Sharon Bergin
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Welcome
Hello and welcome to my Counselling Directory profile pages. I am a fully qualified Psychotherapist and Counsellor with over twelve years of experience in offering counselling and psychotherapy to individuals and organisations. I work in London and Southend-on-Sea and I am able to offer you in-person and online therapy.
About me
I am a fully qualified Psychotherapist, having gained my psychotherapy qualification with WPF Therapy London. I am an accredited and registered professional, which means my qualification is recognised by the professional accrediting organisations for psychotherapy and counselling.
My own career started within a corporate legal environment and so I have a good understanding of what it can be like to work in a highly pressurised environment. From there, I worked in the voluntary sector working in both mental health and criminal justice agencies. I have experience of working in the NHS, and more recently, working in the charity sector providing residential treatment for NHS patients. My more recent work has taken me into private practice where I offer both short-term and long-term counselling and therapy for individuals and organisations, and offering clinical supervision to training organisations and individual counsellors and psychotherapists.
The therapy
The type of therapy I offer is ‘psychodynamic’. Psychodynamic therapy aims to assist people in making links between the past and the present, and offers the opportunity to begin to think about any recurring patterns that may have formed in your thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and how they may impact on you now, and in the future.
The reasons people decide to engage in therapy are wide and far reaching and it isn’t always because of one reason alone. Some of the more common reasons individuals have approached me for therapy and counselling are;
- Relational issues; relationship difficulties, separation and divorce, family issues, feeling detached from others/not being able to feel, isolation and/or loneliness
- Trauma; past and present
- Work-related issues; work related stress, workplace stressors post pandemic, difficulties with colleagues, returning to work after an absence, workplace discrimination and bullying
- Anxiety, panic attacks, depression, low mood, suicidal thinking, autism and/or autistic traits, ADHD
- Harmful coping mechanisms: self-harm/intentional self-injury, addiction to substances and/or behaviours
This list provides just a few of the reasons why you or someone you know may know may consider having counselling. Anyone can engage in therapy at any time for any reason.
In the type of therapy I offer, a therapy session lasts for 50 minutes, and sessions usually take place on the same day and at the same time each week. I offer long term therapy, sometimes referred to as open-ended therapy; and I also offer short term therapy consisting of 12 sessions.
Before commencing therapy, I always invite a client to attend for an initial consultation meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to begin to think and talk about some of the issues that have been affecting you. It also allows you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about counselling and therapy.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have previously worked in the NHS, the criminal justice system, corporate companies, and in the charity sector. I offer short-term and open-ended counselling and psychotherapy for individuals and organisations, clinical supervision for training organisations, individual clinical supervision for therapists, and reflective practice facilitation for organisations.
I trained at the Chelmsford Counselling Foundation, but my core clinical training took place with WPF Therapy where I gained the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Theory and Practice. I have recently undertaken further training with the Society of Analytical Psychology (The SAP).
I am accredited by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (the UKCP) and The Foundation for Psychotherapy and Counselling (The FPC). Both organisations uphold the highest of standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. I am also a member of the BACP. I have an Enhanced criminal record check provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
I have experience of working with individuals who present with diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, one or more of the many different types of personality disorder, and with individuals who experience psychotic states of mind. That said, anyone can engage in therapy at any time, and, for any reason. Most people who seek counselling and psychotherapy with me do not come with a diagnosis; they come because they are struggling with what’s going on in their life and/or what’s going on in their mind, and they are looking for change.
My specialist areas are human development and trauma. The way in which we develop from children into adults impacts upon how we function and cope with everyday life situations, and not just the big life-changing events that one may consider to be a traumatic event, although these are important. Having worked in residential services with NHS commissioned patients for several years, I appreciate the impact of developmental and historical trauma, and how this impacts upon the everyday in terms of our relationships with others and how we cope.
Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 - £100.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
In London:
- Initial consultation £112 daytime
- Initial consultation £120 evening
- Therapy session £75 daytime
- Therapy session £90 evening
In Southend-on-Sea:
- Initial consultation £90
- Therapy session £60
Saturday morning online sessions:
- Initial consultation £120
- Therapy session £80
I offer a small number of reduced rate slots at each location so please do enquire regarding concessionary rate availability
When I work
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Please do reach out and make contact to determine real time availability
Further information
How I practice
Each therapy session lasts for 50 minutes, and sessions usually take place on the same day and at the same time each week. Before you start therapy, we will meet for an initial consultation. The purpose of this meeting is to begin to think and talk about some of the issues that have been affecting you. It also allows you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about counselling and psychotherapy and whether short-term or open-ended is the best model for you. You are welcome to contact me by e-mail, website enquiry or by telephone, and I am open to having a short telephone conversation before arranging any appointments.
My London location
My consulting room is located in the heart of the city. The closest train and underground stations are Liverpool Street and Moorgate, with Bank, Fenchurch Street, and Old Street stations being a short walk away.
Public bicycle stands are available outside the building and public parking is available in the Broadgate Car Park.
My Southend-on-Sea location
My consulting room is a short walk away from Southend Central train station and Southend Victoria station is approximately a 10 minute walk away. There is plenty of public car parking readily available near by.
Should you have any questions or queries, please feel free to contact me;
E-mail: sharonberginneale@gmail.com
Telephone: 07941 561616
