Hello and welcome!
I’m Rose and I help people with a wide range of issues, as well as specialising in sexual abuse, bereavement and parentification.
I’m a trauma-informed practitioner, experienced in working with PTSD. I welcome every client as a unique individual. I work online and by telephone.
I have often worked with anxiety, grief, depression, difficulties arising from childhood, low self-esteem and shame.
I can help you explore what you would like to talk about at your pace using a variety of counselling approaches to suit your needs, without judging.
Maybe you don’t know exactly what you want to talk about, but know you are struggling and are not sure why. Unpicking it together can be really helpful.
If you would like a free 20 minute phone call to discuss what you would like support with, or to book a session, please email me at: roseashleycounselling@protonmail.com
What brings you here today?
Click on the questions below to see how I could help you…
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Are you struggling with low mood or anxiety? Does everything feel too much or very dark?
Perhaps you have a history which you have never shared with anyone, but which impacts you now- your relationships, your confidence, your ability to trust or feel safe in the world.
I work with people who feel bottled up or confused. Sometimes they don’t know what has caused them to feel overwhelmed or anxious or low. Together we untangle what’s causing anxiety or low mood and consider how you would like your future to be. I will support you as you take those steps forward.
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I am so sorry you have gone through this. I have training and experience in working with survivors of sexual abuse. I am here for you and understand the many ways it can affect you, whether it was recent or a long time ago.
My priority is to create safety for you in our sessions. We can work on stabilising your nervous system, looking at what already helps you and increasing those tools. We will go slowly and gently.
You don’t need to talk to me about the abuse if you don’t want to. It is totally your choice. Maybe you would prefer to focus on how it’s affecting you. Some common areas people bring to counselling are trust issues, self-esteem, anger, grief, PTSD, anxiety and depression, relationship and intimacy issues.
Equally you may want to talk about what happened to you. If this is so, then when the time feels right, you are of course welcome to share whatever you wish and we can work on this.
Please get in touch if you think I may be able to help you.
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Losing a loved one can bring up many emotions and often feels lonely, confusing and frightening.
Grief is unique, and how it impacts you will depend on many things. Maybe you were expecting this loss, or maybe it was sudden. You may have been very close to the person, or your relationship with them may have been complex, broken or disappointing. You may be grieving the relationship you had or the one you longed for, the past and the future without them.
You may feel stuck in your grief or overwhelmed with how it hits you at different times.
Maybe you feel pressure from others not to show your grief or to grieve a certain way.
I am here to be beside you however this loss is affecting you. You are welcome just as you are and I hope you will experience acceptance and comfort.
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Maybe you had to manage practical tasks like shopping, caring for younger siblings, housework and paying bills. Or perhaps you found yourself being an emotional support for a parent or guardian.
Do you feel that you missed out on being a child, that you lost part of yourself along the way? Do you feel enmeshed with your family of origin and guilty if you try to have a more separate life? Are boundaries difficult for you?
As an adult you may find you wrestle with feeling that your needs don’t matter or that you are less than others. It may feel natural to care for others but challenging or impossible to look after yourself.
Some issues arising from parentification are people-pleasing, hypervigilance, feeling over responsible for others and being unable to relax.
People often struggle with feeling disloyal talking about their parents, but it doesn’t need to be about blame. After all, parents are human too and parentification is often a result of their own life struggles. We can approach with curiosity how you were affected and how you can move forward. Equally there is space for all feelings including anger, grief or sadness.
About me
I grew up in Wales and have lived in South Gloucestershire with my family for over 30 years. I enjoy walking, craft, music, films, church, time with family and friends, reading and chocolate!
Colleagues have described me as warm, professional and caring and clients have said they find me kind, safe and trustworthy- telling me things they have never shared with anyone else.
I have a sense of humour and when appropriate enjoy having some lighter moments amidst the seriousness of counselling.
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My background is in education, in a variety of teaching and pastoral roles. I’ve supported adults coming off psychotropic medication on the helpline for a Bristol charity.
