Counselling with Carl Argent in Southend-on-Sea and online across the UK
You don’t have to hold it all together.
Person-centred counselling in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, and online across the UK. I support adults with anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties, low mood, self-worth and the pressure to keep coping. You don’t need a diagnosis or a particular kind of problem to begin. I also offer ADHD-informed therapy and support around neurodivergent experiences. This page describes individual counselling; you can also explore couples and relationship therapy if you would like to attend together.
Free no-obligation call · 20 minutes · For individuals.
Does any of this
feel familiar?
You don’t need a diagnosis, a crisis, or a clear explanation to begin. We can start with the part of life that feels hardest right now. Select an area below to read more.
Anxiety & overwhelmYour mind keeps going, even when you need to rest.
Perhaps you replay conversations, anticipate what could go wrong or find it hard to switch off. Together, we can explore what fuels the worry, how it affects your life, and ways of responding that give you more room to choose. Free WHO stress guide · PDF Read: Why anxiety can feel so physical
Grief & bereavement counsellingLife is moving on around you. Yours still feels changed.
Grief counselling offers space for the sadness, anger, numbness or uncertainty that can follow a loss. This might be a bereavement, a separation or a future that no longer feels possible. There is no timetable you need to meet here. We can make room for your experience at your pace, in Southend-on-Sea or online. Read: Grief has no deadline, and that’s okay
Relationship counsellingYou keep having the same argument, or have stopped talking at all.
Come individually to explore your relationships, or together as a couple. I make room for each person’s experience as we explore recurring patterns, trust, closeness and what you want to happen next. Couples of all genders, sexual orientations and relationship structures are welcome. Explore relationship counselling Read: Why do I keep playing the same role in relationships?
Low mood & self-worthYou’re hard on yourself, or don’t quite feel like yourself.
We can explore the weight of self-doubt, shame, low mood or difficult past experiences. I’ll listen to the story behind those feelings and support you to consider your needs, relationships and the choices available to you. Read: Why we have to be the best at everything
Men’s mental healthYou’re used to being the one who’s supposed to cope.
It can be difficult to ask for support when you’ve learned to keep going or keep feelings to yourself. We can talk about pressure, loneliness, anger, sadness, identity or relationships, without expecting you to have it all worked out. Read: The strongest men don’t do life alone
ADHD & autismSo much energy goes into things others seem to find easy.
We can explore overwhelm, masking, self-criticism and the impact of feeling misunderstood. Whether you have a diagnosis or are making sense of your experiences, we’ll consider what fits your needs and strengths. Counselling here offers support and exploration; it does not provide an autism or ADHD diagnosis. ADHD therapy in Southend & online Read: Why living with ADHD can feel so exhausting
You set the pace.
We make sense of
it together.
I’m Carl, an integrative counsellor with a person-centred foundation. My starting point is your experience: how you see things, what you need, and what feels possible for you.
I also draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This can involve making room for difficult thoughts and feelings, exploring your values, and finding manageable steps towards what matters.
More about me & my trainingA place to be heard
We take time to build trust. You can arrive uncertain, upset or without the words. I’ll listen with care and curiosity.
Understanding your experience
We explore the relationships, experiences and expectations that shape how you feel, including the pressures around you.
Finding your own direction
We can consider what matters to you and what you want to do next. Any practical tools are offered collaboratively and adapted to you.
A starting point for understanding yourself.
If you are unsure where to begin, noticing what matters to you and the qualities you draw on can give us something useful to explore. In counselling, we can make sense of these reflections alongside your history, feelings and the pressures around you.
Explore your strengths
Reflect on the qualities you draw on across your life, including those you may overlook or find harder to express.
Explore your values
Use the Schwartz values assessment to notice your priorities and where different things you care about pull in different directions.
I can help you make sense of your results in a conversation shaped by what you need. You can begin without completing either tool.
Make sense of it with meFree introductory conversation, with no obligation to continue. These are reflective tools, not diagnoses. Reports include automatic reflections and are sent to you and me.
Tap a photograph to enlarge it.
Counselling in
Southend.
Or online.
In-person sessions take place in my private counselling room in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea. I also offer online counselling across the UK.
The room is reached by two flights of stairs. See room photographs, access and travel information. If this makes visiting difficult, we can discuss online sessions and any access needs during our first conversation.
Individual & relationship counselling
Online counselling.
Space for you, close to home.
Online counselling offers a regular space to speak, wherever you live in the UK. We begin with what is happening for you, whether that is anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties or feeling misunderstood.
