The Outdoor Studio

01/11/2026

31/10/2026

30/10/2026

Yeay! Another workshop! I'm holding this at Rebels cafe on Dover seafront, a cosy place which is easy to get to, easy to park, and easy to 'be'. 

Do you struggle with: 

rumination?

seeing the positive?

spiralling into low mood? 

feeling enough? 

managing triggers? 

regulating emotions?

being present day-to-day?

The workshop will present a handful of quick and easy prompts which can help you manage these common issues.

I'm a qualified therapist and I've been facilitating group journaling sessions to improve mental health for four years. I therefore have good insight into what writing exercises spark self-discovery, grow self-esteem, bring joy, and also initiate connection within a small group. 

The cost of the 90-minute session is £20. Watch this space for further information. In the meantime, if you're interested, do reach out and let me know. No obligation to book, it's fine to simply have a chat about it.

29/10/2026

“How much do you hate having your photo taken?” I asked Emma.

“Oh, a million per cent!” she laughed. “It’s uncomfortable and awkward. I agreed to do it to make myself feel uncomfortable. We have to say yes to things sometimes.”

I liked Emma’s answer. I’m an unwavering advocate for sitting in discomfort with the intention of self-growth, not just because I’m a counsellor but because I’m also a woman who very much wants to fulfil her own potential. I know that won’t happen if I’m risk-averse, if I get stuck in a negative ‘but what if…?’ mindset.

Anyway, back to photos -

Very few people are at ease in front of the camera. My mission has long been to change this, to help people feel safe, and find trust in me and the process. It has always been less about clicking the shutter, more about clicking with the person.

Emma left me with the following words -

“This has been very unnatural to me but you made it very bearable, so thank you.”

If you need your photo taken and you're slightly dreading it, do get in touch to talk about it 🙂

28/10/2026

Although I put a positive spin on my injury, I also acknowledged the unwanted and uncomfortable feelings which came up in the process. In my role as a counsellor, I work with clients who are struggling to move on from terrible adversity, and whilst my broken hand was a molehill compared to their mountain, the principle is the same. Healing is about rewriting the narrative so that we can live. What is your adversity and how can you tell it?

This extract is taken from an article titled 'What breaking my hand in Thailand taught me about life.' From this little mishap came reflections on breathing, being enough, failure, 'tiny tourism', and grief.

 
The link to the blog is in the bio - hope you find something which resonates and is helpful to you.

 

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Hello, I’m Charlotte. I am a qualified therapist with a focus on working outdoors. I help people to be seen and heard through Walk & Talk sessions and other therapeutic experiences such as portrait photography and workshops. I know from my own experience that when we are seen and heard by someone who has empathy with us, we are able to truly see our authentic selves. We are also able to develop and strengthen our voice. We find answers to big questions such as, who am I? What do I want? What do I need?

If you are going through something difficult and are looking for an unconventional and liberating way of to explore your feelings and start to heal, do get in touch. There are no silly questions.

27/10/2026

Very few people are at ease in front of the camera. Many women I have met through my work as a photographer and counsellor had a genuine fear of being photographed. They’d lived certain experiences in their lifetime which had made them feel insignificant and self-conscious. My mission was always to change this, but I could only do it by making them feel safe and find trust in me and the process. 

For me, it has always been less about clicking the shutter, more about clicking with the person. 

If you need your photo taken and you're slightly dreading it, do get in touch to talk about it 🙂

25/10/2026

I'd built an outdoor photography brand based on the notion that people were more relaxed when they were sitting amongst bluebells or walking barefoot on a beach, so why couldn’t I apply this to my therapy?

That was my prevailing thought ahead of setting up Walk & Talk therapy sessions. The idea for working outdoors hadn't been instant. I'd spent hundreds of hours sitting in counsellor training with the preconceived idea of seeing future clients in premises with four walls and two chairs. A contained space. Textbook stuff. The way I was taught. 

