Psychotherapy offers a safe place to deal with concerns like:

Depression
Anxiety
Trauma and PTSD
Childhood abuse
Eating disorders and body image
Grief and loss
Relationship issues
Parenting / infertility
Life transitions and adjustment to change
Work and career
Self-esteem
Meaninglessness, direction and purpose
Cross-cultural issues
Spirituality and religion
Personal & professional development

Among other things clients can learn:

Assertiveness
Good communication
Personal boundaries
Emotional skill

Please note that you don't have to have been abused or neglected as a child to suffer from anxiety or depression, any of the other symptoms listed above, or even to have symptoms of trauma. Everyone has a 'right' to seek psychotherapy and be in therapy. We don't compare suffering. Everyone's suffering should be important to them and those around them.

Psychotherapy isn't about blaming or judging parents!

Most parents do the best they can with what they know, but they can only take their children as far as they have come in their own development. Even if the parents are otherwise loving and caring and not abusive at all, children can still develop some of the symptoms listed above if there was too much insecurity in their environment and if children had to take care of their own emotions too much of the time.

Insecurity in children's environment can result from parents' anxiety or stress because of financial or other life difficulties, health problems, relationship problems, instabilities, unresolved grief or trauma, mental health issues or anything else that parents haven't dealt with, or couldn't. Insecurity in children's environment can also result from parents' absence for whatever reason, parents' lack of ability or know-how to be emotionally available to the child (and there is a right and a wrong here!), parents' drinking or drug abuse, a personality disorder in one or two of the parents, having to provide emotional support to parent/s, having age-inappropriate responsibilities and other life circumstances that can cause a child to not have their normal emotional needs met enough of the time. When children's emotional needs are not met the right way at any age, they will feel scared and anxious even if they don't show it. Please remember that having needs does not make a child or a person 'needy'!

Our childhood environment determines the way our brains will be wired, so having problems is actually a physical thing. It isn't a sign of weakness and neither is seeking help. Psychotherapy is there to help us change the 'architecture' of our brain so that we can live a more fulfilling, anxiety-free, whole and peaceful life.

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News

2nd June 2017 — Avigail is now able to accept a small number of new clients

I can now begin to accept a small number of new clients. At this point however, the waiting time for a first appointment is still between 3 and 5 weeks. If you need to see a therapist and it’s urgent, please do not wait for me. It’s important to see someone sooner rather than later if it is urgent. All the best, Avigail

Published: 2017-06-02 08:56:05 +0100 | Modified: 2017-06-02 08:57:28 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

4th May 2017 — Avigail is away next week and the week after next

I will be away at a training conference in Newry in the north of Ireland from Sunday 7th of May to Saturday, 13th of May. I will not be able to receive or respond to emails during that time. I will also take a week break, starting Monday the 22nd through to and including Monday the 29th. I will be back at work on Tuesday the 30th of May.

Published: 2017-05-04 17:46:52 +0100 | Modified: 2017-05-04 17:46:52 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

29th March 2017 — Avigail is not accepting new clients at the moment due to heavy load.

Due to a heavy client load and a very busy diary, I will not be accepting new clients at least until mid June. I will review things again then and post an update here. Please keep an eye on this page for updates on when I am available for new clients again.

If you are looking for a therapist in the area try the BACP Find A Therapist online facility.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful just now, and I wish you all the best.

Avigail

Published: 2017-03-29 10:26:23 +0100 | Modified: 2017-05-04 17:41:14 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

28th November 2016 — Christmas & NY dates 2016-2017

My Christmas / New Year’s holiday this year will be from Monday, 19th December 2016 to Wednesday, 4th January 2017. I’ll be seeing clients again from Thursday, 5th January.

I wish everyone a very happy, safe and healthy holidays and see you in the new year!

(Please remember to drink in moderation, or better still, avoid alcohol altogether. Much better for you and your relationships! Trust a psychotherapist on that… Alcohol is a dangerous drug that can in the long term compromise your neuroplasticity, and therefore your potential for recovery and development. We should celebrate, have fun, and connect, not hurt ourselves or others.)

Published: 2016-11-28 18:43:10 +0100 | Modified: 2016-11-28 19:16:46 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

30th September 2016 — Avigail starts in Inverness again

From the 27th of October I will start seeing clients in Inverness on Thursdays. Once again I will be at ‘Therapy 1st’ counselling room, 1st floor, 1 Ardross Street, Inverness IV3 5NN.

