Stronger Relationships Ltd

Andrea is so approachable and knowledgeable and leaves you feeling confident in your abilities. I would highly recommend her parenting course.
Feb 10th, 2021

I have completed the Introduction to counselling skills" course with Andrea and it was an amazing journey of discovery of what Active Listening is, what true deep communication does involve and what does it take to become a counsellor. This course was incredibly helpful for me and Andreas guidance was very caring and inspiring. This course is exactly what I was looking for and it has given me a confidence to carry on my training as a counsellor. Thank you ever so much Andrea!
Jan 2nd, 2020

Don't think or judge, just listen (Sarah Dessen, Just Listen) As a Complementary Therapist specialising in Reflexology, Massage and Reiki I have clients wanting to open up and share their innermost thoughts and worries, with my first instinct being to fix them or their situation. As time went on I realised this was not the best solution for them, nor me, but I didnt have the skills to know how to change. I knew that I wasnt always a good listener as I was usually formulating my response before the other person had finished speaking, and I would quite often interrupt and speak over them. So, I looked into the Introduction to Counselling Skills course and thought it was just what I was looking for, however wanted to make sure and spoke with the tutor Andrea Rippon. Andrea immediately put me at ease and as she described the eight week course I knew this was what I was looking for. The course will develop your understanding and use of effective listening skills so that you can improve your relationships at home, work and in helping/supporting relationships. We had plenty of time to practice what we were learning, and quickly developed an open and trusting relationship within the group, in line with the confidentiality contract we drew up. We learnt to recognise and communicate empathy and unconditional positive regard for the other person within their internal frame of reference. We took turns at being the listener, the speaker and the observer - all of which equally had their own challenges but were an incredibly valuable part of the process. I learnt its about truly listening to another person without any judgment, accepting them as they are, not getting caught up in their story, but staying genuinely present with them. To be truly listened to is a fantastic experience and unfortunately in todays world this is not something that happens often. After doing this course you can progress further and study to become a counsellor, however for me this course was about personal development, allowing me to listen better and accept people and their situations without having the need to fix them. It has given me clarity of who I am and how I relate to others, of being genuine, accepting and deeply understanding. I realise I am a work in progress and I am looking forward to continuing to improve on my new found skills and self awareness in every day life, in all my interactions not just those I see in the treatment room.
Jun 20th, 2020

Straightening my head out I was recommended Andrea by a very close friend who had seen me lose my self esteem and confidence , I had hit an almighty low. My marriage of 34 years had collapsed, I had various difficult relationships to deal with inside and outside of my marriage including by business. After much self analysis I was getting nowhere, an emotional wreck and dare I say it had lost the will for life. Over a period of 4 months and 10? sessions Andrea has shown me, coached me , to a state of new found confidence and ability to look positively to the future. I can't recommend her highly enough. She is kind, understanding, can't be phased (really) and has the ability to make what seemed so complex understandable and in fact simple to navigate. I thank her from the bottom of my heart.
Mar 9th, 2020

Inspirational, challenging and connecting. I attended the Introduction to Counselling Skills initially for professional development with the role I work in with young people and adults around mental health and well being. I never expected to go on such a personal journey of growth and development. Andrea was inspiring and created a safe and comforting environment for us to share openly. It was a challenge to look as some personal aspects that I needed to deal with and understand to become a better listener as well as congruent with myself. Lastly, the opportunity to connect with new people as a group, with Andrea and her experience and wisdom, connecting with myself and most importantly connecting with the speaker/ client. Understanding and experiencing what it means to have some one to be there with you in the moment - listening to you. I highly recommend this course from personal and professional benefits.
Oct 22nd, 2019