Melanie Collins, Counsellor and Psychotherapist

About Me

I am a BACP Accredited psychodynamic counsellor/psychotherapist helping adolescents and adults in my Potters Bar private practice.  Aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) may be introduced into sessions where appropriate.  I draw on twelve years experience of counselling and assessing in the charitable sector and on behalf of the NHS alongside private practice.  I have supported counselling trainees as a Personal Tutor and offer therapy to students of my profession as a requisite of their training.  I provide psychological therapy for Nuffield Heath and work for Employee Assistance Programmes. 

Previous career experience in an international Higher Education environment provided an experience of working with cross cultural issues and contributed to my understanding of those psychological and practical stresses, specific and non-specific to those living away from the land of their origin and the pressures associated with student experience.

My aim is to support those who seek to resolve their issues by greater self-knowledge, an eagerness to develop, change what can be changed, or learn to accept what can never change through an experience of professional insight, unconditional positive regard, and a trusting warm therapeutic relationship.

If you still have some questions or would like to talk through your needs before making any commitment, please do call me on 0778 955 4675 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Counselling Style

A rigorous five year training demanded on-going personal therapy throughout, which informs my understanding of how it feels to sit in the ‘other chair’.  More importantly, it leaves me totally without agenda – able to focus solely on what you bring, and your needs.   I neither set goals nor place any expectations on you.

You will find me an approachable and understanding robust therapist, able to hear whatever needs to be heard, and to manage painful feelings.  I strive to provide an honest, empathic and trustworthy environment where it feels possible to talk openly about personal issues without fear of judgement and with the assurance of total confidentiality.

Whilst silences present valuable space for the development of thought and psychological change, I understand a therapist who holds back can feel remote or persecutory.  My style is to engage with you in an empathic experience where silence is managed sensitively and productively. 

I treat respectfully the privilege of being entrusted with private thoughts and in return I resolve to deliver an experience of reliable, confidential, safe, ethical and informed professional counselling and psychotherapy.

If you still have some questions or would like to talk through your needs before making any commitment, please do call me on 0778 955 4675 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Counselling Journey

About psychodynamic counselling

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Counselling

The way we are able to manage emotions, feel about ourselves, react to situations or conduct ourselves in relationships depends to a great extent on our own past experience.  We can build up automatic emotional reactions or patterns of behaviour which belong to important early relationships or experiences as long ago as early childhood.  We can get stuck in these automatic responses and that can impact negatively on how we feel and behave.  Sometimes we bring a child’s response to an adult situation without realising it.

The impact of early experience may leave powerful memories – we may not recall those experienced as most painful or incomprehensible at the time, but they can remain powerful negative influences on how we feel about ourselves and others.

Psychodynamic counselling is a journey of self-knowledge where forgotten experience can be slowly and safely accessed, made sense of and managed with professional help towards realising potential change.

When we have a greater understanding of ourselves and how we became the person we are,  it opens up opportunities to reflect on whether we are happy with that, or whether we can think differently about making some subtle changes.  It is safe to explore what positive changes could be considered in the working relationship with a skilled counsellor. 

Personal knowledge can lead to taking back control of our situations and relationships, making positive change as far as is practical.  Acknowledging and mourning those relationships and missed opportunities which can never be retrieved is an equally valuable aspect of counselling and becomes possible within the dependable care of a well qualified and experienced counsellor.

Sometimes the opportunity for our needs to be spoken, heard and understood in a trusting relationship where you feel a connectedness with someone who places themselves in your shoes without judgement or personal agenda is healing in itself. 

Each therapeutic relationship is unique and may reflect both negative and positive feelings associated with previous relationships.  This is most helpful to the process and it is important to be honest and open about your feelings in the therapy room.

At the end of your counselling, I suggest plenty of time to work through a planned ending so as not to impose another unmourned loss.

Find out more about...

- the issues Counselling can help with

- the difference between Counselling and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

If you still have some questions or would like to talk through your needs before making any commitment, please do call me on 0778 955 4675 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What to expect in Therapy

FAQs

How long are sessions and how often will I attend?

Sessions are 50 minutes long and are usually once a week – wherever possible at the same time each week.  Sometimes meeting twice weekly can be beneficial and we discuss that if it feels appropriate.  We can also discuss Skype sessions if you are away from base for a while.

How can I rely on you not discussing me with anyone else?

Mutual trust is fundamental to our work together.  I work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Principles of Counselling & Psychotherapy and these can be found at www.BACP.co.uk Everything you tell me remains in total confidence, except in exceptional circumstances if –

• I consider either you or another person is at risk of harm
• I am required to divulge information by a Court of Law

In either of the above circumstances, where possible I aim to discuss the matter with you first.

What if you know someone I talk about, or we see each other outside of sessions?

I will make you aware if I think I recognise someone you talk about and I consider there could be a conflict of interest.  My professional code of confidentiality and personal therapy leave me able to set aside my own experience of mutual acquaintances so we can focus solely on your relationship with those you mention.   You can speak openly about anyone in the sessions, without fear of breach of confidentiality.

We will agree at the outset just how you would like to handle any chance meeting between us outside of counselling.

What if you think you can’t help me?

If either of us feel the service I offer is unsuitable for you, or your availability makes working together unachievable, I will give you the option of referral on to another professional individual or organisation.

How do I take it from here?

Please telephone me in the first instance on 0778 955 4675 to talk through your needs and we can arrange a mutually convenient time to meet.  There is no commitment on either side to take counselling beyond the initial meeting.  You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.