Sabine Lees

Qualifications

• Diploma in the Theory and Practice of Counselling
• Certificate in Counselling Skills
• Certificate in Conselling Concepts
• ABC accredited training: Awareness in Bereavement Care
• OCN Certificate in Working with Families
• Postgraduate Certificate in Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy
• Certified Focusing Professional
• Focusing Trainer

Further Training & Professional Development

I am committed to continuous professional development and actively seek to enhance my practice by attending workshops, seminars and further training and through private study. Most recently I have attended training workshops on:

'Working with families' (Lisa Mass Training)
'Working with traumatic bereavement in children' (Child Bereavement Trust)                 
'Non-violent resistance and child focused practice: practical approaches to overcoming abuse and violence' (Institute of Family Therapy)
'Bereavement 4th annual seminar, with Margret Stoebe & Henk Schut, Utrecht University, Netherlands'  (Cruse Bereavement Care)
'Motivational Interviewing with SFBT Advanced with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (2 days) (CRI Training) 
'Attachment Narrative Therapy Short Course' The Bowlby Centre, Arlene Vetere and Rudi Dallos

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                              I have specialist training and extensive experience working with:

Relationship Counselling:

I have a special interest in working with relationships. 
Relationships are central to who we are, how we feel about life and ourselves. From infancy to adulthood relationships form and shape us and are the source of much joy but also disappointment and distress and at times deep pain. Fulfilling and harmonious relationships are what most people desire but in reality this is often difficult to achieve. Working on improving, restoring and healing those important relationships can be deeply rewarding.

Couples may struggle in unsatisfying and unhappy relationships for years and not know how to improve or change the situation.  Couples counselling can help to identify the problem areas more clearly, can facilitate insight and understanding into the repetitive unhelpful patterns of relating and behaving. Couples counselling can help resolve long standing issues/grievances and pains. The counselling setting can help each partner to express and communicate their needs and aspirations better and help hear, receive and support the other more effectively.

Mediation counselling can help with the 'aftermath' of divorce and relationship breaks up:
When a marriage or relationship breaks down, particularly when children are involved, it is often experienced as extremely stressful, a time of pain and uncertainty with profound changes affecting many different areas of life.  Mediation counselling may help you to cope with this situation better, may help all involved to communicate more respectfully and constructively and help lay the foundation for new relationship formations.

Children and young people often suffer silently not being able to express sufficiently how they feel and what they are thinking. Mediation counselling may help to hear the silent members and facilitate the expression of difficult emotions, encouraging and working towards a process of acceptance and resolution.

"To be human means to live a life immersed in social relationships."  W.B. Pearce

"No man is an island, untire to himself " John Donne

Teenagers and young adults:

I have worked in an agency setting and at a school with children (11+) and young people on a wide range of issues, from bullying to depression, stress, anxiety to issues of self worth and body-image, anger and relationship problems.  This broad experience helps me to understand the external demands and pressures young people face and also the physical, emotional and mental developmental processes and changes they go through. It can be a stressful and confusing time.

Problems can develop and escalate quickly and when bottled up can turn into destructive behaviour, - directed towards oneself or others.  It is so important to address anything as early as possible. Young people need our respect and support and need to feel someone listens and takes their concerns seriously. My experience working with young people enables me to understand these very specific circumstances and I am able to offer a supportive and non-judgemental environment for the young person to open up in.

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of being.” 
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Bereavement:

I have gained in-depth experience and further training working in the field of bereavement care and loss and I am able to provide support if you are struggling with a loss and the impact this has on your life.  Loss also includes the loss of a relationship, a marriage, a pet, your health, redundancy, retirement, growing old or difficult life transitions.

Any loss can be experienced in a similar way to bereavement, as can any life changing situation and can leave you feeling depressed, tearful, not able to cope, without motivation, unable to see a way forward. You may feel you 'can not let go', you may feel stuck as if 'going round in circles'…..

How the experience of loss is affecting you will depend on many different factors and is unique to each individual. Sometimes 'past' pains and losses may surface and may make the process of grief and adjustment more complicated and difficult.  You may feel overwhelmed and confused, unable to make sense of it all.

I fully appreciate that any loss can have a significant effect on many, if not all areas of your life. Often new purposes and meaning will need to be negotiated and a new sense of identity and belonging discovered. I can offer you the specialist support you may need at this time and help you work through this process of adjustment.

Addiction:

Many people experience problems with addictive and compulsive behaviour and it is often hidden and kept secret.  This secrecy can foster feelings of guilt or shame. This can make you feel lonely and isolated. You may feel you can't be the person you want to be or could be.

If you suffer from any form of addictive or compulsive behaviour it is essential for you to experience the total acceptance of you as a person, to be able to address issues of shame, guilt, lack of self-compassion, low self esteem and any underlying emotional, possibly traumatic experiences or unmet needs. 

Building a trusting, mutually respectful and collaborative relationship with your counsellor is so very important if you want to be able to fully explore those areas.

I am very aware of the dynamics of this life style and may be able to help you to find a way out for yourself.  Addictive and compulsive behaviour can present in many different forms: whether it is alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, hoarding, sex, gambling or computer games.  As part of this process we would look at the habitual patterns of thought and behaviour which keep you locked in a cycle of addictive behaviour.


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• I work in private practice: Canopy Counselling - Sabine Lees MBACP

• For a number of years I have worked with young people as a school counsellor and at a Youth Agency in High Wycombe and as a bereavement support worker and telephonist for Cruse Bereavement Care.

• I have been involved with a Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service at Slough where I have counselled individuals and couples who are in recovery.

• Certified Focusing Professional  (Focusing Institute New York)
• Focusing Trainer
• I offer Focusing workshops and training courses

£67.00 per session

I work flexible hours, including evenings and Saturdays on request. Appointments by arrangement. Just call or email me. Look forward to hearing from you.