Alison Gallacher

I offer either face-to-face or online counselling. 

I can welcome you for face-to-face counselling to my room at Spiersbridge House in the southside of Glasgow or at Jacobean House in The Village in East Kilbride. 

I have a wide range of experience of helping clients with issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, loss and bereavement and relationship issues.  I can help you to look at some of the reasons for negative thinking patterns or addictive behaviours.  I believe that self-care is crucial to our mental health and will help you to prioritise this for yourself.  My clients tell me that they feel listened to and have been helped to make positive steps to deal with some of the difficulties they are facing. 

People come to counselling because something has happened to them or some strategy has stopped working.  I know that it takes a lot of courage to take the first step to come to counselling.  I provide a safe and confidential space for you to talk, whether you are an individual, a couple or a family.  I would aim to support you through the counselling process at a pace that would help you. 

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Alison Gallacher

Counselling

What is Counselling?

I know there are times in life when things can get too much.  Stress at work, relationship break-up, grief, loss and trauma are things that we can all experience at times.  This can leave us feeling anxious, overwhelmed or isolated. 

Counselling is a “talking therapy” that can be a real support and benefit at these times.  As an experienced counsellor, I aim to provide you with a safe space in which you can explore your thoughts and feelings about the issues you are trying to deal with. 

I provide a confidential and non-judgemental environment to help you gain more understanding of the difficulties and stresses you may be facing and to help you to develop strategies for dealing with these issues. 

However, it’s not a counsellor's job to tell you what to do.  Rather, we will work together to help you bring change and achieve a positive outcome. 

What happens in a session with a counsellor?

The first session is an assessment session where we can discuss what has brought you to counselling.  This will help me to assess the most appropriate approach to use in later sessions. 

We will agree a contract to establish the boundaries of our working relationship and to ensure that you are clear about what you can expect from counselling. 

Beyond that, I will be led by you to determine the pace of each session and to consider the issues you want to deal with first. 

Online Counselling

What is Online Counselling?

Online counselling provides an opportunity to explore a personal difficulty in a confidential and supportive environment.  This may include expressing feelings that are painful, and which many of us experience at certain times in our lives.  When this happens, it can be difficult to stay positive and cope with everyday life.  Online counselling gives you the opportunity to access counselling support at a time and in a place which is convenient to you. 

Benefits and Challenges

Some things you may enjoy about therapy online are:

  • You can create a comfortable and private space in your own home from which to attend therapy.
  • You may find it easy to talk, focus and express yourself.
  • You may enjoy wearing comfortable clothes, bringing a cup of tea and avoiding a commute after a therapy session.
  • We may be able to be more flexible about scheduling.
  • We will be able to continue our work together despite the pandemic.
  • Research shows that online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy.

Some of the challenges we may face could be to do with internet connection.  I will share some instructions to help get you set up. 

Another challenge could be that we do not see the whole of each other.  I will explain how we can set up our devices for eye contact, but our cameras generally limit the view to the top half of our bodies.  We will have to use more verbal explanations as a result. 

It may be quite a demanding experience, especially for those using computer screens in everyday life now.  We may spend some time building resources and developing a self-care plan to support you. 

Please contact me to discuss arrangements for this. 

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About Me

I am an experienced Counsellor and Psychotherapist and a fully accredited member of COSCA.  I work within their ethical framework and adhere to their complaints procedure

Your counselling sessions put you at the centre of your counselling and I will use the approach that helps you the most.  This involves listening to you and helping you process how you are feeling ("Person-Centred"); working through your thoughts, behaviours and emotions ("Cognitive Behaviour Therapy" or CBT) or looking at how events of the past are affecting you now ("Psychodynamic").  During our first session we will decide together which approach will work best for you. 

Training and Qualifications

I have a:

  • Diploma in Integrative Counselling
  • Certificate in Couples Counselling
  • COSCA Counselling Supervision Certificate
  • Master‘s Degree in Psychology and Education (University of Glasgow)

I undertake regular, continuous professional learning to keep my skills up to date.  Recently, these have included:

  • Online and Telephone Counselling
  • Counselling Couples and Families: A Person-Centred Approach
  • Working with Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
  • Assessment of Suicide and its prevention

I am registered under the Disclosure Scotland PVG scheme (Protection of Vulnerable Groups). 

Experience

I have a wide range of experience working with individuals and couples in a variety of settings.  Currently most of my work is within my own private practice in Glasgow but I have also worked within various counselling agencies and currently work as a counsellor within the Scottish Prison Service.  I have experience of working with EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) clients. 

Fees

Individual

£60 per
hourly session. 

Couples & Families

Couples Counselling is £75 per hour, 
or £95 per hour and a half. 

Family Counselling:  Please contact me for details. 

Supervision

Please contact me for details. 

Contact me

Please get in touch by completing the form if you would like more details or to arrange an appointment at my offices in the south side of Glasgow or East Kilbride. 

Or, you can phone me on 07724 289793. 

I aim to reply within one working day. 

Please note that I will never share your contact details with anyone else.  I will only use these details to reply to your enquiry.  I will not keep your contact details if you do not proceed with counselling.