Hello
My name is Rachel Mason
I am an integrative therapist based in stoke on Trent providing counselling one to one and online from my home. My philosophy is to be genuine and work authentically with every client that is in front of me meaning that I will not judge or pre-plan how to work with you, that will be decided based on the journey of the session. I am friendly, empathic and direct, as I work best with clear communication free from unnecessary complex dialogue which can be confusing and long winded when a clear response suffices. I will challenge your thinking and bring contradictions or blind spots to your awareness as the main focus of therapy is supporting you to see the full version of who you are and validate your own wants, needs and feelings without guilt, shame or vindication. My aim is to provide a safe space for your to feel secure in being vulnerable to overcome challenges. Define normal therapy aims to work collaboratively and explore how you work best within therapy, whether that is creatively or through psychoeducation, we will work together to find your emotional vocabulary with the intention of building up your resilience but more importantly your self esteem to live authentically and give yourself the voice you deserve to overcome your challenges. Therapy is not easy as it tends to be the only time that we are truly honest with ourselves and face the realities of how we truly feel.
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Contact me for a free initial meet to discuss your needs and decide if I'm the right therapist for you.
Neurodiversity
One of my specialisms is supporting people who are neurodiverse to embrace who they are an to support them and their families to live authentically. I believe that collaborative working is essential and i understand the lack of support available for people trying to navigate in a neurotypical world and want to work with anyone that requires support in empowering change and supporting self acceptance through a creative and adaptive manner. Being autistic myself and a mum of 2 autistic boys i understand some of the difficulties that we are faced with in our daily lives and i wanted to adapt my services to meet the needs of people on the spectrum that other services may not understand or be aware of. Have a look below at my story to understand my experience and how my passion and determination can help you on your journey to empowerment.
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My Story
Background- So.... I have always lived a life of labels such as "overly emotional", "Difficult" and "Overly sensitive" and until i became a mum i had carried those labels around with me like an unbearable weight that left me with low self esteem and doubting my own abilities and capabilities. When my boys were diagnosed at the age of 3 years as Autistic it dawned on me that the difficulties that they were experiencing were the difficulties and stereotypes that i had carried around for all those years. In 2023 I was diagnosed Autistic at the age of 36 years and since then have gained an understanding of myself, my difficulties but more importantly my amazing capabilities. I have learnt that my obsessions are my way of funnelling my passions, my black and white thinking allows me to be innovative and think outside the box and my emotional sensitivities allows me to be empathic and understanding to others. Just by working in a way that allows us to understand self we can all strive to accept and embrace who we are even if the outside world doesn't have the same perspective.
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Also being a mum of two young autistic boys i understand the daily battles to achieve the human rights, care and support for our children and the impact that has on us as parents or the wider family. It can be challenging, exhausting and leave us with a sense of guilt that has internal conflict between the emotions we feel as a parent and the difficult thoughts and feeling we have as a human being. I have also felt this conflict and the guilt i feel when i'm tired and want to give up but then reminded that i am the voice for my children, still doesnt stop the thoughts and guilt but i am here to tell you that it is ok to feel these feelings and having a space to air them without judgement is important. We all have feelings and thoughts that we think are wrong or go against what society tells us and that's why i am so passionate about equality and empowering acceptance in self. Whether that is disability, sexuality, gender, relationships or self identity, Everyone deserves to be happy with who they are and accept themselves even if others do not share your perspective.
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That's why i wanted to set up a service that allows people to feel safe to explore their circumstances or feelings in a space that is non judgmental and embraces who you are without the feelings of guilt, shame or criticism. Seeking support can be daunting when you are being asked to be honest with yourself and explore what is going on for you, but in time and through building trust we can open the door to empowering change and you can be the director of your own journey. Have a look through my website as i also have resources and blogs to offer some further support as well as a window into my own experiences that may give you confidence in my understanding of the difficulties that we can face in this world.
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So if you feel i am the right person to support you please feel free to contact me and see how i can support you or your family.