“Me and my partner went to Mark for couples councilling due to a recent emotional event in my life.
Mark was fantastic.. he remained impartial when it came to airing our issues.
He gave me and my partner some fantastic techniques to use to aid in communication.
He also helped us to understand what each of us needs from the other.. ensuring effort is put in both ways and not just one of us doing everything.

But most of all, he helped my partner open up about his emotions which has never happened in the whole of our 11 year relationship. This has helped so much.

Thank you Mark!”

“We started couple therapy with Mark a few months ago and he has helped us turn our relationship around drastically. We are a married couple with a toddler and another baby on the way. We got sucked into a cycle of arguments on a daily basis and just could not cope with it anymore. We went into our first few sessions and tried to be as honest as possible.

Each week we have worked on different techniques to try and help us through the hardships we were facing. Every technique has helped us grow as a couple, we have learnt the importance of good communication but mainly worked on braking the cycle of arguments.

Mark has helped guide us through a really tough time in our relationship and we are very grateful. We finally feel in a good place but we are going to continue with our sessions with Mark and he has helped us adjust our plan moving forward.

We have tried couples counselling before but we only managed a month or so, it was just too formal for us. Mark on the other hand is a lovely guy, he is very easy to talk to and puts you at ease straight away. He really listens to what you are saying and helps guide you forward in a positive way.

Mark has helped make this journey for us successful by staying mutual and never siding with either one of us. Although, he has told us straight if one of us is being unreasonable and that is just what we needed!”

“My husband and I were at crisis point in our relationship, we’ve been together for over 10 years, and have 2 young sons. We were in a horrible cycle of conflict that we saw no way out of. We reached out to Mark and he has given us some tools to work with to get our relationship back on track. Mark is friendly, approachable and really understands couples and how to help them. He gave us what we needed to save ourselves and our relationship. We are in such a better place now after seeing Mark for a month or so. Mark’s approach is not stuffy or formal, it feels like you’re having a chat with a friend, someone you’ve known for a long time who gives great advice. If we ever need to seek help, as a couple or individually again we will be contacting Mark. Thanks so much for everything!”

“Mark put us at ease immediately. He is clearly experienced and very easy to speak with. We highly recommend Mark and will use his professional services again.”

“Mark is a genuinely lovely bloke who has helped me not only through a tough time in my marriage but also helped better myself as an individual, great listener with honest and helpful advice. Highly recommend. ”

“We would definitely recommend Mark to anyone struggling, we really can’t believe how much our lives have changed over the last few months and we hope this change will last if we continue to follow the methods introduced to us.

Thank you Mark!”

“My husband and I were having some problems in our marriage and were at breaking point. We got in contact with Mark through Bark and it was the best thing we could’ve done. He has helped us get our marriage back on track and we’re in a really good place. He is very easy to talk to, very understanding and was a great mediator with our issues.
I would recommend Mark to anyone who needs help using counselling and would definitely use him again if I needed to speak to a professional. Thank you again Mark for all your help!”

“Mark Penfold saved my life with his Counselling. His friendly, non judgemental approach towards helping others was exactly what I needed. I worked with Mark for a little over 3 months, but immediately after seeing him for the first session, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.

Mark’s trustworthy and down to earth personality fitted so well for me, so much so that it often felt like I was talking to my Dad or best friend about my problems; but without the future worries about repercussions or judgement. Speaking out about my problems to Mark was the best decision I’ve ever made. I now feel free, happy and confident to go on and tackle head on any problems life may throw at me in the future.

I could not have asked for a better man to help shine the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for me. Mark has changed my life and I wholeheartedly and honestly recommend him to any person looking for help.”

Thanks for everything Mark. ”

“You have helped me realise I need to be aware of what I feel and understand and I need not fear what others may or may not think of me. Thanks for your help.”

“Very relaxed and comfortable environment and real advice that works.”

“Mark is very easy to talk to and understands my problems. I will continue to see him.”

“Really pleased with the results I got from the sessions with Mark I would highly recommend using his services.”

