Coronavirus Information - Updated January 2023

Under current guidelines face to face counselling sessions are permitted.

Hopefully, this position will remain, but I will update this page as soon as is practical if Government or Professional Bodies guidelines change in the future.

As at the start of the lockdown in 2020, and in addition to in person sessions, I am still offering the following options:

1. Sessions online or via telephone. I have Zoom and Facetime for video calls and these have proved to be satisfactory as an alternative to face to face work for most clients. Sessions online or over the telephone can be at a frequency that suits each client.

2. A mixture of face to face work and sessions conducted online or on the telephone. This flexible approach to the work might be appropriate and can be discussed with each individual client if required.

If you think that any of the options above would be beneficial to you please do get in touch. If you would like more information, please do get in touch.

Even though the situation with Coronavirus is much improved, there still remains much uncertainty and anxiety in the world with, (perhaps), an increased need to be able to talk, share your concerns and perhaps find reassurance or a different perspective. If I can help, I will try.

A Bit About Me

I am an accredited member of BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and a counsellor member of COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) abiding by their professional and ethical codes of practice. Their standards and complaints procedures are available at www.bacp.co.uk and www.cosca.org.uk.

I am also a member of PCT, (Person Centred Therapy, Scotland) and gained accreditation to work with bereaved adults from CBCS (Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland) during my period of volunteering with them. I have been in Private Practice since 2010 and have past counselling experience within three Edinburgh based Counselling Agencies. I gained my Diploma in Counselling in 2009.

My counselling experience includes, (but is not limited to), the following issues:

Bereavement/Loss
Anxiety/Stress
Relationship difficulties
Sexuality/Identity
Low self esteem
Abuse
Depression
Work-related difficulties
AIDS/HIV
Lack/Loss of confidence

What Clients Say

“Emma is the first counsellor, who provided space where I have felt heard and actually managed to speak and untangle things. At the start of every session, I start muddled and I leave feeling uplifted and clear. I can’t thank Emma enough for this and the big difference our work has made to me” - (SC-P August 2019)

"Emma was kind enough to see me on a voluntary basis a number of years ago when I was going through a bad spell of depression. With her help I quickly pulled out of something that for me was quite scary at the time. This was achieved through Emma's informal, open and friendly style of counselling. She also has a great deal of empathy and understanding for what her clients are experiencing, something that translates into a genuine compassion and humanity.

It was these factors along with Emmas ability to communicate and interact with her clients that makes her very good and effective at what she does. More recently I have seen Emma about some minor personal issues I have been experiencing and feel the same way about her methods now as I did following our initial work together" - JG

"Emma enabled my first-ever experience of counselling to be a safe, yet open and non-judgemental place at a very emotional and confusing time following the sudden loss of my mum. A year or so later, I requested to see Emma again following a second immediate family bereavement, as I knew she would be the only person who could completely understand my situation and be able to help with the jigsaw of life. Whilst the counselling was a slow process, and not always an easy one, I am forever grateful." - AH

"I contacted Emma after a break up from a serious relationship had left me feeling very lost, low and anxious. I felt exhausted by my own mind, saddened by what life had thrown at me and I felt like I couldn't escape from destructive worrying about the future. Friends and family were of course supportive but I needed somewhere to work through what I was going through. One close friend suggested counselling to try and help me talk through my thoughts. I got in touch with Emma and although I was daunted at the prospect of speaking to a stranger about my life it never seemed strange or weird. Emma's approach was honest, friendly and professional. I felt more myself after our first session, my perspective started to change and I truly attribute my now positive outlook to the counselling I had with Emma." - SK

More comments from clients can be found on Contact

Emma Keir