About Dave Ginn
Hello, I’m Dave — a qualified counsellor based in Shenfield, near Brentwood, Essex, offering face-to-face therapy for adults who are used to coping and keeping things going, but can find it difficult to stay connected to what they think, feel or need when pressure, relationships or other people’s reactions become difficult.
Becoming a therapist has been a deeply personal and transformative journey for me. Through my own experience of counselling and training, I came to recognise how easy it can be to appear rational, composed and independent while holding back feelings, managing other people’s reactions and losing touch with what matters to you.
From Business & Finance to Counselling
Before becoming a counsellor, I spent around 35 years in business and finance, much of it in senior leadership. I know environments where carrying responsibility, remaining capable and continuing to perform are normal expectations, and where it can be difficult to admit that you are struggling, ask for support or show uncertainty.
That experience now contributes to my interest in what happens when coping by holding things in, trying not to get things wrong or managing other people’s reactions begins to affect your wellbeing and relationships. You can appear capable on the outside while privately finding that the ways you have relied on for years are beginning to cost you.
Who I Work With
I work with men and women from a wide range of backgrounds. Many are capable, responsible people who are used to coping and being relied upon, but have reached a point where their usual way of managing things is no longer working so well.
You might recognise yourself in some of these experiences:
- going quiet, giving way or holding back when there is disagreement or criticism;
- overthinking conversations or worrying about how other people will react;
- finding it difficult to say no, set boundaries or express what you really need;
- becoming frustrated, resentful or angry after holding too much in;
- putting pressure on yourself to get things right or finding it difficult to switch off;
- struggling to ask for support or show vulnerability, particularly if you are used to managing things yourself.
People come to me for many different reasons, including anxiety, relationship difficulties, work stress and burnout, bereavement, loneliness and major life changes. These experiences are not requirements for working with me, and you do not need to arrive with a clear explanation of what is wrong.
My Approach
work in a relational and active way. I will listen carefully to what you bring, but I will also ask questions, share observations and pay attention to what seems to happen while we are talking. You will not be expected to do all the talking or arrive knowing exactly what you need to say.
Sometimes the patterns that cause difficulty outside therapy can become noticeable in the room too. You may lose your words, go blank, feel tension in your body, hold something back or become unsure what you think or need. We can slow these moments down together and become more curious about what is happening.
Understanding why you hold back is one thing; responding differently when it is actually happening is another. My Gestalt-informed approach is interested in both. The aim is not to pressure you into behaving differently, but to help you develop more awareness and choice when familiar reactions begin to take over.
Face-to-Face Counselling in Shenfield (CM15)
I work face-to-face with adults in Shenfield, near Brentwood, Essex, offering weekly 50-minute counselling sessions in a quiet, private setting. Meeting in person can be particularly helpful if you find it difficult to put things into words, tend to hold things back or want the space to notice more closely what happens when something feels difficult to say.
If any of this resonates with you, you are welcome to get in touch for a free 20-minute introductory call. You can tell me a little about what has brought you to counselling, ask any questions you have and get a sense of whether working together feels right.
Location
My therapy room is in Shenfield, near Brentwood, Essex CM15 8DE
Counselling Training & Experience
Counselling Training & Professional Experience
I have completed more than 800 supervised client hours across private practice, community counselling and hospice bereavement work. My original training was in person-centred counselling, and I am now undertaking advanced postgraduate training in Gestalt psychotherapy.
My approach is relational and Gestalt-informed. Alongside understanding your story, I pay attention to what happens emotionally and physically while we are talking — particularly the moments when you may lose your words, hold something back, become tense or find it difficult to know what you need.
Qualifications & Advanced Training
- Postgraduate Certificate in Gestalt Psychotherapy (Level 7) — Gestalt Centre / London Metropolitan University.
- Advanced postgraduate training in Gestalt psychotherapy — continuing development in relational and experiential ways of working.
- Diploma in Professional Development (Level 6).
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling — Person-Centred, CPCAB (Level 4).
- Certificate in Counselling Studies (Level 3).
- Certificate in Counselling Skills (Level 2).
Counselling & Relevant Voluntary Experience
- Bereavement Counsellor, St Francis Hospice — around three years supporting people experiencing grief and loss.
- Volunteer Counsellor, Centre for Better Health, Hackney — counselling adults presenting with a wide range of emotional and mental-health difficulties.
- Listening Volunteer, Samaritans — around five years providing confidential emotional support to people in distress or crisis.
- Outreach Volunteer, Thames Reach — supporting vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness and complex life difficulties.
