Bev Gold

There are times in our lives when any of us can go through challenging times. Where professional help can be very valuable in helping us work through difficulties that may seem hard to resolve. Whether struggling with anxieties, depression, relationship difficulties, life choices, or simply needing a safe, reflective space to talk, psychotherapy or  counselling can help you find a way through stressful times. Work related stress also often adds to the stresses of managing life in this post-covid time. I am currently working with many individuals struggling to cope with the impact of this on mental health and life in general, especially  doctors, hospital staff and teachers. I also work extensively with students. I have headed up a university counselling service and also worked in Psychological Treatment Services at Addenbrookes for some years before developing my private practice. I also supervise other therapists. Additionally, I work with couples.

Please feel free to get in touch if you would like my help.

I am a warm, supportive and very experienced UKCP and BACP accredited and registered psychotherapist and counsellor.

I first began my clinical work over 25 years ago, in further Education, following a previous career as a college lecturer in the social sciences.

Over the years I have worked in psychiatry in two London teaching hospitals ( The Whittington and UCH) and in psychological treatment services at Addenbrooke’s, where I offered help to individuals and groups with a range of mental health issues from self harm to generalised anxiety and depression. More recently, I headed up a university counselling and wellbeing service for several years, developing expertise with young people and also offering psychological support for teaching staff, often with work related stress.

I have now returned to full time private practice, where I offer professional, confidential psychological support with relationship, mental health or emotional issues. Loss, divorce, mid life crisis as well as serious mental health issues can be worked through successfully with appropriate intervention- and with a compassionate therapist. I also have a particular interest in working with adolescents and young adults, at school, college, university and the world of work.

Working out what you need and how to get help.

When you are anxious or depressed, at difficult or distressing times, taking the first step to finding a therapist or counsellor takes courage; This is a crucial step on the road to feeling a bit more in control of your life.

Talking about your issues with a mental health professional or simply having safe space to reflect on life’s challenges with a therapist who will engage with your concerns can be life changing in getting you back on the path of a happier, more fulfilling life.

If you are a young adult struggling with anxiety or trying to work out which path to take, I may be able to help you. Adolescence is often a turbulent time for many teenagers and young adults. My years working in colleges and running a university counselling service has enabled me to develop expertise in working successfully with many young people.

I also work extensively with individuals, couples or groups struggling with making changes in their lives.

I run groups for women with post natal depression, or simply struggling with mothering. I am currently establishing a new group for women with post natal depression, this is open for referrals from GPs or you can refer yourself.

I offer short term, solution focused counselling or long term psychotherapy, both of which can be very helpful in bringing about changes, helping you deal with stress and anxiety and depression and improve your wellbeing.

You are welcome to get in touch with me today to set up an initial appointment. You can call me on: 07941760463 or click here to send me an email.

Where will the sessions take place?

At the current time, all sessions take place online on a number of platforms depending on the most accessible for individuals or phone calls if preferred.

Outside of lockdown I have two busy clinical practices in Cambridge, one near the city centre, in CB2, the other on the edge of town, in Madingley Rd. Both have parking facilities.

       

My background and Experience:

My background in the field of psychotherapy, counselling, education and training, as well as psychiatry and psychological treatment services means I have gained considerable expertise in offering psychological support and helping individuals finding ways through difficult times.

I have also worked with women and men in mid-life crisis and wellbeing groups in the voluntary (Charity) sector.

Supervision:
I offer clinical supervision for trainees or qualified counsellors and therapists - I am a registered supervisor with UKCP - see supervision link below.

Approach:

At the current time, much of my work is devoted to helping individuals cope with the impact of the current crisis on their lives, relationships, and mental health, although, of course, there are always many reasons why individuals seek therapy and I welcome all inquiries.

My approach is to listen, to offer comment and interpretation and to collaborate with each individual to reach new understandings of the processes that have influenced your life and affect your current difficulties and challenges, since I think psychotherapy can help us understand the unconscious processes that shape our lives, relationships and choices.

Understanding the impact of past experiences as well as current difficulties can help us take more control of our lives to make the changes we need.

I work long term or short term for brief, focused work, where I can also offer CBT techniques.

Couple Work:

Couples seek counselling for many reasons. Sometimes, after years of marriage, couples grow apart, or kids leave home and individual partners find they are strangers who have lost touch with one another's needs; or have got stuck in negative ways of relating to each other, or one partner might have strayed off the path of fidelity; or perhaps couples simply feel that they have begun to inhabit different worlds.

These are some of the issues couples bring to couple work. As long as you each bring a commitment to explore the issues as you see them, couple work can be very helpful with a compassionate, experienced therapist, able to hear your dilemmas, reflect back, facilitate your processes and help you both find a way through to some clarity, whatever that might be.

I have found, over the years, that one and a half hours of structured time works best for each session, to allow adequate exploration of whatever emerges in order to fully appreciate the complexity of couple work with its emotional intensity and often accompanying anguish for each party. It is often a hard journey to undertake but can be very helpful in finding a way through to reach resolution.

I have considerable experience working with  young people and those in mid-life facing changes.

I am very experienced in working with couples in difficulty.

I offer support to individuals making changes and transitions in their lives.

Initial phone assessment lasting up to 15 minutes is free of charge. This is usually followed by an initial consultation of about an hour. My fees for individual sessions are from £80 for one hour (in certain circumstances, this fee can be reduced - I do allocate some low cost spaces).

Couple work is £150 per one and a half hour session.

Group Work fees on request.

Do get in touch with me today for an initial consultation, without any obligation. You can call me on: 07941760463 or click here to send me an email.

I am fully Insured. I have an enhanced CRB check.

My consulting rooms in both clinical practices are professionally designed rooms in confidential, counselling/ psychotherapy settings in Cambridge, each with car parking spaces available, on bus routes and close to the station.