Therapy & Supervision services in Plymouth

Compassionate counselling tailored to your needs

Compassionate counselling tailored to your needs

A Calm, Confidential Space
At Ancora Counselling, I offer a calm, supportive space where you can talk openly, make sense of what you’re experiencing and find your way forward.
The name Ancora means “anchor” in Italian. For me, it reflects something at the heart of counselling: having the opportunity to pause, find your bearings and reconnec
A Calm, Confidential Space
At Ancora Counselling, I offer a calm, supportive space where you can talk openly, make sense of what you’re experiencing and find your way forward.
The name Ancora means “anchor” in Italian. For me, it reflects something at the heart of counselling: having the opportunity to pause, find your bearings and reconnect with yourself when life feels unsettled.
With over 20 years’ counselling experience, I have worked with the NHS, Relate, universities, schools and private clients. I support people experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, relationship difficulties, burnout, bullying, health concerns and life transitions. They may also simply be feeling stuck, overwhelmed or caught in the same thoughts and patterns.
A Personalised Approach
I believe you are the expert in your own life. My approach is tailored to you, drawing on evidence-based therapies including Person-Centred Therapy, CBT, ACT, Solution-Focused Therapy and Transactional Analysis.
Where helpful, I may also incorporate mindfulness, relaxation and creative exploration. I am a trained Mindfulness teacher.
A Little About Me
I was born and raised in London and now live in the beautiful ocean city of Plymouth.
I lived for extended periods in Italy and Spain where I worked as a teacher, and also volunteered at a school in the Himalayas! Together with my family life and professional experience, this has given me a deep appreciation of the diverse ways people experience family, belonging, identity, culture and change.
I speak Italian and Spanish, although I practise counselling in English.
Outside of my private practice and NHS work supporting oncology patients and their families, I enjoy walking our cheeky rescue dog, cuddling the cats and some yoga meditation.
I also enjoy nature photography and being in the great outdoors. You can see some of my photos on Instagram using the link below.

Supervision for Counsellors
I offer clinical supervision to counsellors and therapists at all stages of their professional journey, including newly qualified practitioners developing their confidence and professional identity.
I see supervision as a space to pause, reflect and think deeply about your therapeutic work, while also supporting
Supervision for Counsellors
I offer clinical supervision to counsellors and therapists at all stages of their professional journey, including newly qualified practitioners developing their confidence and professional identity.
I see supervision as a space to pause, reflect and think deeply about your therapeutic work, while also supporting you to develop your confidence, professional judgement and practice. I particularly enjoy the mentoring aspect of supervision — helping practitioners find their own voice and grow into their professional identity.
My Approach
My supervision is relational and pluralistic, drawing flexibly on Person-Centred Therapy, CBT, ACT and Transactional Analysis. I also use the Seven-Eyed Model to explore the different dimensions of therapeutic work, including the client, the therapeutic relationship, the wider context and your experience as the practitioner.
I welcome exploration of ethical dilemmas, therapeutic challenges, emotional responses and questions around meaning, values and professional identity. Where helpful, we may also use creative or somatic approaches to open up different perspectives.
My aim is for supervision to be both reflective and practical — a place where you can bring uncertainty or difficult work without judgement, recognise what is going well, and leave with greater clarity about your next steps.
Experience
I bring over 20 years’ counselling experience across the NHS, Relate, universities, schools and private practice. I have established counselling services within educational settings, worked alongside Child Protection Teams and currently provide supervision to NHS staff working in oncology.
I hold an Advanced Diploma in Clinical Supervision and am a Registered and Accredited Member of BACP. I welcome supervisees from private practice, health, education and other organisational settings, offering supervision in Plymouth and online throughout the UK.
Interested in Supervision?
I offer a free, informal 30-minute conversation if you would like to explore whether my approach is right for you, with no obligation to continue.
What to Expect
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, and it’s natural to feel unsure at first.
Our first session is a chance to meet and get a sense of whether working together feels right for you. There is no pressure to share anything before you’re ready.
You may want to talk about what has brought you here, how things have been r
What to Expect
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, and it’s natural to feel unsure at first.
Our first session is a chance to meet and get a sense of whether working together feels right for you. There is no pressure to share anything before you’re ready.
You may want to talk about what has brought you here, how things have been recently, or what you hope to gain from counselling. I will listen, answer any questions you may have and help you understand what the process might look like.
There is no “right” way to begin — just bringing yourself is enough.
Sessions may be short-term or longer-term, depending on your needs. I offer confidential counselling in person in Plymouth, as well as online counselling across the UK, for adults, young people and couples.
Confidentiality
What you share in counselling is treated as confidential. There are some important limits, particularly where there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of someone else. We will discuss these boundaries at the beginning so that you understand how confidentiality works.
You are always free to decide whether counselling feels right for you and how many sessions you would like. Even one session can be a valuable first step.
I understand that reaching out can feel daunting. If you would like to explore whether we might be a good fit, I offer a free 30-minute initial conversation, with no obligation to continue.
If You Need Urgent Support
If you are in crisis, please contact NHS 111 or your GP.
You can also call the Samaritans freephone on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. If you are feeling suicidal, please tell someone and seek help.