However, as I navigated the transition from the role of ‘Trainee’ to Trained’, I had time to think about what I really wanted my private practice to look and feel like. Not only had my photography business brought a great deal of experience in getting the most out of people outdoors, but I also had an existing platform on which to build. The Outdoor Studio was ready to evolve. 

I was also working part-time in a recovery centre for those struggling with addiction and other mental health issues, a place where fields and leafy lanes and wide skies provided refuge for burned-out souls, many of them from the fast-paced and chaotic city. I saw how the power of nature calmed their nervous system and gave them space to think and ‘be’. The outdoors had also been a fundamental part of my own recovery in the form of sea swimming and little adventures such as camping and hiking.

I have no doubt that nature can sometimes do what the counselling room cannot...

If you are interested in learning more about Walk & Talk therapy session, feel free to drop me a PM and we can talk more about what you need.

Charlotte x

23/10/2026

I find that pushing through light rain side-by-side builds a unique sense of teamwork. A shared resilience emerges. I hope you enjoy this week's blog post - LINK IN BIO. 

Rather timely with Storm Austen. Needless to say, a good walk-and-talk plan always includes a backup option if the rain turns into a real downpour – like heading to a shelter (all my chosen risk-assessed routes have one of these!) or moving the session online. 

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Hello, I’m Charlotte. I am a qualified therapist with a focus on working outdoors. I help people to be seen and heard through Walk & Talk  sessions and other therapeutic experiences such as portrait photography and workshops. I know from my own experience that when we are seen and heard by someone who has empathy with us, we are able to truly see our authentic selves. We are also able to develop and strengthen our voice. We find answers to big questions such as, who am I? What do I want? What do I need?

If you are going through something difficult and are looking for an unconventional and liberating way of to explore your feelings and start to heal, do get in touch. There are no silly questions.

22/10/2026

Do you hide from the storm, try to fight it, or walk through it?

The wet weather can serve as a powerful therapeutic tool in Walk & Talk therapy. Together, we can find symbolism and meaning in the wind and rain. 

What is your storm..?

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Hello, I’m Charlotte. I am a qualified therapist with a focus on working outdoors. I help people to be seen and heard through Walk & Talk  sessions and other therapeutic experiences such as portrait photography and workshops. I know from my own experience that when we are seen and heard by someone who has empathy with us, we are able to truly see our authentic selves. We are also able to develop and strengthen our voice. We find answers to big questions such as, who am I? What do I want? What do I need?

If you are going through something difficult and are looking for an unconventional and liberating way of to explore your feelings and start to heal, do get in touch. There are no silly questions.

21/10/2026

I admit, when mulling over whether to offer Walk & Talk therapy sessions, I worried about how many I’d have to call off due to rainy weather.

I needn’t have worried. Very few clients have wanted to reschedule due to Autumn showers. (For those who did, we moved the session online.)

What I’ve found is that rain in a walk-and-talk counselling session can serve as a powerful therapeutic tool rather than a disruption.

Here's how - 

1. Sensory Grounding & Presence

 
We can use the rain to ground us, and help us feel present in the moment, by:

 
Listening to the sound: Focusing on the rhythm of raindrops on leaves, puddles, or waterproof jackets to anchor the mind in the immediate present.

Feeling the elements: Noticing the physical sensations of cool air or mist on the face to shift focus out of a racing head and into the body.

2. Symbolism and meaning (my favourite!)

 
Weather as emotion: Rain mirrors internal states; clients can explore how they handle discomfort, sadness, or storms in their lives (e.g., "Do you hide from the storm, try to fight it, or walk through it?").

Cleansing and release: The act of walking through rain can symbolise washing away old thoughts, grief, or heavy burdens, leaving room for a fresh start.

Carrying the weight: Wet clothes or mud on boots can open a dialogue about the extra "weight" or effort a client is currently carrying.

Overall, pushing through light rain side-by-side builds a unique sense of teamwork and shared endurance between the counsellor and client. A shared resilience emerges. 

For more information on Walk & Talk sessions with me, a qualified therapist, please drop me a PM on here...