I became a therapist because people have often opened up to me, saying I’m easy to talk to. I wanted to know how to help more, so I trained to become a qualified counsellor.
My student placements were at Listening Post in Stroud and Kinergy in Bristol. Listening Post is a Christian charity supporting clients with a wide variety of issues. Kinergy was a specialist charity working with survivors of sexual abuse.
I have worked with many different issues including anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, PTSD, co-dependency, agoraphobia, trust difficulties, relationship issues, bereavement and physical abuse.
After qualifying I became self employed and continued to work for Kinergy for a couple of years before setting up in private practice.
Recently I became the counsellor who supports the local leaders of “The Bereavement Journey” course.
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CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling 2020
University of Gloucestershire Certificate of Higher Education in Counselling 2012
CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies 2011
NCFN Level 2 Award in Helping Skills 2010
NOCN Level One Introduction to Counselling 2010
Counselling Tutor Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling 2020
Counselling Tutor Certificate in Trauma-Informed Practice 2023
I am a registered member of the BACP and ACC and I follow their Ethical Frameworks. I receive regular supervision of my work and enhance my professional knowledge through study and CPD training courses.
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Anxiety- Josh Fletcher
Relational trauma and disorganised attachment - Carolyn Spring
Neurodivergence in the Counselling Room - Kate Mendez
Working with Shame- Peter Watts
Mental Health and the Body- Carolyn Spring
Applying theories of Grief to Practice- John Wilson
Traumatic Loss and Grief-David Kessler
What to expect
I won't tell you what to do but aim to provide the conditions for you to explore at your own pace. You can share as much or as little as you wish.
Clients often tell me they find me calming and gentle and that my work with them has been very helpful.
I will regularly discuss with you how you feel therapy is going, revisiting what you want to get out of our sessions together.
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Counselling is an opportunity to reflect on your thoughts and feelings with a trained professional. It is different from talking to a friend or loved one because I provide a non-judgemental space and I don’t give advice but help you find your own answers. This can help you to develop a stronger sense of self, as you are respected and listened to attentively in the context of a safe and empathic therapeutic relationship.
If you have not experienced counselling before, you might wonder how to be in the session. If you can, try to be yourself!
The session is your time and space, for you to bring anything you would like to talk about. Some common areas to discuss might be: anxiety, low mood, grief, loss, trauma, relationship issues, shame or confidence.
You may want to discuss what is causing you difficulty or concern, where this comes from, how it impacts you and how to change things. You may prefer to talk or to work creatively and this again is your choice.
It can seem strange to have the focus on you and not know much about your therapist as this is different from other relationships. It may take a while to get used to and this is normal like any new experience.
Preparing yourself for counselling is important, so clearing a space around sessions rather than rushing there can help you get the most from counselling. Perhaps sitting for five minutes in the car or waiting room or having a quiet cuppa relaxing will help you adjust from normal life to your counselling session.
The week before you may want to spend some time thinking about what you want to share in the session. Some clients bring a notebook to remind them of what they want to talk about.
Others find it helpful to take notes during the session or afterwards, to journal their insights, thoughts and feelings to help process them.
You may want to think about what you will do after the session, e.g. have a walk or cup of tea rather than rushing straight back to work, childcare or other responsibilities. I would encourage you to find what works best for you, as everyone is different.
Please remember I am not here to “fix you” or tell you what to do. You know yourself better than I do. My aim is to understand how you see things, coming alongside you as you find your way forward.
Please feel free to ask about anything you wish to know more about.
Cost
My standard fee is £50 per hour.
I have concessionary rates for people on low incomes.
We can talk about this in our free 20 minute phone chat.
Privacy Agreement
Your privacy matters. If you’re working with me, or thinking about it, you have the right to know how your information is handled.
I’ve kept this as clear and jargon-free as possible, but if anything doesn’t make sense feel free to ask.
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As a counsellor, I want everyone who comes to me for support to feel comfortable and confident about how the information they share with me will be used and looked after. Therefore, I would like to reassure you that I adhere to the laws and procedures relating to UK Data protection laws including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of 2018.
