Simon Town
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a BACP registered and accredited counsellor with over 20 years’ experience in providing counselling and support, gained both in GP surgeries and in private practice. I work with people experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship problems and many other personal issues.
Why counselling?
We are all confronted by problems which can disrupt our lives at various times and, for the most part, we get over them: we have developed ways of dealing with our problems.
However, sometimes we are confronted by something so large or so difficult that our old coping strategies no longer seem to work. We may feel stuck in negative ways of thinking, feeling or behaving.
But we can change the way we think, feel and behave. Counselling can provide support to do this - it can help people to consider how and why they think, feel or behave in certain ways. It can also support people to take new approaches to grow and develop, and, if motivated, to make changes to achieve a different and hopefully better future.
Why is it different to just talking with friends?
Friends can help with lots of things – advice, support, a shoulder to cry on, listening ears…. However, the difference with a counsellor is that there is no ‘history’ and you won’t get ‘advice’ – advice being one person’s view based on their experience and history of what they would do in similar circumstances. Humanistic counsellors will accept your feelings and thoughts but not judge you and through the developing relationship, process and sharing of theory may help you to gain insight, awareness and to discover options that maybe you didn’t know you had.
If you are considering counselling and have read this far you may be interested in discovering a little more about yourself, your thoughts, feeling and behaviours and in learning about some interesting new paradigms, perceptions and theories which may have real practical application for your everyday life.
Is something troubling you or causing you emotional difficulty?
Is there something you just can’t get your head around?
If so, counselling may provide some help.
How does it work?
We will arrange a convenient time for a first, no-obligation session at which you can decide whether you would like to come for some sessions. You can ask any questions you want and we will talk about the issue/s that may be troubling you. Then, if you decide that you would like to try counselling we will agree a number of regular sessions together (generally weekly).
Where?
I work at discreet and confidential premises in central York (South Bank).
Types of issues covered include – please note that this list is not exhaustive, it is just some examples:
- Relationship problems, including breakdown, separation, divorce
- Family issues
- Attachment
- Personal and professional problems
- Personal development
- Bereavement
- Loss associated with retirement, redundancy, surgery, accident
- Depression
- Stress and anxiety
- Work problems including bullying and harassment
- Health related problems
- Trauma
- Sexual issues
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a BACP registered and accredited counsellor which means that I am registered with one of the leading counselling bodies in the country (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and that I have reached a certain standard of work and have a relevant qualification (Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling).
It also means that I adhere to the BACP Code of Ethics for counsellors.
I have worked for over 20 years as a counsellor, both in GP surgeries and in private practice. I also work for Occupational Health services.
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.
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
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My fees are £50 per session.
I offer fee reductions for people on low incomes or people experiencing particular hardship. Please just ask me, if that may help you access the support you feel you may need.
When I work
I have sessions available during the day, and weekday evenings.
Further information
I am happy to answer any questions that you may have, without any obligation for you to make an appointment. You can contact me by text, phone or email.
I offer a 'no-obligation' first session, during which I can learn a little bit about the difficulties you are facing; you can ask any questions and I will explain a little about the type of counselling that I use. At the end of this session you can decide if you want to come for a set of sessions.
I do know that sometimes it can be difficult to make the first call or contact but I do hope that you may consider me, and if so I look forward to hearing from you.
