Helen Downing

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she/her
For children, young people & the adults who care for them
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Bristol, BS1 5EH
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I offer relational, compassionate and confidential counselling to adults, children and young people in Bristol.

My counselling approach is person-centred. My experience is that, whatever difficulties life throws at us, even the very youngest people have an amazing ability to locate their strengths, to grow, and to find their own path through the tough times.

I work collaboratively with my clients to find a way of working that feels most appropriate to them. Some people like to come and talk, others prefer to explore their feelings through creative materials, and sandplay.

These same options, combined with a play-based therapeutic approach help children and young people find ways of expressing and exploring their feelings that feel safe and natural to them.

For children who have experienced early trauma and attachment difficulties, I use a relational approach, informed by Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy to nurture the attachment between children and their parent/carer.

I ask to meet with a parent or carer before beginning work with your child.

I hold an enhanced DBS (formerly known as CRB check), and am fully insured.


I am always happy to have an informal, no-obligation chat with prospective adult clients, or parent/s or carer/s who are looking for support for their child, by 'phone, or e-mail about any aspect of how we might work together.

Training, qualifications & experience

I work for a fostering agency, offering emotional support to carers, and working with them to understand and respond therapeutically to the young people in their care. I worked for Relate as a Children's and Young Person's Counsellor. Before that, I trained and worked with national children's counselling charity, the Place2Be, and set up and ran a secondary school counselling service.

  • Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, City of Bristol
  • DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) Levels 1 and 2
  • Certificate in Counselling (ADV) – Children and Young People
  • Certificate in Counselling skills (INT) – Children and Young People
  • Youth Access  (Counselling Young People) Training
  • Place2Be Volunteer Counsellor training
  • Working Effectively with Young People who Self-Harm (Indigo Project)
  • Making Trauma Therapy Safer, Babette Rothschild
  • Domestic Violence and Abuse Awareness and Safety (Relate)

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and abide by their code of ethics.

I have an enhanced DBS (previously known as CRB)

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

Therapies offered

Fees

£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session

Additional information

I hold two reduced fee places, please ask

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

10 Orchard Street, Bristol, BS1 5EH

Type of session

In person

Types of client

Children
Young people
Adults
Older Adults
Families
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

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.