Hello
My name is Mark Hood.
I am a relational counsellor & psychotherapist working in the Pontefract, Castleford and Wakefield districts of the UK. I specialise in working with clients in their own home. I have been helping people professionally for over 25 years and I hold a master’s degree in Integrative Counselling.
You are probably wondering what these things mean and whether I can help you. There are so many different approaches to psychotherapy available. I have done my best in these pages to describe how I work to help you decide if I am the right counsellor for you.
How I work
I meet with you in a relaxed informal way and we talk. This is usually in your own home, but sometimes it might be in a room in a neutral location, on a telephone or video call, or even out on a walk. We discuss the options available before we meet so that we can make arrangements which best suit your needs.
I make no judgments, nor jump in to offer platitudes or easy answers. Instead, I help you to explore your experience, to tell your stories, and to make sense of what’s troubling you by listening carefully. I help you to sort through the thoughts and feelings that are causing you concern. If your emotions are frightening, I offer a calm consistent connection within which we can soothe them together. If your emotions are conflicted and confusing, we will patiently provide them with respectful attention, and explore them fully to bring clarity.
An ongoing conversation we will likely have will begin with a discussion around the reasons you have sought out help, and the changes you would like to see in your life. I know from experience that it is good to have an agreed goal for therapeutic work, as this can help us to target our conversations and facilitate effective collaboration. We will therefore review and clarify the aims of our work together as we proceed. Your aims could include things like - to better manage particular emotions like hopelessness, sadness, anger, fear and anxiety; to think more kindly of yourself, to repair your self-esteem and grow in self-confidence; to unlock your inner strengths, and experience more satisfaction in your relationships with others. However, it is not always possible to set goals early on, it’s okay if you feel lost and confused, we can start there.
Working together it is my hope that we will have open, genuine, and deep conversations. We will be discovering patterns and making connections, exploring new perspectives and deeper meanings. When we feel someone is truly listening, when we feel positively connected, valued and understood, good things start to happen. This type of talking can help you to escape feeling stuck, and to restart natural growth and healing processes crushed or lost long ago.
That, in a nutshell, is how relational integrative counselling works, and how I, as a relational counsellor and psychotherapist, can help you.
For more information about me and how I work, see the About Me section, link above.
Arrange an initial conversation
Finding the right therapist is a daunting task. In our initial telephone conversation I will do my best to help you decide if working with me is right for you. We can then schedule your first appointment.