"I especially value the opportunity to talk about work issues and my emotional response to them in a non-peer, confidential context. The fact that I am not in competition with colleagues or being evaluated by my superiors means this is the one place I can be completely honest. While it might seem selfish, my work consultant is there entirely for me. While she is objective, she does not directly know the situations we discuss and is therefore not obliged to take 'both sides of the issue' or harbour some vested interest. In this context it is most helpful to have someone reflect back to you what they're hearing and perhaps suggest alternative perspectives. I appreciate the wide range of coaching she offers - from helping me to identify good working practices, to drawing on the results of psychometric tests etc. Talking through work-related issues often provides me with the confidence and reassurance that I really can tackle them adequately. I always find our sessions affirming and come away feeling better about my ability to deal with people and problems".

Director of a charity