Heather McKenna
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Do you feel overwhelmed by your feelings? Do they impact on your confidence, relationships and day-to-day life? Or perhaps you have experienced painful losses, abuse or traumatic events that are affecting you?
Do you have patterns of behaviour that no longer feel beneficial to you? Sometimes we think and act in certain ways that function to protect and preserve us. These have felt necessary in the past, but are no longer useful and can instead impact negatively on our life.
Counselling can help you to make sense of your feelings and experiences in a confidential, safe and non-judgemental environment with a trained professional. It can give you the opportunity to explore your personal worries, fears and struggles and understand yourself better. It can provide you with the tools to manage things differently and empower you to make the changes you need in order to live a more fulfilling life.
How I Work
During our initial meeting we will discuss your personal situation and individual needs, to consider how we can best work together. If we choose to begin therapy we will meet at a regular time and place on a weekly basis. We will also talk about whether your personal needs would be best suited for long-term or short-term therapy.
Our weekly sessions will be a chance to explore your feelings and experiences that you are finding difficult. This safe and confidential environment will help you to develop your own understanding and insight into your feelings and beliefs. It will be an opportunity to explore your ways of relating, your sense of self and your personal history. Often past experiences influence your current situation and so patterns of behaviour and relationships emerge. Through working together we can find more successful ways of managing your difficulties in day-to-day life.
I aim to provide an open and supportive environment where your views can be respected without judgement. I adhere to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Code of Ethics for Good Practice.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am an experienced and qualified psychodynamic counsellor and psychotherapist. I graduated with a BACP accredited Masters Degree in Contemporary Therapeutic Counselling from the University of Hertfordshire. I am a qualified Supervisor having gained a Supervision Diploma with Cambridge Supervision Training (CST).
I work at the Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living as a counsellor and supervisor and have a private practice in central Hitchin.
I have a particular interest in working with trauma, loss and anxiety.
I have regular supervision with a professional, accredited supervisor who adheres to the BACP Code of Ethics in maintaining client confidentiality and promoting quality of the service provided.
I am committed to personal and professional development and attend regular ongoing Continued Professional Development training. I endeavour to keep up-to-date with current developments in the field of therapy.
I am a registered member of the BACP.
Member organisations
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
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Complex Trauma, PTSD, Disassociation, Stillbirth & Neonatal Loss.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 per session
Additional information
Fees per 50 minute session are £50. I have a limited number of reduced rates available.
I will give you notice of all my breaks/holidays and where possible, I will endeavour to reschedule for a planned absence.
I work during daytimes from Monday to Thursday and some evenings.
When I work
I work daytimes and evenings. Please contact me for my availability.
Further information
It can feel daunting when you are looking for a counsellor, so I hope to make our first contact as comfortable for you as possible. You can email, text or call me - whatever works best for you.