You need a private place and a reliable internet connection. We can discuss accessibility, communication needs and whether online sessions suit you during the free introductory call.
For support together, explore online couples counselling. For overwhelm, masking or neurodivergent experiences, read about ADHD therapy.
Talk about counselling onlineTime for you.
Clear, simple fees.
Individual counselling is available in person and online. Sessions are normally weekly, with payment in advance. We’ll discuss the length and arrangement that fits the work.
Standard session
A regular space for ongoing counselling.
Extended session
A little more time to settle and explore.
Deep focus session
More time to focus on one particular issue.
A limited number of reduced-fee places are available. Please ask about these during your introductory call. WPA, Aviva and VitalityHealth sessions require authorisation from your provider.
Coming together?
Couples counselling in Southend & online UK
Parents or carers?
See parenting support & fees
A few things
you might
be wondering.
Where in Southend do you offer counselling?
I offer in-person counselling from my private room in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, in the SS3 area. The room is reached by two flights of stairs. You can read about travel and access on the contact page, or discuss any access needs during our free introductory call. Online counselling is also available across the UK.
How much does individual counselling cost?
Individual counselling costs £60 for 50 minutes, £70 for 60 minutes or £90 for 90 minutes, in person or online. A limited number of reduced-fee places are available. We start with a free 20-minute telephone conversation so you can ask questions and consider whether working with me feels right.
What happens in the first conversation?
For individual counselling, we start with a free 20-minute telephone call. You can share a little about what brings you here, ask questions and get a sense of whether working with me feels right.
What if I don’t know what to say?
That’s a perfectly reasonable place to begin. You can start with something that happened recently, a feeling you find hard to explain, or simply what led you to look for counselling. We can take our time.
Do I need an ADHD or autism diagnosis for neurodivergence counselling?
No. You can come to counselling to explore your experiences with or without a diagnosis. We can talk about overwhelm, identity, relationships and your support needs. Counselling does not itself provide a diagnostic assessment.
Can I come on my own about a relationship?
Yes. Individual counselling can be a space to explore relationships, separation, boundaries or patterns you want to understand. If you would like to attend as a couple, we can discuss relationship counselling instead.
Can counselling help with attachment difficulties or difficult childhood experiences?
We can explore how earlier relationships and adverse childhood experiences may influence your sense of safety, self-worth or closeness now. My person-centred approach draws on attachment theory, ACT-informed work and emotional exploration where useful. You choose what to share and the pace; you do not need to tell your whole story at the beginning.
Can I come for anxiety without knowing what causes it?
Yes. We can begin with how anxiety affects your day, what feels overwhelming and what you need from counselling. We may explore thoughts, feelings, relationships and practical ways to make more room for choice. I offer individual counselling in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, and online across the UK.
Can I have online counselling if I live elsewhere in the UK?
Yes. I offer individual counselling online to adults across the UK, alongside in-person sessions in Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea. You do not need to live near my practice. You will need a private place where you can speak freely and a reliable internet connection. During the free 20-minute telephone conversation, we can discuss what you need, how online sessions work and whether this feels like a suitable way to meet.
Is what I share confidential?
Confidentiality is an important part of our work. Before counselling begins, we’ll discuss how it works, its limits and how your information is handled, so you can make an informed decision about what you share.
What happens when counselling ends?
We agree the ending together rather than stopping abruptly. Some people finish there. Others want help turning what they have understood into decisions, habits and next steps, which is the purpose of Life After Therapy coaching. If ADHD is part of the picture, ADHD coaching offers practical support with attention, planning and follow-through. The two kinds of work stay clearly separate, and you can read more about coaching with me before deciding.
Space to understand what you are carrying.
These articles explore grief, relationship patterns and identity. You can read at your own pace and notice what connects with your experience.
Grief and lossGrief Has No Deadline, and That’s Okay
Explore the changing experience of grief, the pressure to move on and what compassionate support might mean for you.
Read the article
Relationships and connectionWhy Do I Keep Playing the Same Role in Relationships?
Reflect on recurring roles, reactions and unmet needs, and how understanding your experience can create room for a different response.
Read the article
Identity and self-worthThe Cost of Living Crisis Is Also an Identity Crisis
Explore how work, money and expectations can become tied to your sense of worth, especially when familiar roles change.
Read the articleYou don’t need the whole story.
Just a place to begin.
We can talk about what’s bringing you here, what you might need, and whether working together feels right for you.
Or call 07707 885 373