A New Chapter: Moving Premises in the Heart of Leicester

Change is rarely simple. Even when it’s chosen, even when it represents growth, it often comes with a mixture of excitement, uncertainty, and reflection. As a counsellor, I spend a great deal of time talking with people about life transitions. Recently, I’ve been navigating one of my own.

I’m pleased to share that I have moved to new counselling premises in the heart of Leicester. My new space is located just opposite the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery and the historic New Walk, one of the city’s most distinctive and peaceful streets. While the move marks a practical change of location, it has also prompted me to think more deeply about what it means to move on.

Leicester’s Historic New Walk

New Walk is one of Leicester’s best-known landmarks. Built in the late 18th century, it is a tree-lined pedestrian walkway that stretches from the city centre towards Victoria Park. Originally designed as a place for gentle promenades away from busy roads, it remains a calm, green route through the city today.

Walking along New Walk, you’re surrounded by mature trees, historic buildings, and cultural landmarks such as Leicester Museum and Art Gallery. Despite being just minutes from the city centre, it offers a sense of pause, a quiet space where people can slow down, reflect, and simply walk.

It feels fitting that my new counselling space sits right here, in a place long associated with reflection and thoughtful wandering.

Life Transitions and the Emotional Impact of Change

Moving premises may seem like a straightforward logistical change, but like many transitions in life, it brings a range of emotions. Leaving a familiar space can stir feelings of nostalgia, gratitude, and sometimes sadness. Even positive change often involves a kind of loss. Saying goodbye to something that has been meaningful.

Many people seek counselling during similar moments of transition. These might include:

• Moving home or relocating to a new city

• Changing career or workplace

• Starting or ending relationships

• Becoming a parent

• Experiencing bereavement or significant life changes

Transitions can challenge our sense of stability and identity. They often bring uncertainty about what lies ahead, while also prompting reflection about where we’ve been.

The Difficulty of Letting Go

One of the hardest parts of change is saying goodbye. Familiar places, routines, and relationships become part of our emotional landscape. When these shift, it can feel unsettling.

In counselling, people sometimes discover that current transitions awaken memories or feelings from earlier experiences of change. Perhaps moves in childhood, separations, or moments where they had to adapt quickly. These past experiences can quietly shape how we approach change in the present.