Welcome to Kirsty Howe Counselling
I offer a complementary 20 minute chat online to help you work out if you feel comfortable with me.
Counselling for individuals and couples
I am an accredited integrative counsellor based in Brighton, offering in-person counselling in Brighton & Hove and online therapy across the UK. I work with individuals and couples, integrating depth, compassion and practical tools to support meaningful change.
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”
Viktor E. Frankl
How can counselling help?
If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or caught in repeating relationship patterns, counselling can offer a space to pause and understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
Counselling can help you:
- Understand recurring emotional patterns
- Develop greater self-awareness
- Build secure internal foundations
- Strengthen boundaries and relationships
My approach integrates Person-centred therapy, Psychodynamic psychotherapy and Attachment theory. This means we explore not only present issues, but the deeper relational and emotional patterns that may have developed earlier in life.
I provide couples counselling in Brighton face-to-face, drawing from The Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy. The Gottman Method offers research-based tools to improve communication and manage conflict.
Emotionally Focused Therapy works at a deeper level, helping couples understand attachment needs, soften defensiveness, and rebuild emotional safety.
I have a reliable, authentic, unstuffy approach, I even swear. My aim is for you to feel relaxed in the counselling room, to not feel like you have to mind your p's and q's. I hope that by working collaboratively, we can bring about effective change to your life.
Couples therapy
Couples therapy can support you to:
- Break repeating arguments
- Repair trust after betrayal
- Improve communication
- Rebuild emotional and physical intimacy
- Create a more secure bond
An attachment-informed approach
Much of our emotional life is shaped by attachment experiences.
Using principles from attachment theory and psychodynamic psychotherapy, we explore how early relational experiences may be influencing present patterns — whether that’s anxiety in relationships, fear of abandonment, emotional withdrawal, or difficulty expressing needs. This can lead to long-term change rather than temporary coping strategies.
What to expect
The first session is an opportunity to explore what brings you to therapy and what you hope might change.
As an integrative counsellor, I adapt my approach to your unique needs — balancing emotional exploration, relational insight and practical tools.
What issues can counselling help with?
stress or anxiety
relationship problems
grief, loss, or bereavement
insecurity and low self-esteem
attachment issues
depression
stating/ holding boundaries
people pleasing
family estrangement
guilt and shame
loneliness
menopause
difficulty with saying no
inner critc
Get in touch
You can contact me with any questions you may have about counselling, or to arrange a complimentary 20 minute chat online before deciding to go ahead with a more in-depth 50 minutes paid consultation in person.
If you don't receive a reply to your enquiry, please check your junk folder.
All enquiries will be answered within working hours so there is likely to be a delay in my reply if you email outside these times. All contact is strictly confidential.
Frequently asked questions
There is no set number, everyone is different, and this is something we can decide together at the assessment. I am happy to work open-ended or to a set number of sessions, but whatever you choose, we will have regular reviews.
I am a registered member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and adhere to their ethical framework which means that what we discuss stays in the room. However, my work is discussed in my regular supervision which ensures I’m working ethically and safely. My supervisor is also a member of a professional body, so the confidentiality is maintained within the professional relationship. Confidentiality may have to be breached if I feel you or someone else is at risk from harm, in which case I will discuss this with you first.
In the beginning, counselling works best when we meet regularly because it builds trust and a feeling of safety, therefore creating an environment where you feel relaxed enough to talk honestly and freely. Once you reach a place of feeling more in control we can review this.
I am available to you at our scheduled weekly time only. In the case of an emergency you can call your GP, or the Samaritans on 116 123, or the Sussex Mental Health Line on 0800 0309 500.
I welcome you talking to me about these feelings because it may be part of the therapeutic process. Counselling is work and sometimes it is uncomfortable and difficult, but if you feel the time is right to stop then that is ok, we can work towards an ending that enables you to feel empowered.
My location
I work from a calm, confidential space in Hanover, Brighton & Hove, and see clients from the surrounding areas such as Queens Park, Kemp Town, Seven Dials, Preston Park, Hove, Woodingdean, Rottingdean, and Patcham.
I will provide location details when we arrange our counselling sessions. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch with me.
Fees & availability
My counselling sessions last 50 minutes, and usually take place every week at the same time, at a cost of between £55 - £65 per 50 minute session, and £100 for an hour with couples. I have a limited number of spaces for those on low income or for students; contact me to inquire about cost and availability.
I ask for as much notice as possible for cancelling appointments, but if you need to cancel a session, you may do so with at least 48 hours notice, but no-shows or cancellations with less than 48 hours will be charged the full session fee.
I offer a free 20 minute chat online to help you decide if you would like to go ahead with meeting me in person for a paid consultation.
© Kirsty Howe
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