Individual Counselling and Psychotherapy in Milton Keynes
Polyvagal-Informed Counselling in Milton Keynes and Online
When talking about it isn’t quite enough
You understand why you feel the way you do. You might even be able to explain it clearly. And yet your heart still races, your shoulders still creep up, or you go flat and switch off when things get too much.
That’s because a lot of what we feel starts in the body, before our thinking catches up. Polyvagal-informed counselling works with both: what’s on your mind, and what your nervous system is doing.
In our sessions we talk, and we also notice what’s happening in your body, so it can gradually learn that it’s safe to settle.
Does this sound familiar?
- You feel on edge or braced for something, even when nothing is wrong
- Your mind races and you can’t switch off at night
- You go numb, flat or shut down when things get too much
- You know what you “should” do, but your body doesn’t seem to listen
- You react strongly to small things, then wonder why
- Rest doesn’t feel restful
What is Polyvagal Theory?
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr Stephen Porges, describes how your nervous system is constantly scanning for safety and danger, often without you being aware of it. Depending on what it picks up, it moves you between three broad states: safe and connected (calm, curious, able to think clearly and be with others), fight or flight (anxious, irritable, restless, on high alert) and shutdown (exhausted, numb, disconnected or “switched off”).
These states aren’t choices or character flaws. They’re your body doing its best to protect you. Understanding them is often the first relief people feel.
Who it can help
People often come to me for help with anxiety, stress and burnout, low mood, or feeling stuck or disconnected. It can also suit people who have had counselling before and found that understanding their situation didn’t change how they felt.
I’m an NCPS Accredited Counsellor and Polyvagal-Informed Practitioner, and I work with individuals only. Before counselling, I spent nearly 20 years in IT leadership, so I know what it’s like to live in “push through” mode. I have particular experience supporting men, but I work with anyone who’s feeling the strain.
What polyvagal-informed counselling looks like
It isn’t a separate type of therapy so much as a lens I bring to our work together. Alongside talking, we might:
- notice the early signs that your system is shifting into stress or shutdown
- try simple grounding, breathing and orienting practices that fit into everyday life
- build a picture of what helps you feel safe, and what pulls you away from it
- go at a pace that feels manageable, so you never feel pushed
Nothing is forced. You stay in charge of what we explore and how far we go.
1
Free 20-minute chat
Online or in person, to talk about what's brought you here and whether we're a good fit.
2
Sessions
55 minutes, £60 – in person in Broughton Gate, Milton Keynes, or online anywhere in the UK.
3
Regular reviews
We check in regularly to make sure counselling is helping.
NCPS Accredited Counsellor · Polyvagal-Informed Practitioner
I’m not able to respond to messages urgently. If you’re in crisis, please call NHS 111 (option 2 for mental health), contact Samaritans free on 116 123, or call 999 in an emergency.