Bold Venture Counselling Services

29/08/2026

I'm still here 🙂

This has been the busiest summer I've had as a counsellor and we've even managed to fit in a week away as a family. I'm still having a bit of a break, but I've not felt as relaxed in a long time.

I'm ready to go again from next week and I am available to arrange telephone consultations with no fee or commitment required:

https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/liam-sullivan

(this is one of the few photos of our holiday that wasn't my tea😁)

💙

29/08/2026

This is well worth a read

03/07/2026

In counseling, challenging a client—gently but directly—is often where the real breakthrough happens.

It isn't about being confrontational or proving a point; rather, it's about holding up a mirror to blind spots, contradictions, or self-limiting beliefs that the client might not see.

When done within a strong, trusting relationship, a therapeutic challenge disrupts habitual patterns of thinking and encourages deeper self-reflection.

It nudges clients out of their comfort zones and moves them past intellectualising their problems, shifting the therapy from a space of mere venting to one of active growth and accountability.

19/06/2026

Some of you may know, some may not. But recently, I became a new dad at 44 and I'm loving it.

But every so often, it hits me that I wish I'd been younger so that I had more time. I feel sad. I feel sad that when my child is finishing school, I'll be 60. I feel sad that I'll be an old man at my child's 40th.

What can I do about it? Not much. I can't go back in time. I could look after myself better, giving us more time together. But I can't change much.

This thought came again this week and I realised, it's OK. Being sad about something is part of life, it doesn't always need a cure or a resolution. My sadness about one small aspect of my fatherhood doesn't need to define it. I can accept the sadness in the waves it comes, but 99% of being a dad is pure joy (and nappies).

In life, if we can't change what is making us sad, we have to accept it. Make peace with the fact that it's part of us. But not let it define who we are, life moves and grows around sadness, we should let it 💙

06/06/2026

The terrain may be rocky today, but together we can try to find brighter horizons.

I'm putting the "venture" into Bold Venture Counselling Services, by offering "walk and talk" therapy.

This is available alongside regular face to face or remote sessions, routes and abilities can be discussed and arranged in advance.

To check availability, arrange a free 10 minute consultation or for any more information please email me: [email protected] or visit my directory listing:
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/liam-sullivan

04/06/2026

I've not posted for a while, as life is pretty busy at the moment.

But I had something of a flashback recently to a time in my life when I was really struggling and stressed. It prompted me to think and my brain works with analogies, this was how I saw it at the time and my view on "helping".

Our lives are made up of these relationships we build. Sometimes we help others, sometimes we need help, we all try to help each other. But do we reflect on how we convey that help, do we listen to what's coming back? These relationships can be friends, colleagues, managers, family, sports coaches, our lives are filled with them.

But if we give that advice or offer that help, do we listen when someone says "no"?

Sometimes we know something won't work, like pushing a snooker ball through a keyhole. Pushing the snooker ball puts little pressure on the ball, it's not going anywhere. But telling that person to keep pushing, telling that person what they should do to get it through the keyhole is putting pressure on the person.

Sometimes, help isn't a solution, it's listening. Sometimes, people talk to us about their problems to vent, not to be sent back to the keyhole with a new approach. When we start to listen to what people are saying, we start to understand what they need.

Counsellor Liam Sullivan - Darwen & Bolton - Counselling Directory https://share.google/K1ERCtXq92cZj9y4S

16/05/2026

It's Saturday morning, take some time to take some time 😊

Some people are not in a space to go for a run or to climb a mountain, either physically or mentally. But all journeys start with one step.

Some fresh air, taking a moment to smell the flowers or listen to the birds while you have a brew.

Take a moment now to calm and reset 💙

14/05/2026

Apologies in advance, don't watch this if foul language offends.

But every so often, I need to watch this video as a great reminder of accountability and taking responsibility.

Jim Telfer was one of the coaches of the British and Irish Lions in 1997 and this speech is famous for it's brutality. While the speech is about rugby, the key message can be used in all our lives.

Do we make excuses or do we look in the mirror and take ownership?

Can we blame or do we overcome?

Do we crumble or do we rise to the challenge?

Stirring stuff 💙

Forwards meeting on the 97 tour - Jim Telfer # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #0.05there are 2 kinds of rughby players boysthere are ho...

01/05/2026

People talk about the pack and how there's a leader or even a lone wolf, but the members of a pack look after each other.

When we talk with our pack at home, do we follow the following:

P - positive. Is what we're saying to each other positive? Are we building each other up rather than tearing people down?

A - accurate. Is what we're saying the truth? Is it or is it opinion or speculation?

C - constructive. Can what we're saying be used by the people we're saying it to? Are we trying to help or score points?

K - kind. Is what we're saying kind? Does it need to be said, will people feel better having heard it?

If we're a pack and we look after each other, but what we say is none of the above, why are we saying it? 💙

17/04/2026

Self discovery isn't charging into someone new, it's finding who you are after years of outside influence.

Throughout our lives we adapt and mould ourselves to our environment and relationships. Sometimes it's positive because we want to be like someone or to fit in, other times it's a case of self survival.

Self discovery is reconnecting to the person you are at the heart of you. Then choosing which aspects you wish to adapt and retain, to be your best version of you.

The you that makes you happiest 💙

https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/liam-sullivan