Mary Saunders

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MBACP, Dip. Couns - Couples & Individual Counsellor
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Swanley BR8 & West Malling ME19
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am an experienced therapist and have been working with couples, adults and teenagers for over ten years.   It’s my privilege to walk by my client’s side as they navigate and understand themselves on a path of self discovery.  I am not a fluffy therapist, I am direct and to the point, using a combination of CBT and psychotherapy as well as other therapeutic approaches helping clients look inwards grow their understanding of themselves and any emotional difficulties whether that be anxiety, depression or any relationship issues and find a way forward in to making positive changes and growth. I am intuitive with an abundance of empathy. I aim to empower my clients into making change in their lives.

Couples Therapy

I have vast experience of working with couples and at times all relationships can go through their ups and downs, but have you ever reflected and thought...I never thought we would be where we are now?  In my experience relationships are like a lost property box, all the pieces are in there we need to take them out, look at them, understand them and put them back in a neat order.  I can't say that every couple I work with finds it easy, but with a desire to have an understanding of their partner and truly want to improve their relationship change is possible.

Teenagers

Children only show parents elements of their personality that they want them to see, just like we all did when we were their age.  However, the added stress and pressure of social media, exams and expectations that young people now put on themselves, can lead them to feeling incredibly anxious and not understanding who they truly are.  I aim to help young adults to look inwards, understand what is important to them and understand the difference between perception and reality. The aim is to empower teenagers to accept that who they are is okay.

Training, qualifications & experience

  • Level 4 Diploma in in Therapeutic Counselling, CPCAB
  • Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, CPCAB
  • Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, CPCAB
  • SLABS Bereavement Counselling
  • Cert in Couples Dynamics
  • Cert in Couples Therapy
  • Level 2 Award in Substance Missue

Continuing Professional Development courses and seminars including:

  • Dealing with Trauma and Traumatic memories
  • Group Work
  • Working with Bereaved Families
  • Attachment and Character Strategies
  • Prolonged Grief Disorder
  • Working with anxiety and depression
  • Addiction
  • Assessing and Managing Risk to Self
  • Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
  • NLP
  • Coaching

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

Fees

Concessions offered for

  • Trainee counsellors

Additional information

I work out of two calm tranquil locations with plenty of free parking.  Both environments are large and adhere to the two metre distancing rules - I can offer sessions on zoom or face to face

£50 for a 55 minute session

£70 for couple counselling 1hr 10 min

Counselling student discounts available

When I work

8am - 9pm Monday - Friday

Further information

As well as private practice, I have worked in a hospice setting working with bereaved clients.  I have also worked at North West Kent Alternative Provision Service - where I have worked with adolescents with presenting issues such as: anger, self harm, low self esteem.

I also have extensive experience of working within blue chip organisations dealing with stress management of staff and management looking at team dynamics and patterns of relating.

The Gallery, Hextable Gardens, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7LT

Kings Hill Community Centre, 70 Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4LG

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Adults (25-64)
Couples
Families
Mary Saunders
Mary Saunders