Andrew Lacey

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Integrative Counsellor
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Torquay, Devon, TQ1
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Hello, I'm Andrew, a highly experienced counsellor with a warm and non-judgemental approach, working with adults and young people (16+). If you're struggling with a problem or want to get more meaning out of life, counselling may help. I'll work sensitively and honestly with you to support you in what you're going through.

How can I help you?

You may be dealing with loss, bereavement, depression, anxiety, low confidence or self-esteem, health or body issues. Or you may be looking for support to help you make a difficult decision; feeling like you are out of control; or just wanting to make sense of something. I offer individual short-term counselling for specific problems, long-term open-ended therapy to explore deeper issues.

I'm particularly experienced in working with:

  • addiction
  • adoption issues
  • adult survivors of childhood neglect, abandonment or abuse
  • codependency
  • eating disorders
  • gay men (sexuality, self-esteem and intimacy issues)
  • identity
  • relationship issues
  • spirituality
  • transitional stages in life
  • work-life balance

Integrated coaching-therapy

I am also a fully trained and experienced coach. Coaching is all about helping you achieve the results you want in your life. The focus is on getting really clear what it is you want and then identifying the steps you need to take to realise your full potential. This could be about any aspect of life … landing your dream job; finding the work-life balance that suits you; improving the quality of your relationships, or daring to have a go at something you’ve always longed to do but told yourself you couldn’t!

A creative blend of counselling/therapy and coaching can help you focus on your strengths and potential to thrive despite challenging circumstances, as we can address any emotional issues that might come up.  

How can I help you as a couple? 

All close relationships have their ups and downs. There are so many pressures on our lives and on our time – from family to finances, and children to communication, to intimacy and sex – that many couples can struggle and go through difficult times. Couples counselling (also called couples therapy or relationship counselling) provides a safe and supportive to explore and better understand what’s happened, learn to communicate more effectively, reconnect emotionally and figure out if it’s possible to create a happier and healthier relationship going forward. I am equally comfortable counselling same-sex couples as heterosexual couples.

For face-to-face clients in Torquay

Our young Jack Russell called “Toby” is super-friendly and (mostly!) very well behaved. He prefers not to be left in the house while I’m working in the annexe, so often sits in on sessions – but only with your prior agreement, of course!

Taking the first step

If you are interested in 1:1 counselling, 1:1 coaching-therapy or couples counselling, please email me or call/text me on 07904 675052 so we can arrange a free, no-obligation 15-minute phone or Zoom conversation.

If we decide we want to work together, we'll arrange a first session either face-to-face in Torquay, online, or over the phone.

Thank you for checking out my profile - I look forward to hearing from you!

Client testimonials

“I'm not the easiest person to satisfy as a client, and am delighted to have found Andrew as a therapist. While working with him, I've found Andrew to be empathic, compassionate and very understanding. I find his approach refreshing and would be happy to recommend people to him.”      Gerry H, Dublin (online individual counselling)

“Thank you for being such a genuine, warm but honest counsellor who was challenging to my narrative at times … making me see things from a new point of view really did help. I feel it’s made me more accepting of all the huge live events that all came crashing on to me at once."    Estelle* (face-to-face individual counselling)

"We are glad we chose Andrew to help us with our issues. We feel he listened and empathised with our situation, whilst giving us helpful practical advice and coping mechanisms.  Andrew tailored the sessions focusing on what we wanted and showed genuine interest and no judgement for our challenges. We appreciate the help and encouragement he provided.”    R+J (online couples counselling)

My time working with Andrew really helped me with setting goals and achieving them, something I struggle with doing independently. His style of blending therapy and coaching really suited me and helped me work on my issues regarding anxiety and returning to full time study. Having his dog Toby in the sessions really helped me relax. Toby sometimes loved to sit on my lap while we were chatting away!”   Connor (integrated coaching-therapy, face-to-face and phone)

Training, qualifications & experience

Training and qualifications:

Theory and Practice of Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Bruce Lloyd Consultants, London, 1992

150 hours theory; 150 hours skills development; 150 hours counselling practice and 75 hours personal growth over an 18-month period.

Bruce Lloyd Consultants specialised in working with clients in recovery from addiction and codependency

Coaching and Mentoring, ILM Level 5, 2015

Mental Health Awareness, NCFE Level 2, 2015

Certificate in Couples Counselling, accredited by International Society of Professional Counsellors, 2019

Experience:

After completing my training, I continued to work at Bruce Lloyd Consultants in London offering one-to-one and couples counselling, facilitating therapy groups and also as duty counsellor at Discovery, a residential codependency treatment centre.

I then set up my own private practice in London, specialising in issues such as adoption, eating disorders, addiction, codependency and sexual identity.

While living in Brighton I also volunteered at Terrence Higgins Trust as a counsellor in HIV/AIDS issues.

I have been working privately as a counsellor and coach in south Devon for the past eight years.

Professional memberships and ethics

I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and am on the BACP Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. I work within the BACP Ethical Framework

I belong to the affirmative 'It’s All About You Wellbeing' network which enables LGBTQ+ people, their families and friends to make contact with the right professional for them.

I adhere to the EMCC (European Mentoring & Coaching Council) Code of Ethics.

I work within the BACP Coaching Competence Framework – Competences for integrating therapy and coaching.

I have regular supervision for my counselling and coaching work.

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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

  • Adoption
  • Codependency
  • Gay men
  • Identity
  • Mindfulness
  • Sexual orientation
  • Sexual identity
  • Work-life balance

Photos & videos

Fees

£75.00 - £100.00

Additional information

Individual counselling or integrated coaching-therapy: £75/session; reduced fee daytime (not evening) sessions may be available depending on the number of clients I am seeing. All sessions last 60 minutes.

Couples counselling: I charge £100 for the first session. For all subsequent sessions: the standard charge is £100/session; reduced fee daytime (not evening) sessions may be available depending on frequency of sessions and the number of clients I am seeing - we can discuss this during our first session. The first session lasts 70 minutes and all subsequent sessions last 60 minutes. 

I offer the option of a free 15-minute initial phone or Zoom consultation which enables us to decide on whether it is right for us to work together - please email me or call text/me on 07904 675052 to arrange a convenient time.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

My regular client slots are Monday to Wednesday, including evenings and Thursday mornings. I may also be able to arrange other times for one-off sessions.

Further information

I've always had a passion for seeing people heal, develop and flourish. Having benefited greatly myself from therapy, in my early 30s I decided to train as a counsellor.

My voluntary work has included being a trustee of Mankind UK, a national charity offering therapy and other support to male survivors of sexual abuse.

I practice meditation and mindfulness and am a trustee of Gaia House, a meditation retreat in the depths of the south Devon countryside offering silent meditation retreats in the Buddhist tradition.

I've also had considerable professional experience in other fields of work such as PR and corporate communications. When I lived in Brighton, I was programme director for the Brighton & Hove branch of international leadership development charity Common Purpose. Most recently I spent four years as part-time communications manager with the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust. 

Contact me by email or on 07904 675052 to book your free 15-minute initial phone or Zoom consultation 

Andrew Lacey is also registered with Life Coach Directory.

Torquay, Devon, TQ1

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people
Adults
Older Adults
Couples
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Additional languages

French
Spanish

Working knowledge of French and Spanish (but not fluent to bi-lingual level)

Online platforms

Zoom

Social

Andrew Lacey
Andrew Lacey