General Data Protection Regulation Statement
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a privacy and data protection regulation in the European Union effective from May 25, 2018.
The GDPR imposes obligations on the control and processing of personal data and introduced new rights and protections for EU citizens.
As both a processor and controller of personal data, I am committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected, ensuring all personal data is handled in line with the principles outlined in the regulation that states:
Personal data shall be:
Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the client.
Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes.
Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed.
Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
Kept in a form which permits identification of clients for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed.
Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures. I respect my clients’ rights to data privacy and protection and have revised internal policies, procedures, working practices to meet the requirements of the GDPR.
In the unlikely event of a data breach, I will inform the Information Commissioner's Office, my professional bodies and yourself as soon as possible.
The next section explains how I collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in line with UK data protection laws (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).
Who I Am
Rose Ashley – providing therapeutic counselling.
ICO Registration Number: ZB708635
Contact: roseashleycounselling@protonmail.com
Information I will or may collect
Your name and contact details.
Information provided by you on your counselling contract form.
Information shared via email, texts, and phone conversations between us.
Brief session notes, anonymised and stored securely and away from your contact details.
Assessment and review responses.
Information such as your name, bank account number and sort code may be visible via my bank account if you are paying online. I do not have any control over how long banking records are kept. I have a separate bank account for work, and I ensure your personal details are not linked to any other personal or joint bank accounts I may hold.
Whilst I try as far as possible to ensure the security of any information sent to me digitally, I cannot guarantee its security during transmission and so transmission via a digital medium is at your own risk. It is recommended that you ensure any personal information sent either in an email or via an attachment is encrypted and/or password protected. If you choose to password protect a document, please send the attachment in one message and the password in a separate message.
Special Category Data
As part of providing counselling, I collect and process basic health-related information, which is classed as special category data under the UK GDPR.
My lawful basis for processing this data is:
Article 6(1)(b) – performance of a contract (providing a service).
Article 9(2)(h) – provision of health or social care.
This means I handle your sensitive personal information only to deliver therapy, and only in ways that are necessary and appropriate under UK law.
How I Collect It
Through emails, texts and phone conversations. I have a separate encrypted email for work and a separate work phone which is PIN protected.
During sessions (online/in-person).
Through feedback and assessment.
Why I Collect It (Lawful Bases)
To provide counselling.
To monitor outcomes.
To comply with legal/ethical obligations (legal obligation).
For tax records.
To fulfil insurance requirements.
To meet professional standards.
How I Keep It Safe
Paper notes: locked drawer.
Digital notes: encrypted OneDrive and password protected.
Laptop: password protected, anonymised notes temporarily stored.
Backups: password protected data on an external hard drive in a locked cupboard.
No audio/video recording without explicit consent.
Separate work mobile phone, PIN protected.
Sharing Your Data
I do not sell or share your data, which stays private except for the reasons described in our counselling contract.
In the unlikely event of me becoming seriously ill or of my death, I have a professional clinical will. This is now required by professional membership bodies. In this instance your contact details would be securely given to my supervisor who would contact you to offer you support if you wish this. My supervisor is bound by the same confidentiality as myself. Please ask if you have any questions about this.
Some of the tools I use (like Google, Microsoft, Squarespace and OneDrive) may use cookies and process data on servers outside the UK. These providers use legally approved safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to ensure your data is protected under UK data protection laws.
Retention & Deletion
Records are kept securely for 5 years post-service or as long as required by my insurance, then paper records are shredded, digital files are securely deleted.
Your Rights are to:
Access your data. I will respond to such a request within a month.
Correct/rectify inaccurate data.
Withdraw consent.
Request deletion (unless retention is legally required).
Object to processing.
Complain to the ICO.
Queries
If you have questions, please feel free to get in touch.
You can also contact the ICO at: www.ico.org.uk / 0303 123 1113
This Privacy Notice was last updated: October 2025