I want to help you to understand, heal and grow; to take care of and trust yourself; to express your true potential more freely and live a meaningful, fulfilling life that you enjoy.
I strive to offer you a powerful and potent experience of deepest respect, empathy, and trust, allowing you to feel deeply heard, understood and met with heartfelt warmth and compassion, empowering you to make the changes that you wish to make.
I would love to hear from you if you are ready to take the first steps towards positive change.
Life can feel hard sometimes, and it can be a struggle to cope. The pressures on us can feel overwhelming and leave us feeling stuck. I know what that feels like.
I’m a real person, like you who has struggled with dark periods in my own life. At points in my own life, I’ve struggled with depression, anxiety and addictions, as well as with self-consciousness, my weight, relationship with food and my body. I’ve struggled with my identity as a mixed-race man, always feeling ‘different’, longing to belong and also with questioning if I may be neurodivergent.
I’ve struggled with a lack of self-worth and with existential questions – wondering, ‘what is the point?‘ I’ve been through divorce and at points in my life lost everything I had been building and had to start again. I don’t know where I would be without the help of therapy and the journey of personal growth that it has facilitated.
It gives me a great sense of satisfaction and gratitude to be able to help you to facilitate your own journey of healing and growth, to walk alongside you as a compassionate companion and guide on your journey. That’s why I became a therapist.
My purpose is to support you in creating a life that feels fulfilling and authentic; to help you awaken to your potential so you can experience a life in which you feel good, connected and alive.
https://alancrawfordcounselling.com/
Call or Text me now: 07305746740
I strive to offer you a powerful and potent experience of deepest respect, empathy and trust, to empower you to make the changes that you wish to make.
I have a non-judgemental, understanding and down-to-earth approach which is born of my own lived-experience of what it is like to go through dark and difficult times, as well as 15 years of professional experience working with individuals and groups in the criminal justice, addiction and mental health fields before moving into private practice.
I have also have three years experience teaching Counselling, something which I feel enriches my practice as a counsellor.
With me, counselling is a natural conversation with a caring, understanding and encouraging person who can help you to process your feelings, get a fresh perspective on your situation and make the changes you wish to make in your life.
There are no props or flipcharts, no worksheets or diagrams and I don’t tell you how to think or what to do. We simply sit opposite each other in comfortable chairs and talk about whatever is going on for you in a natural, engaged and honest way. Nor am I a passive, ‘nodding dog’ therapist – I work in a way that is active and engaged, questioning, challenging you and offering you feedback.
I am also flexible, creative and open-minded in the way I work, thinking outside of the box.
Whilst the traditional therapy room remains the best choice for many, you might want to work with me outside whilst enjoying the natural environment in ‘Walk & Talk’ therapy (though ‘Walk & Talk’ can also mean less walking and more sitting in a quiet, private space in nature to talk).
Or we have the option of working together via Teams / Zoom / Whatsapp Video or even via Email.
Home Visits may also be available on request in certain circumstances if you live nearby and my schedule allows it.
I even offer Unlimited Messaging Therapy where you can pay a weekly subscription to have regular contact via message – write whenever you want and I will respond regularly. This is of course an entirely different experience to traditional therapy, but can be a worthwhile source of support for some people.
I offer one-day and multi-day intensives and retreats for individuals, couples and groups looking for more depth and non-traditional approaches to their process. I collaborate with clients to craft experiences to mobilize depth in ways meaningful to them. Intensives often involve time in nature, breathwork, meditation, sharing circles, or personalized ceremony.
Contact me to discuss which of these various options is the best fit for you and your circumstances.
https://alancrawfordcounselling.com/
Call or Text me now: 07305746740
The broad range of my professional experience, alongside my academic qualifications, have equipped me with a solid foundation of professionalism and effective, ethical and evidence-based practice.
I am qualified to degree level and have professional qualifications as both a Probation Officer (BA Hons, DipPS) and a Counsellor (Dip.Coun). Working in both the statutory and voluntary sector, I have over 15 years’ experience of supporting those with complex, multiple needs, including those affected by mental health issues, addiction and criminality.
I enrich my therapeutic work through a committed daily meditation practice drawing on my experience of Zen training, and exploration of traditional celtic and African spiritual practice. My Zen training and spiritual practice contributes to my own personal development and influences my way of being as well as my ability to offer a quality of compassionate presence whilst engaged in therapy.
This also makes me a good fit for any client who might have an existing meditation practice or might be intrigued about exploring meditation or spirituality as part of their therapy.
I have considerable experience working with a wide range of emotional needs and issues and enjoy working with a diverse range of clients, both male and female, at all stages of life and from all racial, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
However, I have a special interest and significant experience in the following areas:
When I am not working, I enjoy being involved in the local Liverpool 8 community as Founder of Ubuntu – a holistic, decolonized wellbeing collective, a Trustee of the Caribbean Centre and member of the Liverpool Black Men’s Group. I’m a musician and play guitar in a couple of bands and enjoy gigging, watching live music and listening to one of my many Spotify playlists or a podcast.
I enjoy walking in the woods or Princes / Sefton park with my son, partner or a friend, attending local markets and hanging out at local independent cafes, bars and restaurants whether on Lodge Lane, Lark Lane, Smithdown or Bold Street, indulging my enjoyment of good food, good coffee and good conversation.
I have a daily meditation practice and am interested in Buddhism, traditional African Caribbean spirituality and traditional celtic spirituality.
I enjoy spending time in the natural environment, especially being near to mountains / hills, forests and the sea. I am especially fond of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Barbados in the Caribbean also has a very special place in my heart and I love staying connected with my family out there, keeping our culture alive through cooking and celebrating our Bajan heritage.
I always have a book on the go, often related to Zen, African Caribbean Spirituality, Counselling / Psychotherapy / Psychology, Philosophy or Black History (I need to read more novels!). I particularly enjoy the work of Irvin Yalom, one of my therapeutic heroes.
I enjoy keeping physically active through walking and challenging myself through barbell strength training at the gym (and to combat my love of large portions of Caribbean food!).