It’s important you find the right counsellor for your needs

It is important you find the right counsellor for you. Here you’ll find out more about me, my qualifications and why people choose to work with me.

Past

I previously worked freelance assisting small businesses & sole traders. Many of my clients needed my help in their work life because their energy was being drained by various personal issues. Some clients told me how much I had helped them personally because I listened to them and sometimes offered them a different perspective on things. The “aha” moment came after a psychologist and then a hostage negotiator asked if I had ever considered becoming a counsellor.

Present

Things people say about me are that I am warm, kind, gentle and compassionate. Clients have commented that they feel cared for, even when I challenge their perspective. They know I am on their team.

I qualified on a Level 6 course accredited by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and am registered with the BACP as an Accredited Therapist. I am a humanistic counsellor, with lived experience, integrating Gestalt, Person Centred and Transactional Analysis. In practice that means:

  • I will listen without judging you
  • I won’t discount or play down your feelings or experience
  • We will work holistically. I believe that your mind and body are interdependent and directly influence the health of one another
  • You will not be defined by a diagnostic or mental health label
  • I believe in co-creating a working relationship acknowledging that you are the expert in yourself and your life
  • We will work together according to your explicit requirements. We will contract around what your needs from therapy are, how you will achieve them and how you will know when your needs have been met.
  • Furthermore, I believe that you and your experiences of life are unique. You are worthy of respect. You have the ability to reach your full potential for positive change.

How I work

Our work can be short or long term. Individual sessions take place weekly at an agreed time and last 50 minutes, couples sessions are 60 minutes. My mode of work is to listen, support, empathise and gently challenge to introduce new perspective. We’ll work together to help you find greater clarity around your issue and find a way through.

In addition, I use elements of Polyvagal Theory. This utilizes our autonomic nervous systems to overcome physical stress and distress. You will learn to be proactive in the regulation of your body’s experience. As a result, you will overcome physiological symptoms, such as panic attacks, flashbacks, chronic pain, palpitations & sleeplessness. We may also work with your dreams, with objects or using visualisation. At all times I will respect your right to decline the use of these types of intervention. Above all, this is your therapy. In practicality, you will be an active participant in creating your path to a thriving life.

Organisations I have worked with include:

  • St. Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley
  • Horsham & Crawley Counselling Group (HCCG)

Organisations I now work alongside:

  • Freddie’s Wish, a charity working with bereaved parents & grandparents
  • Employee Assisted Programmes (Workplace Schemes)

“Feeling vulnerable is not the same as being weak.”

Qualifications and Training

I participate in regular continuous professional development. Here are some of my certified qualifications and specialist training:

  • Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling (Accredited by BACP)
  • Foundation in Trauma and Recovery (Wealden Institute)
  • Certificate in Trauma Therapy (Wealden Institute)
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy – Attachment based interventions for couples (PESI)
  • TA 101 (Accredited by UKATA)
  • Certificate in Counselling and Communication Skills
  • Bodywork in Counselling & Psychotherapy (Wealden Institute)
  • More than Words – Using Creativity in Counselling (STCH)
  • IDT – An introduction to Interactive Drawing Therapy (STCH)
  • Equality and Diversity for Health & Social Care (MeLearning – CPD Accredited)
  • Safeguarding Levels 1 & 2 (MeLearning – CPD Accredited)
  • Abuse Related to Beliefs in Witchcraft (MeLearning – CPD Accredited)
  • Introduction to death, dying and grief (OU – Open University)
  • Counselling online: A Coronavirus primer (OU & BACP)
You can check out my professional registration by clicking here https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Register

It is important you find the right counsellor for you. They must feel a good fit for your personality and needs. I have written more about this in my blog “One Size Does Not Fit All”. Follow this link to find out more https://safespacesussex.co.uk/tag/west-sussex/

You might want to know some things I haven’t mentioned on this page. You can find out more about me, my practice and how I can help if you get in touch. Follow this link https://safespacesussex.co.uk/contact/