Mel James
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a professionally trained and qualified counsellor and a member of the BACP. I have been involved in counselling for 8 years. I previously worked in recruitment and in teaching. People have always been at the centre of my work.
I offer a humanistic counselling service, predominantly person-centred, though I also work with Gestalt and Transactional Analysis. I am an advocate of non-directional counselling, allowing the client to talk, whilst I listen, reflect, summarise and gently challenge, where appropriate. The strength of any client counselling lies in the quality and depth of the relationship. I make no judgment, I hold my clients during their work with me and offer complete confidentiality, within ethical constraints.
My experience covers a broad area of life's problems, including: abuse (physical/emotional), addiction, ageing & lifecycle issues, bereavement & loss, depression, pregnancy issues, relationship matters, stress and anxiety.
How counselling can help
Many people experience traumatic or self-limiting problems in their lives. These may be a one- off or you may find you are suffering in silence from something that happened in the past which troubles you. Even when you have a partner or friends around you there are times when you feel you cannot 'burden' them or tell them everything. Counselling offers the opportunity to open your heart and find a way through these difficulties in a totally safe, non-judmental and confidential way. You will be met with empathy and warmth by someone who is qualified and experienced in helping you through your problem(s).
What to expect from your first session
At our first session I will need to ask you for some practical information about you and your living arrangements. I will gently take you through some questions about yourself and what you hope to get from your counselling at this time. I will take you through some contractual arrangements about how we will work, on which day and time we will meet and various safeguarding issues for our joint protection. This will take around 15 minutes of our session dependant on what questions you may have and then therapy will begin.
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold a Diploma in Counselling (Dip.Couns) and I am a member of the UK's largest counselling and regulatory body, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
I run my private practice from home, where I offer separate, purpose-built accommodation providing an aura of serenity away from the 'busy'ness of life.
I currently volunteer for Wellspring Counselling and provide counselling support for single mothers living in challenging situations.
I have been counselling since 2008, originally with the Priory Hospital in Bristol. I have worked at Hope's Place (counselling for all aspects of pregnancy and conception) and a GP surgery in Knowle West.
My experience covers a broad area of life's problems, including: abuse (physical/emotional) addiction, ageing & lifecycle issues, bereavement & loss, depression, pregnancy issues, relationship problems, stress and anxiety and OCD.
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
Age-related, generatively issues.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 - £70.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer hourly therapy sessions for £50 per session for individuals, usually on a weekly basis at the same time and on the same day each week. Counselling can be short or long-term, though I recommend clients come to me for a minimum of 6 to 10 weeks. Couples counselling is £70 per hourly session and is typically of 12 weeks duration.
When I work
By arrangement, during the week & weekday evenings. Weekends a possibility.
