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I am a qualified counsellor based in Chafford Hundred, Thurrock, offering counselling for children, young people and adults both in person and online across the UK. I work with a range of presenting concerns and have a particular interest in nervous system regulation, helping clients understand their responses to stress, triggers and emotional overwhelm.
If you’re considering counselling, you’re probably going through a difficult or overwhelming time. Reaching out and talking honestly about what’s happening in your life can feel incredibly vulnerable.
I believe it’s important that you know a little about the person you’re trusting with those conversations. Therapy works best when you feel comfortable with the person sitting opposite you, so I want to share a little about who I am, what has shaped my journey, and the values that guide my work as a counsellor.
My name is Andrea and I am a counsellor based in Chafford Hundred, Thurrock, supporting clients both in-person and online across Essex and the UK..
I was born and raised in Essex and originally trained in the performing arts. At sixteen I began training as a dancer, singer and actress, which led to opportunities to work internationally in the entertainment industry. Later, I became a senior presenter on a shopping channel, a role I enjoyed for more than fifteen years.
Alongside this, my love of creativity led me to open my own theatre school. Around the same time, I got married and became a mother to two incredible children.
For many years life felt fulfilling and stable.
Then, within a short period of time, everything changed.
I experienced the loss of a much-wanted pregnancy through miscarriage, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had to rehome my dog, the channel I was working for closed down, and I discovered that my husband had been having an affair.
It felt as though my whole world had been turned upside down.
My divorce lasted five years and involved ongoing court proceedings around childcare arrangements and finances. It was an incredibly difficult time and one that affected every area of my life.
Looking back now, I understand that during that period my nervous system was constantly in survival mode. I was living in what I would now recognise as a state of “fight” always pushing through, always trying to hold everything together for my children and the people around me.
At the time I didn’t have the language or understanding for what was happening inside me.
Learning about how our nervous system responds to stress, trauma and emotional overwhelm was life changing.
I realised that healing isn’t about staying calm all the time or pretending things don’t affect you. Life will inevitably trigger us. What matters is learning how to recognise those moments, understand what’s happening within our bodies and emotions, and develop ways to regulate ourselves so we can respond differently.
That learning helped me make sense of my own experiences and changed how I approached every part of my life, as a parent, in relationships, and in how I care for myself.
It also led me to train as a counsellor.
My personal experiences mean I understand how heavy life can sometimes feel. When everything seems to be happening at once, it can be incredibly hard to know where to turn.
In our sessions together, you will find a calm, supportive and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly about what is going on for you.
I won’t offer quick fixes or unrealistic advice. Instead, I will listen, really listen, and work alongside you to explore what you are experiencing.
My approach to counselling is warm, collaborative and grounded in genuine human connection. Together we can make sense of what you are feeling, understand patterns that may be affecting you, and develop practical ways to support you when life becomes challenging.
Therapy is not about “fixing” you. It is about understanding yourself more deeply, building emotional resilience and finding ways to live your life with greater clarity and balance.
Integrity sits at the centre of my counselling practice, and I believe everyone deserves to feel heard, respected and supported when they reach out for help.
I have trained comprehensively so that clients receive not just the learnings from my personal experience, but also my extensive professional skills which will help them. I have the following qualifications which all lead to being able to offer you a comprehensive, holistic support service:
BA Honours (First-class) in Integrative Counselling
Access to counselling
Level 3 Child Psychology
Level 2 ESCB Safeguarding Training
Level 2 NCFE CACHE Understanding Domestic Abuse
Mental Wellbeing in Children and Young People Certificate
Accredited Breakup and Divorce Coach
Positive Psychology Coach
Introduction to Taking Therapy Outside
Certificate in Understanding Eating Disorders
Certificate in Working with Bereavement
Certificate in Working with Coaching and The Natural World
You can find happiness again and I can show you how, so let’s talk.
Love, Andrea
I offer counselling sessions from my therapy space in Chafford Hundred, Thurrock, providing a safe and private environment for clients.
I also provide:
If you are looking for a counsellor in Thurrock or Essex, I would be honoured to support you.
Taking the first step can feel difficult, but it can also be the beginning of meaningful change.
I am a qualified counsellor based in Chafford Hundred, Thurrock, offering counselling for children, young people and adults both in person and online across the UK. I work with a range of presenting concerns and have a particular interest in nervous system regulation, helping clients understand their responses to stress, triggers and emotional overwhelm.