Welcome to Lighthouse Therapy Group

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A beacon of hope during dark times...

Life is not easy, at times it is extremely hard and it is at these times that we often find ourselves alone with nowhere to turn. We strongly believe that every individual regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality or social standing should be offered every opportunity to explore their true being.

We are a passionate, private counselling practise committed to offering high quality therapeutic counselling to the people of Sunderland, Washington and the surrounding areas.

We have a dedicated team of counsellors with a diverse area of experience, ranging from Anxiety, Depression, Abuse, Domestic Violence, Historical Childhood Abuse, Grief, Bereavement, Cancer and Anticipatory Grief. We also offer dedicated support for our Armed Forces Veterans and their families.

All our counsellors follow a humanistic approach which means that we all believe that you Have within yourself the resources and the capacity to grow and overcome your issues if you’re provided with the correct environment. We aim to provide you with a safe and non-judgemental environment based around trust and mutual respect where together we can explore whatever issues brings you to counselling.

All our counsellors adopt an integrative style of counselling as we recognise that each person is a unique individual and not everyone would fit into a one style of therapy. We do this by creating a unique and individual style of therapy for each and every individual.

Our Services

All our sessions are carried out in a safe, non-judgemental and confidential environment in our counselling room at the North East Business and Innovation Centre just on the bank of Sunderland’s River Wear. Our counselling room is of a high standard offering space, tranquillity, peace and comfort. To ensure you receive the highest of standards you will be offered tea, coffee or other refreshments to ensure you are made to feel at ease ready for the process of growth to start.

We tailor make all our services to the individual needs of each and every client placing them at the very centre of the therapeutic process and giving them autonomy over their journey. We offer a vast range of services and if there is any specific service you require then we can work together to make it happen.

Individual Therapy

Within individual therapy we will work together to explore whatever it is that brings you to counselling. We will create a unique relationship based around trust and respect, where everything that is discussed between us will be regarded as confidential. You will be offered the opportunity to direct your therapy in whichever direction you choose allowing you to explore your feelings in your own time and when you are ready we will arrive at the very core of your concerns. Individual therapy is usually face to face but we do also offer online counselling for people who may find coming to a counselling room too difficult.

Employee Assistance Programmes

Results from the Thriving at Work Report by Stevenson and Farmer tell us that poor mental health at work costs UK employers between £33 and £42 billion per year. Stevenson and Farmer report that it is their vision that within the next 10 years there will be significant change and improvement within this sector.

Here at Lighthouse Therapy Group we offer unique and bespoke mental health and wellbeing packages for all companies regardless of size. We offer your employees one on one counselling and we also offer tailor made mental health workshops to help increase awareness of their own mental wellbeing.

Couples Therapy

No matter how much we love our partner we can still find our relationships difficult and at times they become strained. This does not necessarily mean we don’t love each other anymore it is just evidence that we are still individuals within the relationship and that we are all constantly changing. Within couples’ therapy we will all work together in an environment of trust where we will truly listen without judgement and try to view the relationship from each other’s eyes in order to gain greater understanding and appreciation of the relationship dynamics. Couples therapy can be extremely useful in helping people in a relationship come back together and reconnect but sometimes this is not the case, sometimes the relationship may have just run its course and it is best for both parties to go their own ways. Couples therapy also helps during these circumstances as it will help both individuals come to terms with the ending of the relationship and it will help to support an amicable separation.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is an incredibly useful activity where we can evaluate ourselves and our issues through the eyes of like minded individuals. Through the support of a group we can make encouraging discoveries such as; others have similar concerns, we’re not alone in our despair and there is help and support out there. Another great benefit of group counselling is that it allows us to gain a greater understanding of our interpersonal skills and how we relate to other people.

Each group will be setup for different and specific issues such as; Anxiety, Depression, Bereavement & Grief, Cancer, Anticipatory Grief, Hopelessness and Isolation. You may find that attending a group for a specific issue results in the emergence of other issues and as a group we will adapt and work around whatever is presented to the group.

Meet the Team

We're a small team of dedicated, friendly counsellors. This is us...

Mark

Founder & Head Counsellor

I’m an Armed Forces Veteran with a burning desire to change peoples opinions around Mental Health issues. I formed Lighthouse Therapy Group in order to create an environment where people feel safe to openly discuss any deep rooted life concerns which are causing them difficulties in their everyday lives. I regard myself as an existentially informed counsellor which is a philosophical perspective on life and in particular, the meaning of life. Together within the therapeutic relationship we can explore how you make sense of the world that you find yourself in and how you can grow and develop within it. I place great emphasis on meeting each and every individual client at relational depth where I can gain a deep empathic understanding of the world from their eyes in order to better facilitate personal growth.

Ashdon

Counsellor

Human nature has a resilience that never ceases to amaze me, people are able to heal and learn to understand their process. Emotional distress can come as a result of many factors, the list is endless, what one person may find difficult will be different for the next but what can be said is that it is undeniable that at some point we will all experience emotional distress. It is how someone handles that difficulty that will impact their mental health. It is important for a person in distress to understand their emotions and experience them. Denying them can only come at the cost of your mental health but by confronting these emotions you will be allowing the recovery process to begin. my approach is to create a safe environment for clients to explore whatever content they bring to each session, I work only with the material that my clients feel important. On occasion if I feel it will be beneficial to the client I will use a slightly more directive approach and challenge the client with subjects they may be struggling with. Ultimately my goal is to ensure the client is able to leave counselling with the tools they need to deal with their emotional distress. So please feel free to approach me for an initial consultation with the aim for you to meet me in person and see if the fit is right for you. Don’t hold back and miss out on a lighter life.

Councellor for the lighthouse therapy group in Sunderland

Lisa

Counsellor

Life is challenging, enlightening and yet we can’t hide that it has dark times. It is through experiencing we learn ourselves. We open to our vulnerabilities, although allowing to shine through positive encounters.

You are the expert of yourself, how you feel and your emotions, I wish to facilitate and support to find your pathway, listen to your inner voice and speak of your true self potentials you are holding within.

To ask for support can feel overwhelming, however through my empathic compassion, commitment, we can overcome together. I counsel with an integrative person-centred approach. The time is yours to discuss and explore what you wish to bring with upmost confidentiality.

I work with complex issues and mental health problems. If you find yourself struggling from anxiety, depression, abuse or an event which is causing discomfort. Come for a consultation and we can discuss options and start your journey together.

When life creates challenges, this is when we learn.

Vicky

Counsellor

I feel that every individual deserves to be heard. At times we may call out for support, at other times we may only whisper yet regardless of how loudly we can use our voice, my priority is to listen closely and hear what is being said.

I have come to appreciate that it is necessary to nurture our mental health in order to maintain wellbeing and aim to build a therapeutic relationship based on trust and compassion in a relaxed, warm setting with total confidence. I believe we all have the ability to grow and change the way we feel when we are understood.

I offer a person-centred approach to counselling which focuses entirely on your individual needs and enables you to find your own way forward at your pace. I don’t pretend to have all of the answers or make promises to resolve every issue easily but I am passionate about finding common ground where we can both meet as equals.

Counselling is a unique relationship and I am often left feeling privileged to be allowed into the lives of my clients and be in their world.

Contact Us

We are conveniently situated with good transport links to both Sunderland, Washington and surrounding areas. We are nestled on the banks of the River Wear at the North East Business and Innovation Centre which is just off the A1231 and walking distance to the new iconic Northern Spire Bridge.