It's four years ago this month that we took the huge decision to relocate from Manchester to the North East and to set up our private counselling practice in wonderful Whitley Bay!
It was a dream of ours to live by the coast within walking distance of the sea and Whitley Bay seemed to us an ideal location - especially with its proximity to Newcastle, a city that we loved. With Northumberland also on our doorstep, what could be better!
Since that time Michaela has worked as a counsellor for Newcastle University and for a local authority occupational health service. She has also volunteered at Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle whilst building up our new practice.
Julian has focused on establishing his private counselling work, creating and developing our website and expanding our business by offering couples counselling.
When the pandemic struck we thought that we would find ourselves struggling to continue with our client work. But like others we survived by moving all our therapy sessions online.
This was a major challenge for both of us, but seeing clients online, though not quite the same as face-to-face counselling, has since become second nature.
We are so happy now, to be exclusively working in our private counselling practice - seeing clients in person and online, offering individual and couples counselling and even ‘walk and talk’ therapy.
Whilst most of our clients now come in-person, video link can still provide a great alternative for those people who live further away or find it more convenient to work from they own home.
Taking the decision to uproot from Manchester was a huge risk, but the best decision we ever made. We are both passionate about what we do and where we live. We are just so grateful that we have had the opportunity to fulfil our shared dream of being counsellors at the coast.