“Mark has been a great help to my 11-year old, who has been seeing him for the past few months for help with anxiety related issues. Mark is so easy to talk to and get on with, making kids and adults feel comfortable and at ease, any my son found his sessions with Mark extremely helpful!”

“I found Mark to be very patient and understanding to the issues I was facing. He is very insightful and is refreshingly very easy to talk to. Would recommend Mark to anybody.”

“Mark made me feel very comfortable and I really felt like I was being listed to. He is a great listener and gave me a really good perspective on the things I need to work on.”

“I had 5 sessions with Mark that were super insightful and helped me to tackle a few persisting demons. He provided me with a listening ear and the right amount of support to enable me to think critically about the source of the issues and I left each session with greater clarity on how to overcome them. Recommend!”

“Mark is an incredibly astute and patient listener. After just one session I felt the weight of circular thoughts lift and some clarity appear. Over subsequent weeks I’ve found Mark insightful and questioning, but equally supportive of my choices no matter what the outcome or how unwise. I’ve never felt judged, rather been offered a mirror to reflect parts of my character that have been more than a bit difficult to grasp. A really good experience.”

“Mark has been great to work with. From the start, his attitude has been welcoming and easygoing, while probing quite deep and complex issues. He has a knack of putting people at ease and making them feel like they are part of a team when it comes to solving their issues. He is also very fair and straightforward, key qualities when it comes to really honing in on how to improve a relationship. Our only regret is that we have not yet met him in person. Thank you, Mark!”

“Mark is a very down to earth and easy to approach person. Talking to him feels like talking to a friend, he is able to establish a connection that doesn’t feel purely professional. I reckon connecting on a more personal level is very important during these interactions. Through conversation, he skilfully made me realise what some of my thought processes were and how I could view things differently, to improve my perception of myself. Mark was proactive, reminding me about the sessions and chasing me when I had forgotten about our session. Thanks Mark, and will talk to you soon.”

“Had my first session with Mark, and he’s incredible. Listened to me without any judgement, asked questions, and was able to give me concrete advice. Something I wish I have heard a long time ago. Thank you Mark. Talk soon.”

“Mark has been helping my family through several issues over the past through months has a varied approach and use of different ways of helping us to understand whats going on and how we can improve for us a couple and as individuals would highly recommend.”

“Myself and my girlfriend have been together for about six months. We had a few arguments recently, so seeked the guidance of Mark who helped us to understand each others’ needs as a couple through therapy. He is friendly, understanding, intuitive and offers great advice. Me and my girlfriend are much better at resolving differences amicably now following this therapy. I felt the benefits myself so continue to see Mark as an individual to discuss unresolved issues and so far it has been very helpful to me. He provides helpful tools to allow me to better relate with myself and others, while increasing my assertiveness.”

“Mark is truly formidable, kind, with a calm approach and great listening skills for your personal needs. I never fell the urge to approach a stranger to talk about my deepest traumas and emotional challenges. But from the moment we started to talk I fell liberated from many demons. Mark works well and in a kind, passionate clear way to make you comfortable in the topics of discussions. I highly recommend his services. A voice with a healing solution. Thank you Mark!”

“I came to see Mark in response to a good friend recommending I work on my anxiety issues. I was having trouble sleeping and constantly thought about traumatic events from my childhood. Speaking to Mark was incredibly refreshing. It was very easy to open up during our first session and I truly felt that he listened to me and understood my issues. Following on from my first session, Mark delivered specific, actionable and practical advice to help me in day-to-day life - my sleeping has dramatically improved since my first session. If you want to work on your issues in a friendly, professional and trustworthy environment, I highly recommend seeing Mark!”

“I started counselling with Mark during a period of intense rows in my relationship. I was angry, self-harming, and full of anxiety. As the sessions went on, Mark was great at connecting things from my past that were still affecting my present-day behaviour, and suggesting ways to deal with them. He helped me approach conflict in better ways and guided me towards expressing myself more gently and de-escalating arguments. Mark also helped me identify how much rigid thinking and perfectionism was affecting so many areas of my life. I’ve made good progress in addressing this. After a less than satisfying experience with a previous counsellor, I found Mark to be the ‘real deal’ — really down to earth and easy to talk to. I felt confident in his ability to help me work through my issues. Never once did he try to pathologise me. I completed 14 sessions with Mark before feeling it was time to work through my issues on my own with the help he gave me. I’ll certainly return to him for further sessions should the need arise.”

