About Me

My Name is Nicola Collison

I am a qualified counsellor accredited by both the NCPS (National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society) and a Registered Member of the BACP (British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists). I have a Post Grad Diploma in Play Therapy (Leeds Beckett University) prior that I was a Primary School teacher for over 20 years.

Having moved to Devon 4 years ago I decided I needed a change from working as a primary school teacher to a more pastoral role as a counsellor and therapist working with young people and adults. Young people’s lives are so busy and full of pressures that they are having to deal with daily. The need for a safe space where they can be themselves and learn to understand feelings that arise has become ever more important.

No thought or feeling is ever too small or insignificant to explore and I'd like to invite anyone to come along and spend some time giving themselves space.

I have been working for the last three years with a charity called Tor Support based in Okehampton. We work alongside young people ranging from 5 to 25. During this time, I have worked with children and young people with a variety of needs. Amongst these are bereavement, anxiety, self-esteem, gender, trichotillomania, addictive tendencies, self-harm, eating difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, children with A.D.H.D. and autism.

 I work primarily in a person-centred way, but depending on how the person I am working with wants to progress, we can dip into different ways of working together either creative or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This will very much allow them to lead the session and me to be there to listen and explore together.

I also use aspects of Sand Tray therapy and other creative based therapy within my sessions so children, young people and adults can choose with my guidance, how they want to use the sessions