Helen Cleverley

Firstly thank you for taking the time to read more about me, my practice and area of expertise. I am a caring, respectful professional therapist based near Cardiff in South Wales. Since 2018 I have volunteered and now work as a freelance counsellor for an agency specialising in supporting adults affected by sexual violence. I welcome clients from all walks of life and I offer the option of either short or long term therapy. I fully appreciate the immense distress caused by sexual violence and how it can alter your perception of the world, other people and yourself. The term sexual violence refers to a number of non-consensual acts including rape, childhood sexual abuse, sexual harrassment to name a few. It is a personal violation which can leave you feeling confused, lacking self esteem and confidence. In sessions we would work safely at your pace, striving to fully understand the impact of sexual violence on your life whilst developing new coping strategies. For some people the interpersonal trauma of sexual violence can lead to an increased risk of suffering some PTSD symptoms. In my work I have helped people address intrusive thoughts and images, flashbacks and nightmares. Avoiding situations and people who may trigger memories and feelings of the trauma is also a feature of PTSD. Whilst this often provides immediate short term relief avoidant behaviour can often sustain the trauma. Part of my role in the sessions will be to offer support whilst you learn how to work through the trauma rather than rely on avoidance as a coping strategy. Since the pandemic began I have delivered sessions exclusively via Zoom and by phone. I undertook additional training to ensure my sessions were highly effective and safe and became a professional member of ACTO. Offering counselling remotely has proven equally as effective as face to face sessions and I have recorded some pleasing outcomes for clients. When choosing a therapist It’s vitally important that you make an informed choice so I would like to take this opportunity to clarify what isn’t included in my counselling practice. I only work with adults so will not consider accepting clients under the age of 18. If you are struggling with disordered eating or substance addiction, addressing these behaviours must take priority for your safety and wellbeing. I would recommend that you seek specialist support in these areas before considering addressing your experiences of sexual violence.