, felt and worked through together.
Counselling and therapy can also help you find clarity in making difficult decisions, improve the quality of your relationship with yourself and your relationships with others.
You and Your Counsellor or Therapist
Research consistently shows that the strongest predictor of successful therapy is the quality of the relationship between client and therapist. I take that seriously and my intention is always to show up with care, curiosity and integrity, always aiming to offer the best of myself in our work together.
Trust and understanding are not expected instantly and I think they form gradually through the therapeutic relationship.
I genuinely enjoy what I do and I value openness and honesty. If something doesn’t feel right then I really welcome and encourage that to be talked about that in the therapy space.
Therapy can be most effective when it feels like a place where even the difficult feelings can be talked about.
Counselling or Therapy
The terms counselling and therapy can be used interchangeably, however counselling can also be considered as shorter term work where the focus is on one or two specific issues that you are struggling with now. Therapy can be understood as longer term work that involves a more in depth exploration of yourself and the issues you are bringing. I am able to work in either way you choose and your decision of what you need might also change along the way.
About Me
I’m Rebecca and I am a psychodynamic counsellor and therapist based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. I am warm, compassionate and committed to my work. I specialise in supporting adults who feel stuck, unseen or disconnected, whether that’s due to anxiety, self doubt, loss, depression, repeating relationship patterns or carrying the weight of childhood wounds.
My role is to offer you a supportive space to help you make sense of your experience and to help you find a way forward. I will use my specialist skills to help you move towards a place where change feels possible.
I strongly believe in the benefit of counselling for many of life’s challenges and I will be alongside you, working together, so you know you are not alone in whatever brings you to counselling or therapy.
“We don’t solve our problems; we grow bigger than them.” (a quote often attributed to Jung)
I believe with the space, time and the insight I will offer you, issues can be worked through, helping you grow in self-awareness and resilience. It’s about working together, having someone with you so you don’t feel you are carrying this all alone. This is a powerful tool of counselling and therapy.
Working from a psychodynamic lens I believe our present feelings, emotions and thinking are influenced by our early relationships with our parents or carers and from our childhood experiences. These experiences shape the way we are as adults. I will reflect and think about your past experiences, together with your presenting issues, with the aim of helping you make better sense of your life and the situation you are struggling with. The pace of how we work is directed by you.
My approach is not about quick fix solutions, or 5 steps to a happier life.
Where I work and when I work
I offer counselling from my therapy room in St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 as well as the surrounding areas including Harpenden, Radlett, Park Street, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Watford and Welwyn Garden City. I also work online with clients across the UK.
There is free car park at the front of the building and also free street parking very nearby. My working hours are Monday to Friday and I offer morning, afternoon and evening sessions.
What else I do
In addition to my private practice I work part time as a clinical manager at The Counselling Foundation in St Albans where I support students with their clinical work. I also provide short term counselling to police officers and police staff. Prior to this I provided counselling for the NHS and a number of organisations supporting people facing bereavement and domestic abuse.
I worked for many years in the public sector in London before deciding to train as a psychodynamic counsellor. As well as my professional expertise my life experiences have given me a grounded and real world approach to the work I do.
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Degree in Psychology – Plymouth University
- Advanced Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling -The Counselling Foundation, St Albans
- Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling – The Counselling Foundation, St Albans
- Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling – The Counselling Foundation, St Albans
- Foundation Certificate in Analytical Psychology – Association of Jungian Analysts (AJA)
I am a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy). I work in accordance with their Code of Ethics and Standards of Good Practice. I have enhanced DBS clearance and professional indemnity insurance. I am committed to my continuing professional development as a psychodynamic counsellor and therapist, regularly attending training seminars to ensure my knowledge and practice continues to grow and develop.
Issues I work with
Common issues I work with
- Depression
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Repeating patterns in relationships
- Childhood wounds from early relationships
- Mid-life crisis
- Burnout & Stress
- Self- esteem & inner critic issues
- Life transitions
- Traumatic experiences
- Coping with bereavement
- Issues linked with neurodiversity
- Addiction
- Self-Harm
- Childless not by choice
- Self-fulfilment and personal development
And more…
Anxiety and Depression
I see anxiety and depression as issues that need to be thought about rather than fought against. The symptoms can be communication from our unconscious trying to tell us something that we haven’t yet understood. Anxiety and depression can be debilitating and frightening so we would always work at a pace that is right for you.
Childhood Wounds
I can help you begin to heal wounds from early childhood so they are nor directing your life. Childhood wounds influence many aspects of our lives, the critical self talk, judgements we make of ourselves and of others, the relationship we choose or don’t choose and many more. Often as children we suppress some of our feelings and emotions in order to survive the environment and because we need to keep our parent/s close. This could be our anger which we need to protect us or even feelings of warmth or affection for others. We often lose connection and contact with our true self. I can help you rediscover parts of you that you might have lost contact with so you can be more authentically you.
Repeating relationship patterns
Perhaps you keep repeating old emotional patterns of relating which can leave you feeling frustrated and stuck. Maybe you are in a position where you feel you are giving so much to others but not getting much in return which can leave you feeling drained, exhausted, resentful and empty. Often these patterns are rooted in our earliest relationships. I can help you make sense of these patterns and together we can work out a way to make the changes you want so your relationships are much more satisfying, fulfilling and balanced.
Personal Development and Growth
I believe counselling and therapy is a valuable space for personal growth and development. It can be a chance to explore your identity, values and goals, helping you create and build a foundation for a more balanced and meaningful life. It gives you the time and space to reconnect with parts of you that you perhaps had forgotten or even undiscovered parts of your personality. It can be a time to figure out what is really important to you, about how you want to live your life regardless of the expectations of others. I can also help you find the confidence to make the changes you want.
Cultural Sensitivity
I very much welcome clients from all religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and work with sensitivity and respect for difference. I am especially experienced in supporting people who grew up with diverse or conflicting cultural values. I’m experienced in helping clients explore their identity, sense of belonging, issues of generational expectations and the complexities of navigating multiple cultural influences.
Neurodiversity
I have experience working with neurodiversity and I recognise how this can shape each client’s sense of self and ways of relating to others. I think there is a deep emotional impact of growing up neuro-divergent in a world that might not have understand you or validated your experiences. I can offer you a space where those messages can be explored and healed, helping you to feel accepted and safe for being you.
Dreams
I have a particular interest in dreams. I do believe dreams carry important messages from our unconscious, always helping us and guiding us forward. Sometimes dreams can feel bizarre or even scary. I am very happy to discuss any dreams you may wish to bring.
Getting Started
Contact me to arrange and initial call
This will also be an opportunity for you to tell me a bit about you and why you are seeking therapy now, to find out more about how I work and ask me any questions you may have. I am very happy to do this either in person, online or the telephone.
If you decide that you would like to work together, we can agree a mutually suitable time and day to meet on a weekly basis. My fee is £65 per 50 minute session.
Depending on your needs I can also offer twice weekly sessions.
I reserve two spaces for those on a lower income where I can offer a reduced fee. Please contact me to find out more about this.
How to get in touch
- Please either use the form below
- or email me at rebecca@rebeccanooriantherapy.co.uk
- or call me on 07934 138569. Please leave a message if I am unable to answer
I will always aim to respond to your message within 24 hours
Psychodynamic Counselling in St Albans