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How I Work

I am an experienced counsellor, having worked in school and within charitable agencies.  Alongside my private work, I am Deputy Head of Counselling at a local low-cost service where I am responsible for the management and supervision of a team of counsellors.  I am accredited by the BACP which means that I have been assessed as meeting their higher standard of competence and ethics. 

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My approach is integrative which means that I use a range of skills that best suit you.  However, my original training is psychodynamic which is especially helpful in identifying thoughts and feelings that we aren’t aware of that impact how we feel and cope with what's happening now. Past experiences in childhood, cultural stories, trauma, bullying, family issues, or losses can have a greater impact than we might imagine and can affect how we feel right now. We can explore some of these feelings by thinking about patterns in your life, past and present experiences, dreams, and how it feels to be in a room with me

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Psychodynamic counselling is a structured way of working, we meet once a week at the same time and in the same place to create a safe, non-judgmental, and confidential environment in which you will be able to talk to me about whatever it is that you need to bring. My way of counselling is open-ended which means we meet as many or as few times as you wish and you can bring whatever it is you wish to talk about.  

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It may well be that you are unsure what particular issue it maybe you want to explore, it may be a feeling or a sense that something is not right or that you are not able to live your life in the way that you want to.  Without a defined issue, it can be incredibly helpful to be given the space to see what comes up and be curious about where a feeling may come from.

 

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​​I have experience working with clients who are struggling with:

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·        life-stage issues,

·        low self-esteem,

·        anxiety (including social anxiety),

·        depression,

·        loneliness,

·        low confidence,

·        difficulties with identity and sexuality

·        bereavement and loss, including suicide bereavement, those bereaved through drug or alcohol-related death,

·        ambiguous loss,

·        estrangement,

·        relationship difficulties and divorce,

·        pre- and post-natal depression

·        worries about being a parent

·        childhood neglect and trauma

·        parenting a child on the autism spectrum. 

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 My recent Continuing Professional Development includes: Coping after a Trauma, Traumatic Bereavement, Supporting Children with Autism, Disordered Eating, Unhealthy Relationships, Forgiveness and Suicidality and Self-harming behaviour. 

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Qualifications and Ethical Practice

I have a Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling awarded by The Counselling Centre in Tunbridge Wells, a BACP-accredited institution, and further specific training in Greif and Bereavement Counselling at Glasgow Caledonian University.  I am an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) which means that I have been assessed by the BACP as meeting their higher standard of competence and ethics.  I am a registered practitioner with health insurance companies Axa Health, Aviva Health, and Vitality Health.

 

 

I work to the BACP's Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and Professional Conduct Procedures and also the BACP guidelines for Online Counselling and Psychotherapy.  I am fully insured and have regular supervision.

In order to work together, I collect some appropriate information and contact details which I will keep in a locked cabinet. I keep this information confidential in line with the General Data Protection Regulations and will securely destroy this information as soon as is appropriate.  More information on my privacy policy will be provided to you or downloaded here.

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