Tricia McGinley

I have worked at The Road Centre for 10 years after qualifying as a counsellor.  My core model is Person Centred which places the relationship between client and counsellor at its heart. I believe my strengths lie in being able to nurture self-belief in others, offering respect and restoring a sense of balance and hope. I believe hope is not about a false belief that things will always be ok, but about being free to be the best you can be in the ways that are important to you.

Having worked for over 15 years in the NHS in a unit for people with mental ill-health such as Psychosis and mood disorders I saw the value of meeting a person where they are and walking alongside them in their journey however painful, lonely, frightening or distressing this is for them. It was in these moments that I decided to train as a Counsellor where I feel it continues to be a privilege and an honour to listen to another’s story with all the emotions and complexities this brings.

Although not exclusively, I predominantly work with primary aged children in a school setting where I offer a safe space to explore feelings, fears and how to manage situations that are often out of their control. Using the power of creativity I try to engage with the child’s own imagination in order to facilitate exploration of their emotional pain that sometimes doesn’t have words.

My own practice of Mindfulness, Yoga and creativity helps me to reflect on my own journey moment by moment which I hope will then give value to my client work.

I have a particular interest in Autistic Spectrum Conditions and how this affects the person and those that care for them.