“Mark is a fantastic therapist who I would recommend to anyone looking to be more assertive and confident. Over the past 4 months he has helped me with many areas including assertiveness, boundaries, guilt, relationships, family issues and self esteem/confidence. Mark is a good listener and offers great advice and insights, he’s very professional and an accepting, non-judgemental person and I feel respected and valued. You can tell he cares about his patients. I feel that through working together I’ve grown be more assertive, standing up for myself feels more natural and I feel less guilty holding boundaries. This has really helped my quality of life because when I practice assertiveness I feel more confident and able to be my authentic self which has also reduced my depression a lot too. It’s been a great journey of growth. Thanks Mark! :)”

“Mark creates a safe and supportive space where I feel able to share, to be vulnerable and to grow in a way that feels organic and natural to me. He is an excellent listener and often surprises me with the level of detail that he’s able to recall from our past sessions. I feel like I have in Mark a conscientious ally who is attentive and purposeful in the way he guides and the questions he asks. He is able to show me my own agency in a way that feels constructive and positive and I leave each session feeling better and better equipped to understand myself and my behavior and to effect meaningful, positive change in my life. I’ve tried and failed at therapy before and with Mark it’s become a consistent part of my life and something I look forward to.”

“Mark is simply a great therapist who I can’t recommend highly enough. He listens attentively - often helping me to link what I have said to topics I bought up in previous sessions. He has also helped me uncover insights into my behaviour and guided me to see things more clearly and make improvements.”

“I’ve struggled with certain relationships in my life (Personal & Work). Mark has really helped me understand the dynamics of these relationships and how I can use healthy techniques to ensure my feelings are considered and boundaries respected. This is the most important part to me, however this is not the only place marks advice has helped me take more control and ownership of my actions and as a result how I respond to events and situations. Highly recommended!”

“I have had 4 intensive therapy sessions over a week with Mark. I started my first therapy session in a dark place with confused emotions. I have been experiencing “Red Mist” moments that were scaring me and those around me leaving me with feelings of remorse and self loathing. Mark gave me a safe place to get the initial emotional pain and possible reasons for my behaviour off my chest which was essential for me. After this session I felt a huge release from a lot of my pent up frustrations which I now understand through talking with Mark, were manifesting in my losing control of my temper. Mark has practically helped me to understand how to manage conflict with better outcomes for me and those around me. Just having my feelings and emotions validated by Mark was a ground breaking moment. I’m already seeing more positive results and feel more in control. I’ve tried therapy before and realise getting the right therapist is essential for recovery. I highly recommend Mark.”

“So far I’ve only had 2 sessions with Mark, but in that short space of time I’ve learnt a lot about myself and have quickly been able to apply what I’ve learnt to my every day life. Mark is a great listener, and as a young man battling with my mental health, it’s great to talk to another man about my emotions and feelings (an interaction that’s very hard to come back). I will be continuing with Mark as my therapist to keep developing who I am as a person. Thanks Mark.”

“My main problem is problems in relationships. I’ve noticed that Mark is a good listener, I felt respected, understood and valued. In a very short time, he was able to clarify what was my main problem and has guided me to get deeper understanding of my issue, so that I clearly know which behaviour of mine is causing me get out of balance. Since, this was our first session,for the next session he told me he has some action steps to offer, so that I can make some real changes in regard to the way I relate to people.I’m looking forward to working with Mark in the future.”

“Mark brings many years of experience to our calls and it shows. He listens attentively and remembers what we have discussed previously. He offers useful insights into my issues and helps me to see things more clearly, often through use of expanded metaphors. I leave every session with a better outlook, more confidence, and a clearer sense of what will help.”

“After struggling for years with anxiety, depression and OCD I decided it was time to take action.