It’s one floor up from OsteoCentra and across the road from the Cathedral. I will continue to work from my home counselling room on Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you’d like to make an appointment please contact me at: avigail@fullyhuman.co.uk or by phone: 07913 295 029

Published: 2016-09-30 16:05:38 +0100 | Modified: 2016-10-03 09:23:41 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

25th August 2016 — New student/trainee counsellor now available at the Low-Cost Clinic

Steve MacDonald is in his third year at the Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy at Inverness College UHI. He will be undertaking some of his placement work with Fully Human and is now available to see clients in Inverness. Steve’s work will be closely supervised.

Please visit the Low-cost clinic page for more information. Steve can be contacted by email or by phone at: 07930 440 257

Published: 2016-08-25 17:34:02 +0100 | Modified: 2016-08-25 17:44:33 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

18th August 2016 — Leave from Friday 2nd September to Sunday 11th September

I will be on leave from Friday 2nd September to Sunday 11th September. I will be back at work from Monday the 12th of September. There are still a couple of spots available for that week on Monday the 12th and on Wednesday the 14th.

Thanks and take care, Avigail

Published: 2016-08-18 10:56:33 +0100 | Modified: 2016-08-18 10:56:33 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

9th August 2016 — A New Version of My Paper on Grief & Adjustment to Change

A new version of my Grief & Adjustment to Change paper is now available in the ‘Resources‘ page. It includes a new section on ‘complicated grief’ at the end. Feel free to pass it on or use it for yourself. I hope you find it helpful and reassuring. Avigail.

Published: 2016-08-09 20:07:50 +0100 | Modified: 2016-08-11 09:42:42 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

27th July 2016 — New Workshop on Grief and Adjustment to Change in November in Inverness!

A New Workshop on Grief and Adjustment to Change in Inverness in November!

Over the years I have had consistent positive feedback on my Grief & Adjustment to Change paper so I thought it was time to build a workshop around it that could be useful to everyone.

The workshop will be in November at Inverness Leisure, Inverness.

It will run over two Saturdays (12th & 19th) from 10am to 3.30pm to give people a chance to think and process and then come back with comments, ideas and questions on the second day.

The workshop fee is £125 and it includes coffee, tea and lunch on both days and the workshop materials.

The workshop is limited to 24 places.

Feel free to download the workshop flyer and if you know someone who might benefit from a workshop on this topic feel free to pass it on. If you have any questions, please email me.

Looking forward to seeing you at the workshop,

Avigail

Published: 2016-07-27 08:26:07 +0100 | Modified: 2016-08-11 09:43:53 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

18th June 2016 — Taking a week off from Monday 20th June to Sunday 26th June.

Please note that I will be on leave during the week starting the 20th of June. I’ll be back at work on Monday the 27th of June.

Feel free to send me emails or leave phone messages but I might not be able to receive them or respond until I get back.

Currently I have limited appointment spaces from the week starting the 4th of July. Please note that from that week onward I will not be seeing clients on Thursdays (instead of Wednesdays)

Best wishes,

Avigail

Published: 2016-06-18 20:00:24 +0100 | Modified: 2016-06-18 20:00:24 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

25th April 2016 — Avigail is on leave from Monday 25/4 to Monday 2/5 inclusive

I will be off this week until and including Monday the 2nd of May.

I am currently booked out for the two weeks following my break, but still have a few places available the week starting the 16th of May. You are welcome to email me if you’d like to make an appointment.

Please be aware that I ask prospective clients to tell me their age and disclose any psychiatric diagnosis they might have had. All contact with me is confidential right from the initial enquiry. The reason for asking these questions is that I do not see people under 18, and there are certain psychiatric conditions I don’t work with. Please have a look through the website for more information.

Wishing you a great week,

Avigail

Published: 2016-04-25 11:48:26 +0100 | Modified: 2016-04-25 11:48:27 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page

27th January 2016 — Please Note: Change of location in Inverness

As of the start of April I will work exclusively from Kilmalieu Cottage, Croy, IV2 5PW and will not be seeing clients in Inverness.

Jill Henry who is doing her internship with me at the Low-Cost Clinic will continue for the time being to see clients in Inverness at ‘Therapy 1st’, First Floor, 1 Ardross Street Inverness IV3 5NN.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Avigail

Published: 2016-01-27 14:05:45 +0100 | Modified: 2016-04-25 11:53:07 +0100 | Permalink | Top of page