Tenant Profile: Mat Pronger
In the next in our series featuring tenants at Harland Works, we interviewed Mat Pronger who runs a counselling practice here and has turned his unit into a lovely oasis of calm and greenery. I know he’s made a lot of use of zoom during Covid but it will be lovely when things get back to normal a little more and Mat - like other tenants - can come back to being familiar faces around Harland Works.
How would you describe what you do and how did you get into it?
I'm a counsellor; some people call what I do 'psychotherapy' too. What that looks like can be incredibly different, depending on what people need; sometimes it involves 'reframing' what we're talking about; organising and sorting our thoughts. Other times it might involve some education; understanding what it is that got us to this point, what does this 'label' mean, or why we feel the way we do. I've even used games, art and play as part of my practice, when it's suited. But whoever I'm seeing, listening is always the biggest and most important part.
I got into counselling because I'm really curious about how people work; people are really quite amazing! We all respond to experiences so differently, and there's something incredibly moving about our abilities to heal and change. To be with people when they do this is really quite an honour, and to help or guide someone towards a recovery is a real privilege.
Why did you create your business?
There are a couple of reasons I wanted to work in independent practice. The first is a boring practical one; I wanted to do this, and there are surprisingly few opportunities to be employed in the field! Setting up my own practice made sense. I also love the freedom that comes with independent practice; it allows clients to work at a pace that suits them, and in the way that suits them. Sitting on a couch and talking every week is an incredibly useful and powerful thing, but it doesn't always suit us or the hectic lives we lead. Being able to offer some flexibility often opens up therapy to people that would otherwise struggle to access it.
What do you love about running a small business?
In an incredibly unpredictable time, running a small business has given me a huge amount of control over when and how I work. It's meant that COVID safety has been able to be a priority, and being able to adapt to all the changes that people have had to go through, from changing shift patterns for clients, to having people's pets gatecrash sessions!
What do you like least?
I still don't know how my diary balances each week. It does; I've never been double booked or missed an appointment, but it feels like a particularly dangerous high altitude balancing act a lot of the time!
Any tips for anyone thinking of setting up on their own?
Setting up an independent counselling practice isn't for everyone; you can be out on your own quite often, which can be quite isolating. Be realistic about this; I work at least one day a week in bigger organisations, and I find it helps to be able to see and talk to other people in the field. Also, start slowly! Starting a practice, and establishing yourself can take a long time. I filled my caseload this year for the first time; almost 5 years to the day after my first ever session.
What would you say to anyone else running/setting up a small independent business thinking about getting a unit at Harland Works? What works (or not!) for you being here?
There's a great balance of people and businesses here; it's created a very supportive atmosphere, and the support from Sophy and the HW team is always fantastic.
What's your favourite social media platform and how do you feel it works best for you in building a relationship and community with your customers?
I have looked at the idea of using social media a bit more, but I've found it quite a struggle! Privacy issues are a massive concern when it comes to social media and counselling, and at the moment client work is taking a priority. I am investigating some slightly different routes into this though; I think that there are some brilliant podcasts around mental health, and this is something I'm looking at dipping my toe into in the not too distant future!
How can people find out more about you and what you do?
I keep my website (sheffieldcounsellor.net) up to date, and try to add blog posts sporadically. I've tried to take a 'clients eye' view to information; we're often searching for a counsellor when we're in a degree of distress. Jargon and technical language are not helpful at all!
Matthew Pronger, MSc, MBACP (accredited), Integrative Counsellor/Psychotherapist
