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. I am an accredited counsellor based in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea (SS3), offering sessions lasting 50 minutes, 60 minutes or 90 minutes, both in-person and online. My practice is also financially accessible, inclusive and embraces human diversity and fairness.
You’re here because you don’t feel like You. You put on a brave face to the world but deep down you feel shut down which makes you react more defensively towards others. You want a way out, but it’s hard to do when you can’t see clearly what the root cause is or how to move forward.
Feeling this way can leave you distrustful of your feelings so you might have tried talking to close friends and family but being told what to do or how to feel doesn’t resonate with you because that advice, however well intended, won’t resonate because it’s not offered from your perspective. The same applies to choosing your counsellor. You might be taking a logical approach, using your cognitive brain to try to find the “expert” who can make it all go away but that person is not you and don’t know what it is like to be you. A counsellor may have the specific training you think you need, but that doesn’t matter without the most crucial ingredient – You.
Counselling is not about fixing you and true healing doesn’t come from being told what to do or how to feel, it comes from feeling truly heard, supported, and gently guided through understanding yourself in a new way so you begin to trust being you again. Lasting change lives in the safe relationship we build together because if you don’t feel you can trust me with your vulnerable thoughts, nothing will shift. I’ve sat in both chairs of counselling, and I know the relationship is what truly matters. The real question is whether you get a feeling from me where you feel safe enough to be heard, safe enough to be you.
That is why I offer a phone chat to test exactly that – do we get on well enough for you to confide in me? It is a time for you to ask questions and gain confidence about seeing me. I don’t put a time limit on it, though 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 presents on the surface of your life but has as pervasive effect on who you are and how you relate to others. Often, that story hides deeper unprocessed emotions or attachment patterns that have been shaping your life for years. The path back to feeling more like you is through the work we do together. As we dive beneath the surface, you’ll begin to find new meaning, coming to terms with your pain and realising you can handle those situations. At the heart is your personal search for meaning, resilience and hope that allows you to ‘bounce’ forward in life, able to take control by integrating what has brought you here into how you see the world rather than adapting your world to cope.
These are the areas I work with most:
Anxiety, Mood & Emotion
- Anxiety, stress and perfectionism
- Panic attacks and phobias
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- Depression, consistent low mood, feeling sad
- Loneliness, isolation and fear of rejection
- Guilt and shame and self-criticism
These types of issues can leave you feeling on edge, while emotional overwhelm makes even small tasks feel impossible. Depression brings persistent sadness or anger and low mood, and loneliness or isolation can deepen pain with guilt and shame. Counselling offers the space to explore emotions, understand their roots, and find healthier ways to manage them than suppressing them or acting out. We will work together to restore balance, build resilience, and reconnect you with your own inner sense of calm.
Self-Worth & Identity
- Imposter syndrome and people pleasing
- 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. Questions of sexuality, gender, and LGBTQIA+ identity add pressure, while neurodivergence brings hidden strengths often misunderstood as unsurmountable obstacles. Counselling offers space to explore openly, quiet the critic, affirm worth, and build confidence.
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
Relationships can tear under the pressure of betrayal, abuse, or social pressures, leading to coping strategies to manage the pain such as porn or sex addiction, overworking, or other compulsive distractions. The trouble is these behaviours can become entrenched patterns over time, eroding intimacy, trust and the worth of self and the worth of other. I offer a safe, supportive space to rebuild lost trust, repair emotional bonds, creating a life that is stronger, more authentic, resilient, and enduring.
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 can feel shattering because it is so terrifying or overwhelming that it’s hard to imagine coming back from it. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery so the cracks remain visible and are highlighted with gold to celebrate the whole. Kintsugi honours your growth in counselling too because it says you were not ruined by what happened. You found ways to heal and repair, and those seams show that you survived and adapted with resilience.
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 doesn’t have to, and shouldn’t cost the earth but it is important you see the value and commitment in investing in your wellbeing and mental health. Engagements are typically weekly and last between 12 and 24 sessions, although there is no hard and fast rule – it might be more or less because it’s driven by you.
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. My rates are listed below but 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 remains fixed to ensure stability.
| 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 |
I work in-person in Shoeburyness and online via Google Meet, with no extra charge 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. 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.
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.
Areas Served
I provide counselling for clients all over Southend-on-Sea from Shoeburyness to Benfleet. I also offer online counselling if you are further afield.
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, WhatsApp or the contact form below.
I will come back to you as I can, usually within 24 hours or sooner but if it’s urgent please make me aware so I can prioritise your call:
