Kevin Chandler

SINCE 1987 I have worked as an individual & couple counsellor/psychotherapist within a variety of settings, including Higher Education, Relate, & Private Practice.  For over 20 years I trained and supervised Relate counsellors and for two years served on BACP's Counsellor Accreditation Panel.

IN MY PRIVATE PRACTICE I see a small number of clients (adult individuals and couples) for both shorter and longer term counselling & psychotherapy.  Although I live in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, I see clients via ZOOM video meetings and therefore am able to offer help to people far beyond my local area, as long as they have a good internet connection and a private space from which to speak freely.  Please email me in the first instance to outline your requirements and I shall email you back my Notes For New Clients.  I shall get back to you very quickly and (if I have availability) will endeavour to offer you an initial appointment within days.

GOOD THERAPY isn't concerned with papering over the cracks but attempts to get to the very heart of what is troubling you.  There are no magic wands in life or in therapy.  Good therapy explores the meanings of symptoms for you as a person and helps you get a better understanding of the emotional and relationship problems you might be experiencing, as well exploring and addressing what might be holding you back from making the changes you desire. A good therapist won't judge you or tell you what to do and you remain in charge of your life throughout the process.  For therapy to be effective it requires effort and commitment from both therapist and client, and the key factor is the quality of relationship between the us.  You can expect to be treated by me with respect; to find clear & reliable boundaries; and to experience jargon-free talk that focuses on what is going on now in your life as well as an appreciation of the influence of the past.  You can trust that difficult and painful issues will not be shied away from, but will be addressed and explored with care and sensitivity to your feelings.  It is also important that I pay attention to how a client's relationship difficulties might be reflected in the therapy relationship itself, and thereby addressed more directly to help make use of that learning in other areas of the client's life.

COUPLE COUNSELLING/THERAPY is considerably more complex and demanding than 1-to-1 work, and therefore requires specialised training, skills and experience that many 1-to-1 counsellors will not have had, or indeed possess.  A good couple counsellor does not take sides or apportion blame, but helps each partner gain a better understanding of what influences both partners' feelings and behaviour. An experienced couple counsellor recognises that the relationship dynamic between the couple has developed over time with all its patterns and habits, and will help you explore whether, and how, it might be possible for these to change.
When counselling couples, my primary function is to assist the couple to communicate more effectively and thereby help them gain a deeper understanding of the subtleties and complexities of their relationship.  Often improved communication brings about a real shift in terms of improved intimacy and renewed commitment; however, greater openness and honesty doesn't always bring people closer, and may sometimes help bring about the realisation for one or other partner that the relationship is at an end. Even then, therapy can be used to help a partner cope with the grief, sadness, and other painful feelings at the end of a marriage or other close relationship.

Couple counselling can also help with a range of sexual difficulties. Sex is much more than a mere physiological function; it is a multi-layered communication pattern between the two people, in which various feelings are expressed through touch, gestures and words. It is an expression not only of their relationship with each other, but also their relationship with their own bodies. Couple counselling can help the partners improve the way they communicate their feelings, desires and responses via the intimacy of sex.

SUPERVISION ~ All counsellors & therapists, however able, well-qualified and experienced, are required to have regular professional supervision of their client-work.  My supervisor is a trusted and experienced colleague, Golnar Bayat who lives in the York area, and it is with her that I discuss and monitor my work on a monthly basis to ensure that I am working ethically and soundly at all times and provide my clients with a high-quality service. Rest assured, clients' surnames are not used in supervision.

I provide supervision to a number of very experienced counsellors and therapists who work in a range of settings including hospices, hospitals, Universities, as well as independent private practice.  Please email me if you are a counsellor/therapist and would like to discuss working with me as your supervisor. (Also, see my Supervisor Profile on this directory)

Therapy sessions with me last a full hour and fees are £60 for individuals, & £75 for couples. Payment is by BACS and an invoice will be emailed you at the end of each session. I offer a reduced fee for counselling students' training therapy of 20 sessions or more.

As you see, I have specified some problems/issues I offer help with, but the real focus of counselling and psychotherapy and is always RELATIONSHIPS...

i.e..

* a relationship with spouse or partner that is causing you concern

* how you relate to others e.g. parents, children, siblings, sexual partners, friends, colleagues, authority, neighbours, god, and the meanings of those relationships for you.

* or perhaps the ending of an important relationship through death, rejection, separation or divorce.

* or your relationship with yourself - i.e. how you feel about yourself and the body you inhabit; how well you understand and manage your own feelings and emotions, and how you find meaning in the life you are living.

For your additional reassurance, I have been Advanced CRB checked.