CLOSE Counselling & Supervision

CLOSE Counselling & Supervision MBACP Accredited Counsellor & Supervisor, Over 20 yrs experience: offering exceptional, compassionate professional support.

Nature doesn't rush, yet everything gets accomplished. 🌾Watching this beautiful full moon rise on my holidays has been s...
01/08/2026

Nature doesn't rush, yet everything gets accomplished.

🌾Watching this beautiful full moon rise on my holidays has been such a reset. It’s a gentle reminder of the power of pausing, reflecting, and clearing space for what’s ahead.

🌕If you are feeling the stretch of a busy season and need a safe space to pause and reflect—whether for personal counselling or professional supervision—please know the door at CLOSE Counselling & Supervision is open.

I am filling up my own cup right now so I can bring my absolute best energy back to support you on your journey.

📅 Availability Update:I will be checking and replying to all enquiries starting Wednesday 5th August, with new booking slots available from Tuesday 11th August.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected]
while I am away, and I will get straight back to you upon my return.

Hope you're all finding a moment to breathe deeply today! 🤍

A little notice for anyone thinking about getting in touch 🌿 ...
24/07/2026

A little notice for anyone thinking about getting in touch 🌿
I’ll be on leave from 25th July to 11th August. I’ll begin picking up messages from 5th August, and will start arranging Introductory Calls and Initial Sessions from 11th August onwards.
If you contact me during this time, please know your message is welcome — I’ll reply as soon as I’m able. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

🌿 Supporting Students Through University Life University life can be exciting, challenging, overwhelming and everything ...
10/06/2026

🌿 Supporting Students Through University Life

University life can be exciting, challenging, overwhelming and everything in between. As demand for support continues to grow across Higher Education, many students benefit from having more than one place to turn — especially when they need space to explore things at their own pace.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Pauline Forster‑Fowler, an Accredited Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor and the founder of CLOSE Counselling & Supervision. Before moving into private practice, I spent almost a decade working within Durham University’s Counselling & Mental Health Service, supporting students across the collegiate system.

That experience has given me a deep understanding of:
• the pressures of academic life
• homesickness, imposter feelings and identity shifts
• relationship and friendship challenges
• stress, anxiety and emotional overwhelm
• the impact of long waiting lists and time‑limited support

Many students tell me they value having ongoing, consistent counselling alongside the support already available within their college or central services — a space that is confidential, steady, and tailored to their needs.

At CLOSE Counselling & Supervision, I offer:
• In‑person sessions in Sedgefield (TS21)
• Online sessions for students based elsewhere or during vacations
• A warm, integrative approach grounded in Person‑Centred values
• A free 15–20 minute introductory call to explore whether we’re a good fit

If you’re part of a Student Support team, please feel free to share my details with any student who may benefit from additional therapeutic support — whether alongside university provision or as a follow‑on option.

Students deserve support that meets them where they are. I’m here to offer exactly that.
🌿 Pauline Forster‑Fowler
MBACP Accredited Counsellor & Clinical Supervisor
CLOSE Counselling & Supervision, Sedgefield

🌿 What BACP Accreditation Means When You’re Choosing a CounsellorChoosing a counsellor is a deeply personal decision, an...
10/06/2026

🌿 What BACP Accreditation Means When You’re Choosing a Counsellor
Choosing a counsellor is a deeply personal decision, and it’s completely natural to want reassurance that you’re in safe, experienced hands. One way to feel confident in your choice is to look for a therapist who is BACP Accredited.

⭐ What does BACP Accreditation actually mean?
Accreditation is a professional recognition awarded by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). It isn’t automatic. It’s earned through a rigorous process that demonstrates a counsellor has:
• Extensive training and clinical experience
• A proven track record of safe, ethical, effective practice
• A commitment to ongoing professional development
• Robust reflective practice and supervision
• High standards of care, professionalism, and accountability
It’s a quality mark that shows a therapist has gone above and beyond the minimum requirements to practise.

🌱 Why this matters for you as a client
Working with an accredited therapist offers:
• Reassurance of competence and experience
You know your therapist has met nationally recognised standards and has years of clinical practice behind them.
• A safe, ethical therapeutic relationship
Accredited therapists are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework, ensuring your wellbeing, confidentiality, and dignity are always at the centre.
• A commitment to ongoing learning
Accreditation must be maintained, meaning your therapist continues to grow, reflect, and stay up to date with best practice.
• Confidence during complex or challenging times
Whether you’re navigating life transitions, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, or long-standing patterns, you’re supported by someone with depth of experience.

🎓 My own accreditation and experience
I have been a BACP Accredited Counsellor since 2004 and a Clinical Supervisor since 2022, with over 20 years’ experience supporting adults through a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges.

Much of my career has been spent within Higher Education, including a decade at Durham University, where I supported students and staff through stress, anxiety, identity exploration, academic pressures, and complex life transitions. I also have experience in Adult Mental Health Services, Substance Misuse, and Alcohol Recovery Services.

This breadth of experience shapes the warm, grounded, and collaborative approach I bring to my private practice today.

💬 If you’re considering counselling
You’re welcome to get in touch for an informal conversation or to ask any questions about how counselling might support you. Whether you’re seeking help with anxiety, low mood, life changes, women’s wellbeing, or simply wanting a space to breathe and reflect, I offer a safe, confidential environment both in person (TS21) and online.

