Up Close is an interview series for Biddulph Nub News, talking to local people about their businesses, hobbies, or anything else they want to chat about!

In the latest instalment of Up Close we spoke to Nick Cameron, a counsellor and psychotherapist who offers a range of services to local people who might be facing difficult or unhelpful thoughts or actions.

Nick has a range of free self help guides available to view, and they can be found on his website here.

We spoke to Nick about the benefits of counselling, the effect of the pandemic and lockdowns on mental health, and how people can learn to become more positive and resilient during these difficult times.

Read the interview below...

When did you get into counselling and how long have you been doing it?

"I've been involved in counselling, in one form or another, ever since I graduated back in 2008."

What kinds of services do you provide and how can they help people?

"I support people with all kinds of difficulties and help them work through distressing or unhelpful thoughts, actions and experiences. We do this via in person face to face sessions, and also by phone or video sessions."

Who would you recommend counselling to? Can everyone benefit from counselling, and are there any indicators for people that could show that they might find it especially useful?

"People tend to get more out of counselling when they are ready to commit to change - as opposed to being persuaded, or guided by someone else, to seek support.

"There isn't really a prerequisite of why someone should seek counselling, though fundamentally if a person is feeling overwhelmed, or struggling with any aspect of their life, counselling may be an option to consider."

I noticed that you provide counselling over video chat, which is obviously very useful in the current circumstances. Was it a challenge to set up video counselling compared to if it was face to face, and how do you manage to keep the sessions feeling as smooth and personal over video?

"Video chat is a great tool and in some scenarios it can actually be more beneficial than an in person session. An example being someone who is suffering from intense social anxiety, video chat may allow them to feel more comfortable and relaxed in their own home - without the initial worry and fear of meeting a stranger in an unfamiliar place.

"The sessions run very well over video; my backdrop is exactly the same as if you were sat opposite me. I ask for clients to (try!) and sit in a quiet, calming room in order to have as little interruption as possible."

All of these lockdowns and the pandemic in general has a lot of people struggling with their mental health at the moment. Would you say there has been an increase in people wanting counselling because of this?

"The population has certainly been tested mentally during the lockdowns and tier restrictions and yes, many are reaching out for support, which is extremely positive.

"There are also many who don't have access to mental health support, or who are fearful of reaching out - this is a huge problem which I am hopeful the government can do more to address - especially if restrictions are set to continue."

And on the same kind of topic, how can counselling benefit people who might be struggling with some of the main mental health issues we are seeing in the pandemic, such as loneliness and isolation?

"Although we cannot change the situation we are in, we can change how we interpret, perceive and think about the situation we are in.

"Our thinking ultimately determines our feelings and emotions - so the negative mental impact of isolation and loneliness can be greatly reduced, once we look at our relationship with thinking, and our identification with thoughts."

How would you say the local area is coping with these factors at the moment? Have you seen a lot of strong resilience, and have you also seen many people at low points?

"It's very difficult to know - even the mask wearing itself is a great metaphor for what someone may be experiencing behind 'closed doors'.

"We are a very resilient nation by nature, but we are of course human - and we all are affected by COVID, either directly or indirectly. Twitter has been a great eye opener to observe people sharing their own feelings and thoughts during these months."

If you don't mind me asking, has learning about counselling helped you with your own mental health and is your knowledge helping you to cope well in these strange times?

"Absolutely - I have experience counselling myself, and fortunately over the years, with the knowledge, life experiences and expert teachers, I am able to implement what I have learned into my own life - of course, just like every other human, there are ups and downs. But this is something we accept, and expect, as every day life."

And finally, is there anything else you would like to add in general, or anything I may have missed in these questions?

"Great questions! The only thing I'd add is to let people know I have many free self help guides on my website which may offer some support and comfort during this time."

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