Fees and practicalities Counselling and Psychotherapy training and experience
I started working as a qualified counsellor in 2003. After this, I developed an integrative approach attending further training enabling me to utilise Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Brief Intervention Therapy (SFBT) and Transactional Analysis (TA) in addition to my core theoretical model of Person Centred Therapy (PCT). I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to their framework for ethical practice. I gained BACP accreditation in 2009. I am ICO registered and hold an enhanced DBS certificate.
Past and present counselling experience includes:
- Running own private practice
- Working for a number of Employee Assistance Programmes, (EAPs), local and national
- Working for Mid Staffs MIND (mental health issues)
- Working for a local bereavement and loss charity as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer
- Working at a homeless hostel
- Working with prisoners and staff at various local prisons
- Working for the Probation Service with people referred by the courts who have issues with alcohol and/ or drugs
- Working for Social Services
- Working for a local alcohol and drug service
Throughout my life I have worked and lived and worked in a variety of places around the UK and have gained valuable insights into the ‘bigger picture’ of people and life. This has helped prepare and shape me, prior to my training to qualify as a counsellor, to work more confidently and sensitively with sometimes very difficult issues (see the Counselling page) and to further understand the links between cause and effect.
I work with passion and commitement, am open, completely non-judgemental and confident in the power of counselling. I am willing to go where ever you need to go, to work through what you have or still are experiencing, however difficult or terrifying that may be, and will 'hold' you and what you bring to the session/s, safely, while we work towards an outcome.