Alistair Thain

Hello,

Often we can find life overwhelming for a variety of reasons, be that one big stressful event, lots of little stressors which have all added up, or an experience/memory from our past that won't leave our mind. Whatever the stressor happens to be, taking the time to explore and understand it is a step towards easing the stress it brings. It can be hard to experience difficult emotions and situations, and we can often feel confused, isolated, and scared. Frequently, the people we normally turn to are unable to help us in the way that we need, or simply do not understand. We know we are not managing on our own, and feel we need help, and that's where talking therapies such as counselling come in.

The best way I have had counselling described to me by a client is “like talking to a stranger at a bus stop, with additional perks”. The additional perks are training, experience, and professional boundaries such as confidentiality. However, the basic principle remains the same, somebody who you can talk to about what is going on for you, who is removed from the situation and willing to listen without judgement.

I am Alistair (He/Him) and I am one of those strangers at a bus stop, with the perks. I am an integrative counsellor, which is to say I believe there is not one way of working that fits everybody, and therefore I shape the way I work to the individual. This means that I will make my education, training, and experience work for you rather than ask you to fit a certain therapeutic way of working. For a more detailed understanding of who I am and how I work, check the “about” section of my website.

Areas of Counselling I Work With:

Here is a general list of the areas of counselling I have experience, and training, working with. For a more detailed description of how I work, check the “about” section of my website.

  • Abuse (Various Forms)

  • ADHD

  • Affairs & Betrayals

  • Anger Management

  • Anxiety (Various Forms)

  • Asperger’s Syndrome

  • Autism / ASD

  • Bereavement

  • Bullying

  • Burnout

  • Carer Support

  • Climate & Eco-Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Dyslexia

  • Dyspraxia

  • Family Issues

  • Feeling Sad

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder

  • High Sensitivity

  • Learning Difficulties

  • Learning Disabilities

  • Loneliness

  • Low Self-Confidence

  • Low Self-Esteem

  • Mental Health

  • Neurodiversity

  • Panic Attacks

  • Relationship Problems

  • Self-Harm

  • Separation & Divorce

  • Spirituality

  • Stress

  • Suicidal Thoughts

  • Trauma (Various Forms)

  • Work Related Stress

Appointment Booking:

My therapeutic work is split between two places, Alistair Thain Counselling (this website) and Sheffield Central Counselling. Both are open to anybody, offer an online booking system, and are priced the same per hour. My weekly schedule looks as follows:

Day Time

Tuesday 0930 - 1230 Sheffield Central Counselling

1400 - 1700 Alistair Thain Counselling

Wednesday 1330 - 2000 Sheffield Central Counselling

Thursday 1430 - 2000 Sheffield Central Counselling

Friday 0900 - 1700 Alistair Thain Counselling

Enquiries:

Finding the right therapist for you can be difficult, and I do not want you paying money to work that out. So if you want to ask me anything or have a conversation about what you are looking to get out of therapy, then you are welcome to book a “Telephone Enquiry” and we can have a chat. You are also welcome to email me if you would prefer, this can be done easily through the “Contact” tab at the top of the website. Of course, you are welcome to skip this and book a session straight away.

In Person Session:

My in-person sessions are only available through Sheffield Central Counselling and are therefore limited to the days I am working there. The in-person session would be held in the Sheffield Central Counselling therapy rooms located in Sheffield City Centre. For more information, please check out their website.

Online & Telephone Sessions:

Any of the above time slots can be online or telephone timeslots, the only difference is the booking system you go through to book the session.

For a more detailed breakdown of the session types, check out the services page linked at the top of this page.