To find out more about how I can support message me, or contact me via:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07955 769700 Phone/ Text/ WhatsApp
Or to find out more about me & my practise, go to: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/pauline-forster-fowler

Supporting students through the challenges of university life has been at the heart of my work for over a decade. After ...
10/06/2026

Supporting students through the challenges of university life has been at the heart of my work for over a decade. After many years within Durham University’s Counselling & Mental Health Service, I now offer private counselling and clinical supervision through

CLOSE Counselling & Supervision — with a particular commitment to supporting students who may need:
• ongoing therapeutic work beyond time‑limited university provision
• additional support during high‑demand periods
• a consistent space alongside academic pressures, transitions, or personal challenges
• flexible online or in‑person sessions that fit around their timetable

My experience within Durham’s collegiate system has given me a deep understanding of the student journey — the pressures, the expectations, the intensity of academic life, and the importance of timely, accessible support.

I’m always happy to connect with student support teams, wellbeing leads, academic departments, and placement coordinators who are looking to signpost students to additional, reliable counselling provision.

If you’d like further information, or to explore how I can support your students or teams, please feel free to get in touch.
CLOSE Counselling & Supervision
Rooted in care. Grounded in experience.
Working with adults 18+ online or from my practice in Sedgefield.

“You Don’t Need to Be in Crisis to Ask for Help”Many students wait until they’re overwhelmed before reaching out. But co...
10/06/2026

“You Don’t Need to Be in Crisis to Ask for Help”

Many students wait until they’re overwhelmed before reaching out. But counselling isn’t only for crisis moments — it’s also for the quieter struggles that build up over time: academic pressure, self‑doubt, burnout, identity shifts, or feeling disconnected.

Talking early can help you feel steadier and more in control of your wellbeing as the term unfolds.

With my background in Higher Education counselling, I understand the unique pressures of university life — deadlines, transitions, expectations, and the constant sense of needing to “keep up.” If you’re noticing things feel heavier than usual, feel free to get in touch.

If you’d like to explore whether counselling might help, you’re welcome to message me to arrange a free short no pressure initial conversation to explore whether counselling might help or a longer Initial counselling session.

I offer flexible appointment options to fit different schedules. I offer ‘In person’ sessions in Sedgefield, and online support for those who prefer greater flexibility.

To find out more about how I can support message me, or contact me via:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07955 769700 Phone/ Text/ WhatsApp
To find out more about how I can support you, go to:
https://www.bacp.co.uk/therapists/104533/pauline-forster-fowler/sedgefield-ts21

“University Life Is a Lot to Hold”University can be exciting, challenging, overwhelming and isolating — sometimes all in...
10/06/2026

“University Life Is a Lot to Hold”

University can be exciting, challenging, overwhelming and isolating — sometimes all in the same week. Many students tell themselves they “should be coping better,” but the truth is that adjusting to university life is a big emotional shift.

Counselling can be a space to talk things through before stress turns into crisis. Whether it’s homesickness, pressure to perform, friendship changes, or simply feeling out of sync with yourself, early support can make a real difference.

I’ve spent almost ten years working within a university counselling service, supporting students through exactly these experiences.

If you’d like to explore whether counselling might help, and how I can support you, you’re welcome to message me to arrange a free short no pressure initial conversation to explore whether counselling might help or a longer Initial counselling session.

I offer flexible appointment options to fit different schedules. I offer ‘In person’ sessions in Sedgefield, and online support for those who prefer greater flexibility.

To find out more about how I can support message me, or contact me via:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07955 769700 Phone/ Text/ WhatsApp
Or to find out more about me and my practise, go to:
https://www.bacp.co.uk/.../pauline.../sedgefield-ts21

“Support Before Crisis”Many people wait until they’re at breaking point before reaching out for help. But counselling do...
10/06/2026

“Support Before Crisis”

Many people wait until they’re at breaking point before reaching out for help. But counselling doesn’t have to be a last resort. It can be a calm, steady space to pause, reflect, and make sense of things long before they feel overwhelming.

If you’re noticing changes in your mood, energy, or ability to cope, you don’t have to wait for a crisis. Early support can make a real difference.

With years of counselling experience, I offer a confidential, non‑judgemental space shaped by practical understanding of life’s pressures and transitions.

If you’d like to explore whether counselling might help, you’re welcome to message me to arrange a free short no‑pressure initial conversation to explore whether counselling might help or a longer Initial counselling session.

I offer flexible appointment options to fit different schedules.
To find out more about how I can support message me, or contact me via:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07955 769700 Phone/ Text/ WhatsApp

“Before it gets that bad”Many men say they’d only think about counselling if things got really extreme – like thoughts o...
10/06/2026

“Before it gets that bad”

Many men say they’d only think about counselling if things got really extreme – like thoughts of self-harm or su***de. I don’t want you to wait until it gets that bad.

CLOSE offers counselling for men who feel overwhelmed, numb, angry, burnt out or simply “not themselves”. You don’t need to have the right words – you just need a place where you can say things out loud without being judged.

With over 20 years’ experience in counselling, including University Mental Health, Alcohol & Substance Misuse Recovery Services, Adult Psychological Services and Samaritans, I understand how easy it is for things to build quietly in the background.

Send me a message, phone or email if you’d like to talk about how counselling could help you or a man you care about.

To find out more about me & my practice & how I can best support you, go to:
BACP: https://www.bacp.co.uk/.../pauline.../sedgefield-ts21

“Constant tiredness, irritability, or lack of focus aren’t just part of every day life — they may be signs you need some...
10/06/2026

“Constant tiredness, irritability, or lack of focus aren’t just part of every day life — they may be signs you need some support.”

As a counsellor I specialise in helping people navigate difficult & challenging times in their life: offering expert support with a personal touch.

I offer a Free Introductory session where we can talk about what bring you to counselling & how I can best support you.

You are warmly invited to contact me to talk about how I can help you.

You can DM, Text/ WhatsApp/

Call & leave a voicemail with a convenient time I can get back to you.

Tel: 07955769700 or
email: [email protected]

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Sedgefield
County Durham

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