Simi Shallon MBACPCounselling, Coaching & EFT in Richmond & London

TESTIMONIALS

"Simi was recommended to me by a friend. I'd had a particularly tough year with several major life challenges happening in quick succession. I felt completely lost and my life felt out of my control- I had no idea where to begin. Simi helped me make peace with all that had happened, held my hand and offered a safe space to allow me to start putting the pieces of my life back together again. I will be forever grateful to Simi for empowering me to find me again."

RF 38 UK

"Counselling has made a significant difference in my life. There were areas I wanted to change and issues I needed to address. It gave me the needed push to achieve more stability in my life. Simi is very understanding and has never pushed me to talk about or do things i wasn't ready for. She offers a safe environment during our sessions and I know I can be honest as there is no judging. It has changed my life for the better and I would recommend to anyone struggling with something in their lives to give it a go. Sometimes recognising we may need a bit of extra support can be daunting but may turn out to be a long-term positive experience!"

Daisy C (UK)

"I am a 21-year-old female who has recently graduated from University. The main reason for seeking counselling was due to leaving University and no longer having access to the support I had been receiving for the past 3 years. I knew that I needed some long-term support and stability which I have certainly received. I have been working with Simi for the past few months and I honestly couldn’t be more grateful that I did reach out and ask for help.

Counselling has already helped me to begin working through various issues and childhood trauma which I hadn’t really had the opportunity to do beforehand, with the limited amount of sessions Uni were able to offer each term. My main piece of advice for anyone looking for a counsellor would be to have an open mind but also make sure that you have a connection with that person and that you feel able to fully trust them.

From the first time that I spoke to Simi over the phone I felt at ease right away and my experience of working with her has been amazing! She is extremely approachable and also specialises in a range of different areas which have benefitted me hugely"

CB (22) UK

"I just wanted you to know , that you were most likely one of the best if not THE very best therapist I have ever had. Yes there were some that did not treat me as patient number 2033, zero respect for me as an individual, thinking they are so far above me. I had a few, although not many, that saw me as a fellow human being that needed some help. But you really went the extra mile for me

Just wanted to say, thank you from the bottom of my heart and may God bless you!"

DH (Netherlands)

"Thank you for all the help you have given me! You have given me the confidence to deal with whatever life throws at me and I cant thank you enough. I have the confidence now to continue this journey on my own"

SH (UK)

"I am writing this voluntarily out of the happiness that I had just experienced out of my session. After having an anxiety fuelled day with no breaks, the call that I had with Simi allowed me to speak out everything that I think about in a safe open space with someone who not only listens but actually engages with you. After my tapping session, I have never thought that I would have experienced this kind of outcome. Not feeling calm the whole day and only then did that session made me feel empowered, valued, worthy and calm. Simi has that energy that you did not know you needed from being so welcoming and not judgemental and being able to actually make you realise that you actually can make it through whatever stresses you with the right support. I am writing this while constantly smiling because that’s how this session made me feel. I would highly recommend this to anyone who needs help. Do try to talk to her without hesitating, do not say no until you try" :)

SS, Ex Pat Student (UK)

"The Matrix Reimprinting session with Simi was very impacting for me. I am brazilian and we had 2 or 3 sessions online. Simi is very skilful on conducting gently the session toward the core of the feelings and its transformation. I got in touch with my inner child so deeply and had so many important insights so valuable for my life. Thank you Simi for you incredible and lovable work."

Fabiano Lauser (39), Brazil

"If you’re reading this, unsure whether to proceed ...

Deciding to see simi was one of the best decisions I ever made. I spent many years struggling with low moods, anxiousness and anger, expecting to “get over it” and thinking my problems were “not serious enough.”

Especially as a Black man, too proud or embarrassed to talk to a therapist.

My time with Simi has helped me transform how I think and feel about myself. There are no quick fixes and at times, the process is challenging, but the experience is life-changing. I know myself better now. My relationship has improved, and I feel better able to deal with life’s ups and downs.

I feel as though productive and essential work has been done, and I now look forward to our meetings. My experience working with Simi has been incredibly rewarding."

Leon (40) UK

"I had never done therapy before and after lockdown, I found myself incredibly anxious in different aspects of my life. I was a sceptic about starting therapy and whether I could really benefit from discussing my thoughts with someone. But I have never been more happy to be so wrong! Starting talk therapy with Simi has been the best decision I have ever made. I have grown tremendously in confidence and I feel great again. Simi has always provided the safest space for me to navigate all my thoughts. Simi is incredibly patient and has challenged me when necessary to entangle some negative thinking and has also provided me with creative solutions to help. The last year, in therapy whilst very very testing has been so rewarding in so many ways. Simi has always made me feel so safe and always received me with such kindness. I am so happy, I began my journey with HER. I am truly grateful for the work I done with Simi. I feel equipped to take on life's challenges. This feeling is truly irreplaceable. Thank you Simi!"