When life feels difficult
Counselling can help when thoughts, feelings or experiences begin to feel overwhelming, repetitive or difficult to make sense of. You might be experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, trauma, health concerns or a period of change. Sometimes there is no clear reason — you simply know that
When life feels difficult
Counselling can help when thoughts, feelings or experiences begin to feel overwhelming, repetitive or difficult to make sense of. You might be experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, trauma, health concerns or a period of change. Sometimes there is no clear reason — you simply know that things don’t feel right.
Anxiety Counselling
If you are struggling with anxiety, you may feel constantly on edge, overwhelmed, or unable to relax. Together, we can explore what’s driving your anxiety and develop practical ways to manage it.
Counselling for Depression
Depression can feel like a heaviness that affects every part of life. Counselling can help you understand your low mood, regain motivation, and begin to reconnect with a sense of hope. If you feel you may be suffering from depression, please speak to your GP in the first instance. And if you feel worried about your mental health or that of a loved one or a friend, you can call the crisis line on NHS 111 (select the mental health option).
Grief & Bereavement Counselling
Grief is a deeply personal experience. Whether your loss is recent or from years ago, counselling can help you process your feelings and adjust at your own pace.
There is also a National Grief Helpline available through CRUSE: 0808 808 1677 www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Trauma Support
Traumatic experiences can have lasting emotional effects. I provide a safe space to gently explore these experiences and reduce their impact over time.
A feeling that something is not quite right...
Not everyone comes to counselling with a specific problem. They may simply feel that something isn’t quite right, or want to understand themselves more deeply and change old patterns that are no longer serving them well.. And sometimes feeling 'nothing' is a sign of burnout.
Avoiding and Managing Burnout - Psychology Associates
CRISIS SUPPORT
Livewell Southwest’s First Response Service is a 24/7 crisis line providing advice, support and signposting for people experience mental health difficulties.
Call the Samaritans freephone +44 116 123 www.samaritans.org If you’re feeling suicidal please tell someone and get help. There is always someone at the end of the phone.
PAPYRUS operates HOPELINEUK, a suicide prevention helpline staffed by professionals trained in ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). www.papyrus-org.uk
HOPELINEUK
The helpline is available for anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking of suicide.
Call 0800 068 4141
Text 07786 209 697
The following NHS link contains important guidelines www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide

Couples & Relationship Counselling
Relationships can change over time, and periods of conflict, disconnection or uncertainty can leave both people feeling stuck. Couples counselling provides an opportunity to slow things down and understand what is happening within the relationship.
I can support couples who are experiencing communication d
Couples & Relationship Counselling
Relationships can change over time, and periods of conflict, disconnection or uncertainty can leave both people feeling stuck. Couples counselling provides an opportunity to slow things down and understand what is happening within the relationship.
I can support couples who are experiencing communication difficulties, recurring conflict, loss of connection, the impact of life changes, or uncertainty about the future.
The aim is to help you understand each other more clearly, explore patterns within the relationship and consider what you both need. This may include working towards rebuilding the relationship, finding a different way of relating, or gaining greater clarity about the way forward.
Couples counselling can help partners break free of harmful cycles like the 'Drama Triangle' of victim, rescuer, and persecutor, or bring healthier ways of communication to replace what Gottman highlighted as four destructive elements that can sabotage relationships: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. Couple's can overcome these toxic patterns when they bring a desire for healthier communication, safety, and emotional connection.
"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
-Carl Jung

Counselling Children & Young People
I have extensive experience working with Children and young people who can experience difficulties that they may not yet have the words or confidence to express. Counselling can provide an opportunity to explore feelings, worries and experiences in a way that feels appropriate to their age and stage of d
Counselling Children & Young People
I have extensive experience working with Children and young people who can experience difficulties that they may not yet have the words or confidence to express. Counselling can provide an opportunity to explore feelings, worries and experiences in a way that feels appropriate to their age and stage of development.
I work with children and young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, friendship or relationship difficulties, bullying, family changes, loss, school pressures and other challenges.
My approach is adapted to each young person in an age appropriate way - and may include talking, creative activities - including drawing and using little objects to represent themes as a way of helping them express and understand what they are experiencing.
Story work can be a very powerful way offer children a safe, indirect way to process big emotions by projecting their inner experiences onto characters and magical landscapes.
As a counsellor, I find the creative expressive approach with some clients helps to bypass defence mechanisms making it easier to untangle complex trauma, grief, or anxiety without feeling overwhelmed or exposed.
I always aim to work collaboratively with young people, whilst recognising the important role parents and carers may have in supporting them.
"A Thing which seems very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it."
- Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne

Plymouth United Kingdom