What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 9pm Tuesday 9am - 9pm Wednesday 9am - 9pm Thursday 9am - 9pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm

http://www.kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk/

Kingsclere Counselling Service, Robinson Cottage, Folly Farm, Basingstoke (2026)

05/01/2026

Taking care of yourself in 2026!

Many of us are coming out of the festive period thinking of ways to be more physically healthy - more exercise, making better food choices, changing harmful habits etc.

But we struggle more when it comes to thinking of ways to be more emotionally / mentally healthy.

It often comes down to finding the things that recharge us but it is often hard to identify what those things are and ways to fit them in to our lives.

So how do you find out what recharges you?
It HAS to be individual to you, everyone is different and what works for others may not work for you and vice versa. And it has to be something you are keen to do - doing something just because you think you "should" is never going to work. Ask yourself the following; When do you feel at your most relaxed? energised? excited? What do you like doing on those rare occasions when you get free time? What do you do occasionally that feels good but sometimes feels self indulgent? Which brings me onto my next point:

The enemy of self care is guilt!We all too often feel guilty about anything that we do for ourselves because we are programmed not to put ourselves before others.So it sometimes helps to remember that in order to support others, we need to look after ourselves (you cannot pour from an empty cup!)

The key is balance - which is a continual process of adjustment. It will take time to get right, and it will probably take trial and error to find what works and how to fit it into your life. But enjoy the process of finding out!

So if your resolution this year is better self care: identify what you need, banish the guilt, recognise the value of fitting it into your life, and strive for balance!

And if you need some help - our team are here!
www.kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

18/12/2025

I LOVE a fairy light - it's my favourite thing about Christmas!

This morning on the school run was sooooo dark but walking through our village and seeing the tiny twinkling lights on the front of shops and through house windows gave me such a feeling of calm and joy - a feeling I was desperately in need of during this week of frantic "end-of-term-Christmas-prep" chaos.

The theme of light at times of darkness, and the hope that it brings, is such an important one it is celebrated by many major religions - Christmas, Diwali, Winter Solstice or Hanukkah (and my thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy in Bondi - hope has never felt so important). It is a theme that unites us and draws us together whatever spiritual background we hold dear.

So if life is feeling dark for you right now (sadness, grief and loneliness like to live in the dark) - find and cherish the tiny glimmers of light. They are there, and they hold hope of better times to come, longer days, life renewing, the return of sunshine and warmth.

If you are lucky enough to be blessed at this time of year, do what you can to create light for others to find, however small. This is also a time of year for generosity and kindness. It might be sharing, giving or greeting, or it might be simply turning the fairy lights on....

🎄

www.kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

08/12/2025

Please give a warm welcome to Nicky!
Nicky is fully qualified counsellor and mum who has worked as both a secondary school counsellor and primary school assistant. She is currently completing additional qualifications in working with young people and happy to help those who feel they can benefit from her support.
If you would like to see if she can help you or a young person you know - please contact her on nicky@kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

03/12/2025

For anyone who cares for or works with children, we are becoming increasingly aware of some AI internet trends that seem innocent enough at first glance, but have some sinister and disturbing undertones and connections. Particularly Italian Brainrots,
Poppy Playtime, Pollyfuzz, and Labubu.

Emma, one of our therapists has put together this poster about the dangers of AI and some tips to help you keep your kids safe online:

Stay connected
Stay curious
Keep talking
Notice any changes

Please take a minute to read.
If you would like a PDF copy to share with any organisations you work with, or have any questions, please contact
info@kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

01/12/2025

Tis the season to be jolly...or is it?
December can be really tough:

1. Overwhelm. Balancing extra demands on top of an already busy life can feel too much.

2. Grief. If you have lost a loved one, this time of year can be particularly painful.

3. Financial worries. The extra pressure of presents, social occasions, and perhaps a dip in income from time off causes extra strain.

4. Childhood trauma. The build up to Christmas can trigger many painful memories for those whose home wasn't safe or happy.

5. Food and alcohol. This time of year involves a lot of both as social norms. If you don't have a healthy relationship with either, or are actively trying to change your habits, this time of year can be really challenging.

6. Relationship / family difficulties. Any existing issues in relationships can be magnified by extra stress of the festive season.

7. Loneliness. You may not have family or loved ones around, and that can feel harder at this time of year, but loneliness doesn't just mean being alone. You may be with others but feel disconnected.

8. Social anxiety. If you are not particularly comfortable in social situations - office parties, drinks parties, family gatherings can really drain your batteries.

9. Weather! December can be dark, cold and wet. It is hard to feel good when your environment feels hostile.

10. Expectations. The constant bombardment of media messages about the "perfect Christmas" with amazing presents, spectacular decorations, happy families, and heaped dining tables is setting us up to feel like failures if our life does not look like that. It is the oldest marketing ploy in the book - sell us the dream!

So if you find December hard:

🎄Realise that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It might feel like everyone else is fine - but many are also struggling with the above.

🎄CONNECT with others. Don't be afraid to reach out, tell people if you are finding things hard.

🎄Be GENTLE with yourself (and others) about how you are feeling right now.

🎄Manage EXPECTATIONS - work out what is/isn't achievable with your time, energy, and budget.

🎄LET GO of perfect (unobtainable!) Focus on what is truly important to you and those you care about.

20/11/2025

Are you the parent of a young person who could benefit from a bit of extra support?

We have several therapists here at Kingsclere Counselling Service who work with young people of primary, secondary and college age.

If you would like to find out more about we can help your young person, please drop us an email

info@kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

16/11/2025

We are thrilled to welcome Joanne to the team here at Kingsclere Counselling Service.

Joanne brings previous experience with MIND and crisis support to her counselling career, works with many issues (including anxiety, depression and loss) and has a special interest in disordered eating and body dysmorphia.

