Cultivating Clarity, Growing Insight, One Step at a Time
Serving your needs from all over Southend-on-Sea and Rochford or online
Affordable Counselling that gets to the heart of you
The most powerful changes begin when you feel safe enough to be yourself.
Hi, I’m Carl Argent, a counsellor based in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea. I am accredited by the NCPS and an individual member of the BACP. I offer in‑person and online sessions, tailored to your needs, with flexible durations of 50, 60 or 90 minutes. My practice is committed to being accessible, inclusive, and respectful of the diversity and dignity of every person.
You’re here because you don’t feel yourself. You try to put on a brave face to the world but inwardly you might be carrying emotions that are hard to name or share, which can leave you feeling less open or connected in your relationships. You want a way out, but it can feel overwhelming when you don’t know where to begin.
When you don’t feel at ease with your emotions, you might turn to close friends and family for support, but even well‑meant advice can feel out of step with how you see things. The same can happen when choosing a counsellor. It’s easy to look for the ‘expert’ who seems to have all the answers, but the reality is that no one else can truly know what it is like to be you.
Training and techniques matter, but the most crucial ingredient is the connection – your lived experience and the humanity we share.
Counselling is not about fixing. True healing doesn’t come from being told what to do or how to feel. It actually begins with being truly heard, supported, and guided gently towards understanding yourself in new ways so you can start to trust being yourself again. Lasting change grows within the relationship we build because without trust, nothing can shift.
What matters most is whether you feel safe enough to share your vulnerable thoughts, feel safe enough to be you. That is why I offer a phone chat to test exactly that – a time for you to ask questions and gain confidence about deciding whether you can share with me. there isn’t a time limit, though 20-30 minutes is usually enough. Find the courage, take back control and get in touch today by clicking the first button below.
Areas of Counselling I can help with
You will bring your story to counselling, about an issue that shows on the surface of your life but runs deeper and affects who you are and how you relate to others. Often that story hides emotions or patterns that have been shaping your life for years. The path back to feeling more like yourself is through the work we do together. As we explore beneath the surface, you begin to find new meaning, make peace with your pain, and realise you can face those situations.
At the heart of counselling is your search for understanding, resilience, and hope, which allows you to move forward in life, taking back control by weaving what has brought you here into how you see the world, rather than adjusting your world just to cope.”
These are the areas I work with most:
Anxiety, Mood & Emotion
- Anxiety, stress and depression
- Panic attacks and phobias
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- Consistent low mood and feeling sad
- Loneliness and isolation
- Fear of rejection and abandonment
- Guilt and shame
These types of issues can leave you feeling on edge, while emotional overwhelm makes even small tasks feel impossible. Depression can bring persistent sadness, anger, or low mood, and loneliness or isolation may deepen pain with guilt and shame. Counselling offers a space to explore emotions, understand their roots, and find healthier ways to manage them than suppressing them or acting out. Together we will work to restore balance, build resilience, and reconnect you with your own inner sense of calm.
««« See the ’How to avoid the threat trap’
Self-Worth & Identity
- Imposter syndrome and people pleasing
- Perfectionism and self-criticism
- Self-worth, low self-esteem
- Identity, sexuality, and LGBTQIA+ support
- Neurodivergence support
Identity can feel fragile when self‑worth is low, the inner critic loud, or imposter syndrome takes hold, leaving confidence shaken.
Questions of sexuality, gender, and LGBTQIA+ identity add pressure, while neurodivergence brings hidden strengths often overlooked or misunderstood as obstacles, yet they can also be unique gifts. Counselling offers a supportive space to explore openly, quiet the critic, affirm worth, nurture resilience, and build confidence through compassionate guidance, reflective dialogue, and practical strategies that encourage growth and belonging.
Read more about feeling like an imposter »»»
Relationships and Coping
- Trusting others, affairs and betrayal
- Understanding what’s happening underneath porn and/or sex addiction
- Understanding the impact of social media on your life
- Domestic abuse
- Overworking / workaholism
- Transgender discrimination / transphobia
Relationships can come under strain from betrayal, abuse, or social pressures, and the pain often leads to coping strategies such as overworking, denial and distractions. Over time these behaviours can become entrenched, and can escalate into more compulsive behaviours that move you away from trusting yourself, others and ultimately your self‑worth. Counselling offers a safe, supportive space to rebuild trust with yourself, a catalyst to repair emotional bonds with others, and create a life that feels stronger, more authentic, and more resilient.
Trauma
- Difficult family dynamics
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Loss, grief, and bereavement
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation
- Attachment wounds
- Shame and guilt after trauma
- Intergenerational trauma
Trauma feels overwhelming, shuts you down and leaves you shattered and unsure how to begin again. Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, reminds us that cracks and breaks can become part of the beauty of the whole. In counselling, this image honours your growth too by showing that you were not ruined by what happened. You have found ways to heal and repair, and those seams reveal your resilience and the strength you carry forward. You might not be there yet but there is hope.
Men’s Mental Health
- Anger and aggression
- Reluctance to seek help
- Fatherhood and provider stress
- Identity and masculinity conflicts
- Childhood messaging
Anger can flare up like fire yet beneath it lies hurt or silence carried too long. Many men hesitate to seek help, taught from childhood that strength means enduring alone. Fatherhood and the weight of providing add strain, crushed by expectations that feel impossible. Identity and masculinity conflicts whisper you must fit a mould, even when your true self longs for freedom. Counselling offers space to unlearn those messages and discover strength in honesty, connection, and care. What felt unbearable can be shared, and resilience grows as new ways of being become possible.
If you would like to know more, I invite you to get in touch for an initial chat by telephone below where you can ask questions and get more of a feel for how we would work together.
What I charge for counselling
My belief is that counselling shouldn’t cost the earth but it is important you see the value and commitment in investing in your wellbeing. Sessions are typically weekly and last between 12 and 24 sessions, although there is no hard and fast rule and it might be more or less because it’s driven by you.
| Session Length | Standard Rate | Students / Charity Referrals | Trainee Counsellors NHS Key Workers | Over 65s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Mins | £50 | £30 | £45 | £40 |
| 60 Mins | £60 | – | £55 | £50 |
| 90 Mins | £80 | – | £75 | £70 |
Scroll for more »»»
While free services offered by charities and the NHS might offer what you need, there are much longer wait times, limited sessions (typically between 6 and 12 sessions) and sometimes you’re limited to the type of therapy offered.
If you feel my standard rates are not affordable for you, I might be able to adjust fees according to gross annual income. Please feel free to contact me to discuss further – no proof of income is required, and I aim to keep the process respectful and confidential.
While standard sessions are 50 minutes, I am an equitable counsellor and offer 30, 60, or 90-minute options as well to suit your needs (including a £30/30-minute rate to accommodate clients with Autism and/or ADHD). Once we agree on a duration, it should remain fixed if possible to ensure stability.
I offer times to suit you with no extra charges for Saturdays or weekday evenings. Please note that my counselling room is accessed via two flights of stairs; however, home visits are available for those with mobility requirements (£70 for 60 minutes).
Can you imagine therapy in this space
My counselling room is a private, low-sensory space designed to be calming and uncluttered. It features adjustable lighting (natural, dimmable, or soft lamps) and plants. You have a choice of seating—including comfortable armchairs or a bean bag—and can position yourself to enjoy calming views of the sky. While the room is quiet, please expect occasional suburban background noise.
Location: Shoeburyness (between ASDA and Shoebury High School), a short drive from Southend seafront.
Hours of Practice
| Day | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 08:00 | 19:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 | 19:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 | 19:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 | 19:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 | 19:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 | 17:00 |
Other Practical Details
I offer a limited number of concessionary rates if you are experiencing financial hardship — please feel free to discuss this with me privately.
I manage all session bookings on your behalf and you will receive an email confirmation with a link to cancel or reschedule to provide as much flexibility and autonomy as possible for you.
My cancellation policy asks for at least 24 hours’ notice to avoid being charged for the session.
I don’t have dedicated parking but there is free street parking available nearby, and I don’t provide toilet facilities.
Are you ready to take the next step?
Reaching out is a positive step towards moving forward with resilience and searching for new meaning. I know it might not feel like it right now but what has brought you here today does not define you. It is separate. I know how daunting it can be to confide in a stranger so I invite you to contact me by phone or email to arrange an initial phone conversation. It will last for as long as it needs to because it is an opportunity for us to discuss your needs, for me to answer any questions you might have, and to determine if we are the right fit for one another before committing to paid sessions. I find most calls last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Counselling Success Stories
Below is feedback from clients, anonymised to protect confidentiality.
“The person-centred therapy I received was nothing short of transformative—compassionate, empowering, and deeply attuned to my needs. It helped me break through long-standing barriers and embrace a more fulfilled, authentic life.”
Adult female
“Being able to have someone to speak about how I feel and not feel judged has made it so much easier in terms of processing how I feel and understanding that, instead of hiding away from it.”
Young adult male
How to get in touch with me
If you have any questions or would like to move forward, please reach out to me via phone, email, or WhatsApp below. If I can’t answer immediately, I usually respond within an hour or two:
I look forward to hearing from you.
