Emma Norman
Counsellor & Psychotherapist in Edinburgh
I am a counsellor trained in person-centred and psychodynamic therapy. I work one to one with adults aged 18 and over. In-person appointments take place at The Next Chapter in the West End of Edinburgh, and online video sessions take place via Zoom for adults based anywhere within the UK.
Contact me below, or at encounselling@outlook.com.
About Me
My pronouns are she/her. I have lived in Scotland for around ten years after moving from Australia, and have studied and worked in a range of fields before beginning my career as a therapist.
I embrace working with people of all identities, backgrounds and life situations, and have an interest in stories of migration and intergenerational trauma. I am passionate about helping my clients to understand and build healthy, loving relationships with themselves.
My experience includes working with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, overeating and body image, gender identity, trauma, substance abuse, relationships, and life transitions (e.g. navigating university, new or changing relationships, migrant experiences, and life stages).
I gained my Masters in counselling and psychotherapy from the University of Edinburgh, and am qualified in the person-centred and psychodyamic schools of therapy. I have a certification in online and telephone counselling. I am a Practitioner Member of COSCA (Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland) and adhere to the relevant Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice. Anyone wishing to make a complaint relating to my practice should follow the COSCA Complaints Procedure.
Sessions
I offer one to one counselling for adults at The Next Chapter in the West End, and online sessions via Zoom. Sessions last 50 minutes and usually take place at the same time each week.
My standard session fee is £60 and I accept bank transfer, cash and credit/debit cards. I offer low cost sessions via The Next Chapter's reduced fee service (funded by the Moston Care Foundation), which operates a waiting list. Contact The Next Chapter for more information.
I offer short term and long term counselling, depending on your circumstances. You might be looking for a set number of sessions to work through a particular issue that's been on your mind, or perhaps you are interested in a longer term experience to explore and understand yourself better, or prefer not to feel time limited.
Whether you have had counselling before or are considering it for the first time, I offer a free 20 minute video or phone consultation. We can use this opportunity to talk about what brings you to counselling and what you might be looking for, in order to help you decide if you would like to begin weekly therapy with me.
My Approach
I am trained in psychodynamic and person-centred therapy. Both of these approaches value the therapy relationship as a space which facilitates healing and new understanding of the self.
My way of working is grounded in the person-centred ethos of acceptance, congruence (genuineness) and empathy within the therapeutic relationship. I find that much of my work lies in being with clients as they explore who they are, engage with their self-concept, and build self-expression and self-esteem - processes emphasised within the person-centred approach.
My approach also draws on psychodynamic therapy, which focuses on growing our self-awareness and understanding of the unconscious past. In our work, we remain open to how this unconscious past is shaping our experience of the present.
What does this look like in practice? Your session is a space for you to talk about whatever feels important to you, at your own pace. I don't direct what we talk about or try to "fix" you. I aim to listen without judgement or expectations and to help you reflect on your experience. I hope to create an environment which feels gentle, warm and safe.
I work in a non-pathologising way, which means that I do not impose a diagnosis on you and your experiences. Instead, I am here to listen and reflect on what you share of your own unique story. However, clients may bring labels or diagnoses into the therapy space, and I welcome the exploration of language as part of your journey to understand yourself in a way that feels authentic and holistic.
Contact Me
As of April 2023, I have some video spaces available on week day mornings and afternoons for new clients - please feel free to get in touch if this fits what you are looking for. I currently have no in-person spaces available for new clients.