Gillian Reid

Hi, I’m Gillian!

My personal journey towards therapeutic counselling evolved through observing peoples’ behaviour, whilst working within the travel sector. Travel is a passion of mine and I embrace the customs and traditions each new country extends. That said, I find Edinburgh to be a spectacular and beautiful city bursting with culture and always offering so much to see and do. 

I have also always been an, (albeit amateur), philosopher who constantly contemplates life and human behaviour patterns. This thinking stimulated my thirst for professional psychological study.  It was around this time too, that I volunteered with Samaritans. This continued for a period of around five years, and it was whilst volunteering, that I realised how much I would like to be involved fully with counselling. 

My path involved a diploma and another degree. Thereafter, many counselling placements namely school, agencies, charities, and also private practice. For dovelight I am a therapeutic counsellor. I facilitate individuals in their exploration of feelings, emotions, and to make sense of their world. This exploration is aided by the tranquillity and warmth of dovelight’s resplendent coloured rooms.

My professional journey began in the field of psychology. In my bachelor’s degree, the larger areas of learning were child psychology; social psychology; biological psychology; and cognitive psychology. I pondered more intensive study within psychology and during this time volunteered as a Samaritan. It was during my time at Samaritans that I realised my yearning was to actively counsel and so began another degree in counselling involving active training at The Charis Foundation and client therapy at PF Counselling Services.

My training, and therefore, my therapeutic modality is within the person-centred and psychodynamic dialogue with core conditions always present; empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard for the individual. 

My hobbies outside of my work are animals, particularly wildlife. My garden is a home to foxes, toads, blue tits, finches, blackbirds, magpies and of course the obligatory pigeon(s) I enjoy taking photographs of wildlife and our family home also includes our three fabulous dogs. It’s a very busy, bustling and social household and life is never dull!