She is available for appointments on Thursday afternoons - drop her an email if you would like more info or to book in!

joanne@kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

14/10/2025

Yesterday Sharon May and Claire Nisbet participated in the Mental Health and Small Business one day conference on behalf of Kingsclere Counselling Service.

Sharon cohosted the day and chaired a panel on Mental Health and Medicine, and Claire was part of the panel discussing Mental Health and Movement from her perspective as therapist and "walk and talk" advocate.

It can be so hard when you are self employed or a small business owner as there are so may pressures and demands on your time leading to stress and burnout. Then other elements of life can throw a curveball such as loss, illness or caring for others - and it is really difficult to cope with those things when the business starts and stops with you.

This conference provides the opportunity to talk to others facing similar challenges - to help you realise you are not alone, and allows you to explore the services and people available to support you so that your business can thrive!

If you are a small business owner that would like support, please contact us. YOU are the part of your business most worth investing in! 💪

And keep the 12th Oct 2026 in your diary for the next one! 😉

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day

What might surprise you is that for a change I am not advocating for MORE conversations about mental health. I like to think (hope?) that ball is rolling.... albeit better in some spaces than others!

My mission now is for Mental Health to not be a separate conversation - but for it to be threaded into EVERY conversation; whether that is relationship discussions, financial planning, work appraisals, parents evenings or government policy.

What can this look like? Well on a basic level:

Checking in on how others are feeling

Feeling supported enough to communicate needs

Greater human compassion to the struggles others may face

Listening to and accommodating the needs of others where possible

Less stigma and judgement of others whose experience is different to ours

More willingness to learn from others

Greater connection and collaboration in work / school / local communities as a result.

If you or someone you love needs support, please contact us and see how we can help

www.kingsclerecounsellingservice.co.uk

29/09/2025

Reflecting on Su***de Prevention Month 2025 as we reach the end of September.....

Partaking in the Baton of Hope Events in Basingstoke last week was particularly poignant. There was lots of emotional stories, inspirational speakers AND a real sense of hope. By raising awareness, normalising conversations about su***de and suicidal thoughts, we start to banish the shame and make it easier for those who are struggling to reach out for support.

I took away four key points...

CHECK IN: If you are worried about someone, or just get a sense that something is not quite right, try to ask the question. Even if the person you are asking denies or dismisses your question, it shows that you are willing to hear them when they are ready to open up and ask for help.

REACH OUT: If you are in a dark place yourself, and you have thought about harming yourself, please talk to someone - anyone! Friends, family member, boss, teacher, priest, medical professional, helpline. It doesn't matter who - just talk.

RAISE HOPE: When you care about someone - tell them! Remind people that they are valued, cherished and loved, in case they struggle to see that for themselves. If you have come through adversity, share that story with those who need to hear it because where they are feels so bleak.

LOWER STIGMA: Normalise talking about mental health difficulties and su***de. Change language to move away from words like "committed" which are tied to the shame associated with sin or illegality. Every death by su***de is a tragedy, and by making those conversations easier, lives will be saved.

We are here if you are seeking professional support, and don't forget these other organisations if you are in crisis:
SAMARITANS: 116 123
CALM: 0800 585858
PAPYRUS (young people): 0800 0684141
and NHS 111 or 999

And if you have lost someone you love to Su***de SOBS: 0300 111 5565

29/08/2025

It's very nearly September. Before our social media feeds become flooded with pictures of smiling faces by front doors - I just wanted to say that if it's not like that for you and your child, that's ok. Social media can make it seem like everyone else is nailing it, but if going back to school is difficult in your household YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Whilst some may be looking forward to seeing friends, welcoming routine and returning to clubs and activities, and parents might be relived that the summer work / childcare juggle is over for another year, the return to school can be really challenging for many.

If you know a young person that could do with some support, or perhaps you are finding it hard to deal with some of the the issues parenting and schooling brings, please get in touch and see how we can help.

14/08/2025

Today a tomato made me jump!
I have a fear of Spiders.... I HATE them!
When I caught sight of the top of a tomato (calyx - fun fact!) out the corner of my eye - I thought it was a spider and I panicked.

This is a great example of what happens with hypervigilance and anxiety.

🍅 Because I am so scared of spiders, my brain is constantly subconsciously scanning for them (hypervigilance).

🍅 It does this to try and protect me - to help me avoid being in a fearful unpleasant situation again.

🍅 On this occasion, it saw something it thought was a spider and hit the panic button

🍅 My body flooded with adrenaline in response and I ended up in a state of fear - a false alarm. All because of a tomato!

This is what anxiety does - it makes us hypervigilant, and our protective mechanism goes into overdrive leading to false alarms.

The anxiety might be around specific things or activities, or it might be to do with feelings or relationships. If we had a car accident, we may be anxious driving. If a past partner hurt us by cheating, we may be hypervigilant for signs a current partner might be lying.

This protective mechanism makes sense - which is also why being told not to worry when you are feeling anxious doesn't work - we have learnt from our past experience, and are trying to stop it from happening again.

The key is to acknowledge and thank that bit of our brain for trying to look after us - but also to find ways for it to come off high alert ALL the time. We can then allow ourselves to recognise a potential threat, and create space for investigation and assessment before panic. It's not easy, and requires understanding of the driving fear (which may not always be obvious) and frequent practice and support. We can help, so if you need support, please get in touch!

Kingsclere Counselling Service

05/01/2026

18/12/2025

08/12/2025

03/12/2025

01/12/2025

20/11/2025

16/11/2025

14/10/2025

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29/09/2025

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Monday	9am - 9pm
Tuesday	9am - 9pm
Wednesday	9am - 9pm
Thursday	9am - 9pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm