Susan Shaw

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Graduate Diploma in Counselling, MBACP
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2LU
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Life can be challenging and to the extent it is often difficult to see a way forward. Perhaps you feel that something is not working in your world, or that you 'should' be happy, but cannot quite work out why you are not. Or maybe you find yourself repeating the same old behaviours' and wondering how you managed to get to this point again

Counselling can be thought of as offering a way to gain perspective on behaviour, emotions and relationships by providing a platform to express feelings, and identify patterns of thinking. It serves as a means to address pain and loss and can help alleviate anxiety, depression and anger in their many forms. Within this it can help develop communication skills for dealing with conflict and frustration thus adding meaning to your life.

Counselling can be a very powerful experience in helping you to identify, come to terms with, change or heal a situation, hence finding the right counsellor is essential and an important part of the process. I consider myself open, sincere and approachable believing these to be key attributes to any therapeutic relationship but I also understand that approaching someone unknown to you to talk about what may be very personal, difficult, and often complex concerns could feel quite daunting. As such, I strive to maintain an empathic, safe and non-judgemental relationship within a professional and confidential environment, from where you may feel able to explore your struggles and gain more control over your life.

I also understand that everyone is a unique individual, and that what works for one individual/couple may not work for another. I am able to undertake both short or long term counselling (typically 6-12-18+sessions) dependant on individual need and work with a wide range of issues (see below under experience) and always from a Person-Centred framework incorporating elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Solution Focused (SFT) approaches as appropriate. This means I aim to meet you as an individual/or couple and can tailor your needs accordingly. Central to a Person-centred perspective is the belief that the individual knows best what they may need to explore in order to promote their own healing, and within this we would always work at your pace.

My objective is always that you feel heard. You may then come to feel you experience that same topic with which you struggle in a more positive way, since having established a relationship, it somehow feels safer to talk about it.

Additional Information

I work within a recognized code of ethics (BACP) from discreet premises accessible to individuals and couples within the Northwest of England, North Wales and surrounding catchment areas. If you feel counselling might be for you and wish to find out more about me, or if you have a more general query about counselling, please feel free to make contact. I have EAP experience and welcome referrals including those from Insurance providers, G.P's, Occupational Health, Human Resources, Business' and Charities.

**FREE PARKING** is available directly outside the premises [for 'up to' 1 hour only] and is entirely at your own risk, should you choose to avail yourself. The market car park is a short 3-4 minutes walk away, and the main Chester bus station is approximately a 10 x minute walk away.

The following link provides further information on all other local parking facilities. http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/chester/ Further information and directions available on request

Training, qualifications & experience

Graduate Diploma in Person Centred Counselling (accredited with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy [BACP] - University of Chester
Post Diploma Certificate in Person Centred Couples Counselling
Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Training in Solution Focused Brief Therapy
MSc in Psychological Trauma with the University of Chester
M.A Elective Module Counselling Young People
M.A Elective Module Brief/Short Term Therapy
                                                   
I am committed to ongoing professional development and hold a range of additional certificates from counselling related workshops.

I offer both face to face, or telephone counselling and therapy from my private room within the centre of Chester where I have been since 2010.

I also work as an independent staff support counsellor for a local, Chester based Company.

In addition to my private practice I have 3* years NHS experience providing (industry based) Staff Support, risk assessments, counselling and therapy covering both short and long term work (typically 6 + 2+) to employees who had their lives impacted upon by a wide range of issues including but not limited to stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues and breakdown, conflict, abuse and drug, alcohol dependency. As an adjunct to this I helped pilot and maintain this same facility to the younger often vulnerable apprentice groups within their college setting and in an attempt to normalize the concept of counselling.

I also provided access to psychological therapies for local mental health charity MIND via referral for Primary Care users typically presenting with a wide range of issues including but not limited to stress, anxiety, depression linked to unemployment, debt, low self esteem, divorce, addictions, bereavement, physical illness and disability

Prior to opening my private practice, I worked for 2+ years in a voluntary capacity counselling a vulnerable and often marginalized male client group in a homeless hostel presenting with a range of related mental health concerns often linked to drug and alcohol misuse and adjusting to life following incarceration. I also have NHS (hospital based) experience counselling female clients grappling with a wide range of emotional issues from neonatal deaths, infertility and the aftermath of a decision to terminate a pregnancy.

Prior to training as a counsellor I held a variety of public sector roles over the years that put me in direct contact with individuals on a one to one basis which helped me gain insight into the conflicts and pressures modern life and work imposes on us and our relationships.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).

Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.

Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.

All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.

Accredited register membership

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Fees

£60.00 - £70.00

Concessions offered for

  • Low income

Health Insurance/EAP

  • Health Assured

Additional information

My fee is £60.00 per [60 minute] session for individuals and £70.00 for couples; and for EAP's and other associated [invoiced] agencies fee is £65.00 and £75.00 respectively  [*please note that weekend [Saturday] appointments are plus an additional £10.00]. I am able to offer some concessionary rates for those on low income, please contact me to discuss this further. Private Companies please contact me direct.

The initial session should be used to consider how you feel about the idea of counselling; for us both to assess if we feel comfortable working together; and to establish whether you would like us to continue thereafter.

Fees [either cash, cheque or bank transfer] are payable ‘strictly’ at the end of each session, except where prior arrangements have been made to be invoiced.  Fees for telephone counselling are payable in advance of sessions. Payments by EAP, Health care insurance companies and associated agencies are by invoice.





When I work

I am flexible and available for midweek daytime/early evening appointments, please make contact to discuss this further.

Further information

Please provide a valid telephone contact number at the point of enquiry

Sedan House, Stanley Place, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2LU

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people
Adults
Older Adults
Couples
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme
Susan Shaw
Susan Shaw