About Me
Our Roots
Cherry Orchard Counselling grew from the history of its founder, Lucy Edwards. With the lived experience of bereavement, estrangement, DA and other trauma; Lucy sought out therapy to heal. And she brings this perspective and intrinsic understanding of real human lives into our practice.
The Wounded Healer
An ancient philosophy brought to the modern world by Jung, the wounded healer postulates that those who go through pain make the best carers. Perhaps that’s why Lucy turned to careers with the Police whilst caring for her two children and welcoming two more; simultaneously looking after her elderly grandmother. This web of communication and connection saw her become interested in the counselling that helped her in the past and she took on a basic course. This is all while launching a new career with the fire service as a 999 call handler.
Putting study into practice
Following that successful course, Lucy decided to pursue a diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling all while working in an NHS doctor’s surgery and completing her coursework hours with St. Micheal’s Hospice. When COVID hit, she worked on the NHS helpline for frontline staff; supporting them with triage trauma, exhaustion and mental health issues. Around the same time, she began working with the sexual and domestic abuse charity; IDAS. Through her casework, she helped countless people manage their journey to healing or freedom.
Going it alone
Armed with her diploma and decades of compelling experience, Lucy launched Cherry Orchard Counselling in 2020. She served a mix of agency referral and direct relationship & individual counselling clients. As she saw how much of her work was tied to social interactions, she took on yet more training. This time she sought certification in Imago Therapy and, in 2022, bolted on a further course in CBT to supplement her theoretical knowledge.
Where we are today
In just a few years, we’ve conducted over 2,000 hours of therapy for clients of all ages, genders and alignments. Above all things, we strive to provide an environment that is:
- Inclusive
- Safe
- Judgement-free
You’ll never feel assessed or looked down on for anything you say. Our environment isn’t cold or clinical and you’ll be working with someone who knows first-hand how powerful the techniques you’re learning really are.