Susan Matthews
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
You may be experiencing distress and difficult and painful feelings, or perhaps you would like to talk something through and feel heard, understood and accepted, or would even like to change or develop some aspect of your life.
It can be a big step and can feel quite frightening to ask for help from a counselling professional, but from within a safe, confidential environment and non-judgemental, supportive relationship, I can offer help with whatever is important to you. I am a fully qualified, experienced psycho-therapeutic counsellor and registered member of the BACP.
Your individuality around your life story and what you may want from counselling is unique to you. My integrative training means I can work with you in a way that is best for you. I can do this by drawing from a number of techniques from within different approaches. These may be Transactional Analysis (TA), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), creative approaches, relational and person-centered techniques and psycho-dynamic therapy. Depending upon your story we can find out together if solution-focused brief therapy, short-term counselling or longer-term in-depth therapy would suit you. I am also a Humanistic therapist and as such, focus on self-development, growth and personal responsibility, to help you recognise your strengths, creativity and your choices.
More about me and my practice and what you can expect from counselling with me, can be found on my website which can be reached by clicking on the link above.
Please contact me if you feel that I offer a service that may be of interest to you. When you book your first appointment, I will give you the address of and directions to my practice. My hours of work are flexible, but mostly in the evening.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have worked as a counsellor for a number of years within an NHS setting. I have worked with clients to overcome a broad range of issues, comprising short term and long standing issues, which my clients describe as placing limitations on them getting the most from their lives, and I have helped them to bring about changes they wish to see.
In addition to a counselling and therapeutic role, I have also worked within a business setting and can therefore appreciate any stresses and strains that your job or career can bring and appreciate how this can affect your feeling of well-being and your relationships.
Choosing a therapist can be bewildering and your feelings about me are important for your potential journey ahead. You can find out more about my practice by going to my website that is given above.
I am a fully qualified counsellor, holding a BACP accredited Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (DTC) (with distinction) from the Northern Guild of Counselling and Psychotherapy and a registered individual member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Additionally, I hold a Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy (with distinction) and I am currently training to complete my qualification in psychotherapy.
All of my training is accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and I adhere to their Ethical Framework for Good Practice as well as the Code of Ethics defined by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). All my clinical work is supervised in accordance with BACP and UKCP guidelines.
I also undertake Continued Professional Development training on an on-going basis.
If this sounds like it may be of interest to you, please get in touch by e:mail or telephone to arrange an initial meeting where we can discuss any questions or concerns that you may have that will help you to decide if working with me feels right for you, before you make a commitment.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
A session lasts for 50 minutes and is charged at £60 per session.
If your preference is to pay by bank transfer for a block of sessions, we could discuss this.
Concessions can be discussed on an ability to pay basis.
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel an appointment, and are unable to give 48 hours notice you will be charged the full fee for the unattended session.
When I work
Evenings
Further information
My practice is based in an easily accessible part of Central Aberdeen City. My Practice offers evening sessions, which may be suitable for those who work during the day.
Free parking at the practice may be available on a first come first served basis or on-street ticketed parking is available nearby before 6:00pm and free thereafter.
