Serenity Miles
BSc (Hons) Psy, Dip. Couns. MBCAP
Welcome! I am a fully qualified counsellor and psychotherapist, with a HE L5 professional qualification carrying the BACP's Gold Star Accreditation awarded by the University of Plymouth. I hold an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Reading. I am also fully trained and qualified to offer online and remote therapy. I am a full registered member of the BACP, the professional standards body, and subscribe to their ethics and standards in my work. For more information on the BACP, please click here.
My Work
The core of my work is providing a safe space, empathy, compassion and understanding. My support is unconditional, and I do not judge. I work with clients from all walks of life, with different life experiences and different lifestyles.
While I trained as a Person-Centred counsellor, I firmly believe in adapting my approach to my individual clients needs, rather than asking them to adapt to me. The majority of my work is talking therapy, but I do also integrate other methods and approaches where I feel it will benefit my clients. These can be structured activities, art or creative therapies, or even the use of objects, drawing on work and theories as diverse as Freud, Gestalt and Pavlov.
Although I am a general counsellor, with a broad base of experience, I work extensively with childhood trauma and the long-term affects trauma or abuse can have into adulthood, such as anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
About Me
I came to counselling quite late, after many years suffering with a long-term health condition, so the impact of prolonged or serious illness is something I can personally deeply empathise with. During this time I found it really important to be able to express my feelings creatively, through writing, art and a variety of crafts. Many of these learned skills I am able to bring to my counselling, helping others to express difficult or repressed emotions in creative ways.
I am an animal lover and, having rescued many animals over the years, including feral cats, elderly strays and ex-battery hens, I understand only too well the grief and loss of losing a beloved pet.