Counselling & Psychotherapy
Cawdor
You may be considering Counselling and psychotherapy because something has happened, because life has gradually become harder to carry, or because you are worried about your child or young person.
Counselling offers somewhere to slow things down, feel heard and begin making sense of what is happening, at a pace that feels right for you.
Meet Mike
Counselling and psychotherapy in Cawdor, Highlands
Hi, I’m Mike, a counsellor and psychotherapist based in the Highlands of Scotland, working with adults, children and young people.
Over the last 25+ years, I’ve worked across education, pastoral care, youth justice, community wellbeing and therapeutic support.
Those experiences have shaped how I understand people, behaviour and the different ways distress can show up.
A lot of behaviour makes more sense once we slow down enough to look beneath it.
What sits underneath is often far more human than people realise: anxiety, overwhelm, fear, shame, grief, uncertainty, or experiences someone has never really had the space or safety to make sense of properly. Sometimes that shows up quietly. Sometimes it does not.
People often arrive unsure where to begin. Do they start with an event, a feeling, or try to explain why everything feels so muddled? Often, they genuinely do not know where to start.
That is usually when I say:
“Your story is your story. You only need to share what feels right, when it feels right.”
A lot of the work is not about having perfect words or immediate answers. Sometimes it is simply about having enough safety and space to begin figuring things out.
Over time, I became increasingly interested in behaviour as communication, relational safety, nervous system regulation, and the ways children and young people often express distress, overwhelm or unmet needs before they have the words for them.
I also became more aware of the gap that can exist between therapeutic understanding and the realities families, schools and communities are navigating day to day, and how those worlds can work together more effectively.
Too often, behaviour is approached only at surface level. The focus becomes stopping it, managing it or reacting to it, without enough curiosity about what it may be expressing, protecting or adapting to underneath.
Whether I’m working therapeutically or alongside parents, professionals and education settings, I’m usually more interested in understanding the person than controlling the behaviour.
I don’t believe people thrive through nurture without boundaries, or boundaries without understanding. Both matter.
In my experience, meaningful change rarely begins through pressure or perfect words. More often, it begins slowly, through steady relationships, honesty, reflection, curiosity and enough safety to begin seeing things differently.
Registered member of BACP and NCPS
HND Counselling
Diploma in Counselling Children & Young People
PVG Scheme member, ICO registered and fully insured
How counselling works
Reaching out for counselling can feel unfamiliar, particularly when you are already carrying a lot.
Most people begin without knowing exactly what to say or where to start. That is completely okay. You do not need to arrive with everything organised or understood.
Your story is your story. You only need to share what feels right, when it feels right.
Counselling offers a calm, confidential space where we can slow things down, explore what has been feeling difficult and begin making sense of it together. There is no pressure to find immediate answers, use the right words or move more quickly than feels comfortable.
1. Start a conversation
Most people begin by sending me a message with a few words about what they are looking for.
From there, we can arrange a short, free online conversation. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions, tell me a little about what has brought you to counselling and get a sense of whether working together feels right.
There is no pressure to commit to counselling afterwards.
2. Your first session
The first session is about beginning to settle into the space and getting to know one another.
Some people find themselves talking quite easily. Others need more time before they know what they want to say. Both are completely okay.
We can begin gently, looking at what has brought you to counselling, what you would like support with and what may help you feel comfortable as we work together.
3. Ongoing sessions
Counselling is not about quick fixes or being given a set of answers.
Sessions offer a regular space to pause, reflect and explore what may be happening beneath the surface. Over time, patterns may become clearer, feelings may begin to make more sense and new ways of understanding yourself or your situation may emerge.
We work at a pace that feels right for you, reviewing the work together as it develops.
Counselling for children and young people
Children and young people do not always communicate what they are feeling through words.
Their experiences may instead appear through behaviour, anxiety, withdrawal, anger, changes in confidence or difficulties at home or school. Alongside talking, I use play and creative approaches to help children explore thoughts, feelings and experiences in ways that feel natural, manageable and appropriate for their age.
Parents and carers remain an important part of the wider support around the child or young person. At the same time, counselling needs to offer the child their own trusted space, with clear boundaries around privacy and an understanding that anything affecting their safety or wellbeing would be discussed appropriately.
What People Often Come With
Life Transitions
Adjusting to significant changes, whether it be a new home, a career shift, or the end of a relationship.
Relationships
Exploring the dynamics of family, friendships, or romantic partnerships to foster deeper understanding.
Inner Conflict
Working through persistent worries, anxiety, or the weight of unspoken thoughts that affect daily life.
Personal Growth
Seeking clarity and a sense of direction to navigate life's challenges with greater resilience and peace.
Childhood Echoes
Uncovering the impact of early experiences and learning how to move forward from the past.
Existential Questions
Exploring fundamental questions about purpose, identity, and the meaning of life in the modern world.
Frequently asked questions
Fees & Terms
Session fees
The First Steps Call is free. If we decide to work together, ongoing counselling sessions are £55 for 60 minutes for adults, children and young people.
Before counselling begins, we will agree the practical arrangements together, including the frequency of sessions and how payment will be made.
Any changes to fees or arrangements would always be discussed in advance.
Before our first session, I will provide a counselling agreement explaining how we will work together.
This includes confidentiality and its limits, cancellations, safeguarding, record keeping, privacy and how to raise a concern or complaint.
My policies are written to be clear and accessible, so you know what to expect before deciding whether to begin counselling.
Professional Policies
Start a Conversation
Email: hello@mjowellbeingservices.uk
Phone: 01667 371 715 / 07396 804 202
Whether you are thinking about counselling, interested in a Figuring Things Out… workshop, or would like to explore a partnership, you are welcome to get in touch.
You do not need to have everything worked out before contacting me. A few words about what you are looking for is enough, and I will respond by email.
If you are getting in touch about counselling, we can begin with a free 30-minute First Steps Call. This is a relaxed online conversation to talk a little about what has been happening, ask any questions, and see whether working together feels right.
MJO Wellbeing Services is not a crisis service. If someone’s life is at immediate risk, phone 999 or go to A&E. For urgent mental health support in Scotland, phone NHS 24 on 111 and choose the mental health option.