I found Mark and chose him due to seeing previous reviews.

At first I was very hesitant as I have never done therapy before but Mark was incredible from the offset, he is a very normal guy and makes you feel so at ease and not as though you are in a therapy session as such but more talking to a friend that you can completely trust which I found the most useful of this all. He challenges your mind without you even realising it’s happening and after only 4 sessions with Mark I feel a different person. Even though Mark has helped me through my current struggle I will be keeping in touch with him as I think he will be a life long therapist for me to help MOT my brain in a way.

1000% recommend using Mark.

Thank you again!”

“I give Mark Penfold 5 stars.

For me personally, he was competent in the approaches I preferred in therapy. I struggled with some typical things as a guy in his mid-twenties. At the same time, he is a hands-on kind of guy, full of empathy and abilities to relate. So, I quickly realised my thoughts and emotions were in safe hands. He might look a bit manly, but he has a heart of gold. I would fully recommend him to anyone having a challenging time even if it is during COVID-19 or after.”

“Mark has saved our marriage. Over the last year we have only argued and even fought each other. Before walking away from the marriage we contacted BARK.
Initially we were doubtful of any meaningful help. Though our councillor Mark Penfold has been down to earth and easy to talk to, he listens, mediates and helps to find a way of communicating through the difficult tensions without judgement.
Even though, at times, we found it difficult to find a ‘nice’ way of saying things to each other, the point that we have both taken on board Marks’ suggestions and are trying, has made a world of difference.
Our relationship needed boundaries, this gave space so now we both have freedom to voice our thoughts without fear of reprisals, because Mark helped us rephrase a few responses.
With Marks’ help, we have put down the covid induced daily alcohol, which we are so glad to have caught that one before it was too much of a wrench!
Feeling happier, healthier, more hopeful and even a little excited for the future. Thank you Mark, we will chat again in a month as a follow-up.”

“Mark is calm, balanced, well rounded and knowledgeable in handling all therapy situations. Neither my partner or I have felt one sided in our sessions, we have found it easy to express how we feel to each other knowing that Mark will be honest with us at all times. He is very personable and easy to laugh along with for anyone who is worried about trying counselling, don’t be as Mark is great at putting you at ease. Highly recommended for couples therapy and single sessions. Mark has really helped us listen to each other and over come some serious issues in our relationship! Thank you Mark x”

“We started receiving relationship counselling from Mark in the middle of lockdown and so we were able to have a video session every week.
Mark is a very easy going man that is very easy to talk to and he always came up with a solution to any issues that we had as a couple. So much so that we only needed a few sessions and now we are moving back in together.
We would highly recommended Mark if you are thinking of having any counselling.”

“Mark has a fantastic approach to his sessions allowing you to express your thoughts and concerns giving great advice and feedback allowing you to come to the right decisions by yourself. His knowledge and understanding are a great asset to his services definitely recommend his services.”

“I never had counselling or even thought I would need counselling so I was apprehensive regarding the whole counselling situation.
But once I confronted my demons and realised that it is what I needed in my life to be a better person I made contact with bark who then forwarded me Mark Penfold”s detail.

Mark Penfold’s style of Counselling has helped me immensely and I would recommend him to anyone who has life issues they needed dealing with.
Without Marks counselling I would not have been able to move forward as a person!
Mark is easy to talk to and very understanding, the advise I’ve received from him has made me a different person and is helping me to reach my goal!!
I would highly recommend Mark Penfold.”

“I can’t recommend Mark enough, I was in a really bad place and felt so much better just after one session with mark over the phone, I have been talking to mark once a week for 4 weeks and feel like I’m in such a better head space and can’t thank him enough, I’ve kept his number as I feel like he’s a therapist I want to stay in contact with through out my life when ever I’m feeling low. Thankyou so much I’ll defiantly be recommending you to any of my family or friends that are struggling with anything.”

“Very good, felt good after session. Thanks Mark.”

“Very relaxed and comfortable environment and real advice that works.”

“Mark is very easy to talk to and understands my problems.”