Mrs Natalie Rigg

Mrs Natalie Rigg is a highly qualified Counsellor and an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). She offers compassionate and professional counselling services from her serene and secluded garden room located in North West Bristol and Priory Bristol Park Clinic. With a strong commitment to providing a safe and supportive space, Natalie assists individuals experiencing various difficulties by offering them a place to talk, think, and explore their challenges in ways they may not have been able to before.

Natalie practices a humanistic or person-centred approach to counselling. In her sessions, she is fully present for her clients, offering a non-judgmental, empathetic ear while also engaging with thoughtful questions, observations, and challenges when appropriate. Her approach is rooted in the belief that the client is the expert of their own experience, and her role is to support them in discovering their own path forward. At times, she also shares relevant theories and her own insights to further enrich the therapeutic process.

Before embarking on her counselling career, Natalie gained valuable life experience in various roles. She worked as a solicitor, raised three children with her husband, and contributed her time and skills to the Cleft Lip and Palate Association, a charity close to her heart. From 2015 to 2021, she worked with an eating disorders charity in Bristol, deepening her understanding and expertise in this complex field.

Natalie qualified as a counsellor in July 2014 and has been seeing clients since 2013. Her early work included roles with a sexual health and HIV charity in Bristol and OTR (Bristol), a mental health support service for young people aged 11 to 25. She established her private practice in 2018, and since 2019, she has also served as a sessional therapist for the Priory Well-Being Centre in Bristol. Natalie also holds a Foundation Degree in Counselling with Distinction, a BA (Hons) in Law, and a Diploma in Online and Distance Therapy, awarded in 2022 by the School of Applied Mental Health.

Natalie’s work has often focused on supporting individuals living with long-term conditions, including HIV, eating disorders, chronic pain, and disabilities. Her extensive experience in the field of eating disorders has given her a deep understanding of conditions such as Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder, and OSFED. She is acutely aware of the psychological and physical impacts of these disorders, as well as the immense pressure they place on those caring for loved ones affected by them.

In addition to her specialisation in eating disorders, Natalie has worked with clients facing a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, sexuality, shame, and low self-esteem. Her experience has made her sensitive to the diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and sexual orientations of her clients.