Natalie Woods
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a therapeutic counsellor with over 20 years experience of building trusting relationships with people and providing a safe space where difficulties can be explored. It is this relationship between you and I that will be so important in enabling you to get to know yourself better and reflect on the things you would like to do differently in your life and relationships.
My counselling work has brought me into contact with a wide range of people facing all sorts of difficulties including couples experiencing relationship difficulties, and my own experience of therapy has contributed to my ability to provide what can be a healing relationship to others. I am approachable and have the personal qualities that help people feel able to talk about their difficulties, although I understand that this can be difficult and I respect the client’s need to take their time with the counselling process.
In my couples counselling work I provide a supportive space helping the couple to understand each other better and explore the dynamics of their relationship, as well as enabling them to develop better communication and empathy for each other all of which can help with the ‘stuckness’ that can often be experienced in our relationships with others.
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and am committed to my on-going personal and professional development. I am professional in my approach whilst being very human!
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
Registered General Nurse qualification 1993
Diploma In Therapeutic Counselling (BACP accredited course) 2000
Experience
Since qualifying as an Integrative Therapeutic Counsellor in 2000 I have gained counselling experience in both counselling agencies and in private practise. I have completed many Continued Professional Development courses, conferences and events including couples counselling and working with infertility issues. I have been a continuous member of the BACP since I began my counselling training and I respect and work within their ethical framework.
My previous work experience includes until 2016 - my role as the Director of Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard - a registered charity providing a help-line and counselling service to the LGBT community. The role was rich and varied complementing my counselling work and included service developments, group facilitation and the provision of training and consultation on LGBT issues to individuals and organisations.
Prior to developing my counselling career I worked as a Registered General Nurse in various health settings and for 10 years in social work with children and families in a variety of settings at family centres, children’s homes, mental health services and the community, including therapeutic work with children, families and young people.
My extensive diverse work experience has enabled me to form helpful therapeutic relationships with a variety of people helping and supporting them to deal with a wide range of life's difficulties.
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
I have extensive experience of supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who are struggling with sexual and gender identity or experiencing other issues that can affect LGBT people. I also offer relationship counselling to couples experiencing relationship difficulties, or are facing important issues that can affect relationships such as fertility and family planning, ageing, illness, and with couples where one partner is considering or is undergoing gender transition.
Evening and daytime availability
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
Individuals
£60
Couples
£80
When I work
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I offer both face to face sessions and zoom sessions
Further information
I work from Phoenix Therapy Centre - a small friendly comfortable therapy centre located near to 7 Dials - the location is easily accessed by public transport, there is some on street parking nearby and the centre is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible.
Sessions are usually offered on a weekly basis and the first session is a good opportunity to meet me, find out more about counselling and the way i work, and decide if we can work together in a counselling relationship. Evening and daytime availability