AP (25) UK

"I have been working for the NHS for over two decades now. For the past couple of years, I felt myself burning out due to the immense pressure of maintaining high quality patient care in the Covid-19 pandemic. I felt exhausted, unmotivated, and depressed almost of all of the time. I decided to receive counselling through the NHS, and I was put on a very long waiting list. Day after day my mental health started to deteriorate, I could not bear it so I decided to seek mental health intervention privately instead. Simi was recommended to me. At first, I felt sceptical whether receiving counselling/psychotherapy from someone closer to home was the right thing to do. I initially thought about confidentiality, intrusive questions, conflict of interest, being judged etc but Simi cleared all my doubts and concerns during initial talk.

Simi worked with me for 6 months (on Zoom). Every second of consultation I spent working with Simi has been the most valuable second of my life. Simi patiently paid utmost attention to my issues with her undivided attention, and she understand the root of the problem quickly. After listening to my issues, Simi developed a ‘personalised’ therapy plan for me, which involved facilitating my understanding towards the insecurities I hold, how to manage my panic attacks and trigger factors. Each of my intervention sessions were dissected into sections of things that needed to be addressed and we thoroughly discussed them in depth. Simi taught me various strategies for managing my panic attacks, negative thinking, and ways to really practice better self-care.

I learned many different techniques and strategies that I can draw upon if I ever start to feel catastrophic, low or anxious. Now I feel more in control of myself and self-sufficient when dealing with various negative thoughts and emotions, although this took time and practice. Furthermore, I feel like I have had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I have been able to learn so much about myself, I sleep like a baby and now my mind is as clear as a crystal. Simi, thank you so much for all your work with me. It was a truly a quintessential experience. I really don’t know where I would be now if it hadn’t been for your help."

NHS Manager

"When I started my journey my confidence was at an all time low. The pandemic had really effected my anxiety and I quite quickly felt like I'd lost out on my 20s. So when things went back to normal, I couldn't understand why I hadn't! Simi helped me to explore areas of myself that I'd buried away for years which then helped me to really understand my feelings and who I am today. This in turn helped me to understand what I wanted in life and start saying yes for the new me!

From our first meeting Simi was so welcoming. I felt like I'd been given a big hug and was understood by her completely! Throughout my journey Simi was really understanding and made me feel so comfortable - even during the hardest of times. It felt like I was having a coffee with a good friend! She's someone I can rely on and although I have ended my sessions, I know her door is always open which is really reassuring.

Counselling for me was quite a scary prospect. Financially I wasn't in the best position and so I was worried about investing into something that may not even work. I also came from a household where mental health isn't really explored and so I felt like it wasn't accessible for me. But I now know that I've invested in myself in ways that money can't buy, which will help me for the rest of my life. I feel like a weight is off my shoulders and in turn that's helped my relationships with others. You will not regret it, and Simi will be there for you every step of the way."

JH (26) UK

"Simi has helped me massively over the last few months. I was in a dark place before we started our sessions and now feel like a different person. I have always held back when giving insight into my experiences however, Simi helped to create a safe space where I felt heard and could seek advice from."

SC, UK

"Working with Simi over the past (nearly) a year has been incredibly transformative. I first reached out after a life-changing event and over a decade of feeling inadequate and having really low self-esteem and self-worth. I was unhappy and in a cycle of talking quite horribly to myself. I felt like I had lost who I was and I was a stranger to myself. Simi was super helpful and understanding from the very first session. She really is so easy to talk to, so compassionate, and fosters such a judgement-free, safe environment that it made it easy to open up, even about the things I thought I could never say out loud; I found myself telling her and never regretting it. Soon our sessions felt like catching up with an old friend, it felt so natural to chatter away about anything and everything! I can really never thank her enough.

Simi shed light on all of my maladaptive thinking patterns and taught me how and why I thought the way I did, and also (more importantly) how to overcome those thoughts. She made connections between my childhood and adulthood that I never would’ve thought of and I came away with a better understanding of not only why I do the things I do or think the way I think but also what makes ‘me’ me. I’ve never better understood who I am. She gave me the tools and information I needed to better myself and come away so much stronger, more resilient and confident in who I am. I feel so much more hopeful and look forward to the future, whatever happens, whereas the old me felt so stuck. The only advice I have for anyone thinking of getting in touch with Simi for counselling is don’t delay it. Another day you delay is an extra day you’ve put between who you are now and who you could be."

MA, female, 28

If you realise that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to... there is nothing you cannot achieve ~ Lao Tzu