We are not currently taking on new clients.
Stride offer a range of counselling and mentoring service’s with a difference. In short, we take the cathartic properties of walking and pair that with talking therapies, alongside traditional counselling – specially designed to support women and girls.
Stride counselling offers sessions from 30-60 minutes, with the course of sessions usually lasting between 5 and 20 session. The sessions are relational, using a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and a Solution Focused focus approach. Katie approaches support from an anti-pathology, anti-oppression and trauma informed way.
During the sessions you will work to breakdown your problems into their separate parts – such as your thoughts, actions and physical feelings. Together we will work out if they are unhelpful or unrealistic and determine the affect they have on you and others.
Katie is a professionally qualified youth and community worker, who specialises in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and therapeutic counselling. Katie qualified as a Babywearing Consultant in 2010 and has supported many families to learn how to carry their infants safely and securely within slings and carriers. Working closely with families in the antenatal and postnatal periods. Due to witnessing the often ineffective approaches of working with individuals stuck within wider systems of oppression and injustice, she undertook a MSc Psychology of Mental Health completed in 2024 to begin to understand and tackle these issues.
Katie has experience of supporting people with the following areas, concerns and dynamics:
- Young people aged 11-25
- Women’s Health
- Relationship Problems
- Sexual Health
- Drug and alcohol awareness & substance misuse
- Parental Substance Misuse
- Domestic Violence
- Natural Parenting Methods, such as: Co-sleeping, skin-to-skin, cloth nappies, positive parenting, elimination communication.
- Infant Carrying Specialist
- Attachment theories and application
- Divorce/separation/blended family situations
- Child Protection
- Sexual Abuse
- Anxiety & Depression
- OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- Social Phobia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Trauma
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation
- Systemic family issues
- Cultural dynamics (specifically the individualistic/collectivist intersection)
- Boarding schools
- Public and Independent School systems
- CAMHS referrals
The first session is always a full 60 minutes to assess the presenting issues and concerns and a plan for the course will then be set out between yourself and Katie. It may be that you only require two 30 minute sessions to build confidence in carrying or caring for your infant or you may want to commit to more sessions to tackle a deeper routed issue.
Stride counselling sessions are undertaken outside (in any weather at any time of year) walking along predetermined routes around beautiful Bristol. As we walk together the session will unfold. The sessions are very practical and we will talk about what you can change, teach you new skills and put these into practise in your daily life instantly.
Why walking? Why not in a usual counselling room?
“Walking and talking in a therapeutic setting creates a natural, less confrontational space, helping clients to express themselves more openly while engaging both body and mind.” — Dr. Kate Hays, Psychologist, The Benefits of Walk-and-Talk Therapy
There are countless scientific links that demonstrate the benefits of walking, being a physical activity, that has cathartic properties. So not only will the sessions with Katie tackle your emotional and psychological well-being but they are also designed to keep you fit, active and healthy.
If you would like to find out more about how to book in with Katie please email us on stridecounselling@outlook.com
Katie is a Graduate Member of British Psychological Society Member Number: 694751
Stride Mental Health 