Tessa Nichol
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi
You may be confused - bamboozled even - by the range of therapies on offer so I want to explain as simply as possible what I do as a counsellor if you choose to come & see me.
Counselling will only be effective if trust me enough to confide difficult things to me & not worry about my reaction. So I will listen to you carefully & not judge you.
I will then help you to explore what has contributed to your current problems & to understand yourself better. I will also encourage you to tell me about your childhood & any losses or difficulties you experienced then.
Together we will redraw the jigsaw puzzle of your life so you can see things more clearly or with a different perspective. The final stage is helping you to marshal your own skills & resources to move on with your life with some hope & optimism. Whether you are a first timer or have had a bad experience of counselling let me help you.
Just email me to arrange an initial hourly appointment, at which you can tell me what your issues are, & if you then wish to continue we will arrange further sessions at a time to suit us both. These are usually once a week & I start off by offering 6 sessions after which we will review together how you feel it is going.
I provide a lovely safe space in my room in an attractive market town in Northumberland, just off the A1 and with a regular bus service.
Availability
I am retired from regular employment so am flexible as to days & times for appointments, up to 5pm. I am happy to take referrals for clients aged 18 & upwards.
My way of working
Essentially I work in a person centred way, allowing you to set the goals, direction & agenda for the counselling. I am very interested in the childhood and life history of each person- which is unique to them- & will have had an influence on their present difficulties.
I may use some CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) if that is appropriate but do not follow one 'technique' that may or may not work. My type of therapy is geared entirely towards you.
My Values
I take the issue of confidentiality very seriously and follow the BACP code of ethical practice.
Areas of counselling
I work with a wide range of issues including child abuse, relationship/sexual problems, work stress, bereavement, anxiety & depression, and problems resulting from a boarding school education.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have a degree in Psychology and did my initial training with Relate as a couples counsellor. Later I taught counselling at an FE college, covering all theories and approaches, but predominantly person centred.
For 6 years I ran the bereavement service at my local hospice and trained the bereavement volunteers for Cruse Tyneside.
I have had counselling myself and so I know what it is like to be on the other side.
I have attended numerous training courses over the years and maintain my Continuing Professional Development each year as required by my professional body the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I am a trained couples counsellor
Therapies offered
Fees
£45.00 - £55.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
£45 per hour for individuals, £55 for couples
Concessions for students and those on low income, negotiable before counselling starts
When I work
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Very flexible during the day, but no evening appointments at present.
Further information
I am also an experienced counselling Supervisor.
N.B. I am happy to do sessions on Zoom and either of us can set up the invitations on email. The important thing is to find a quiet space where you will not be interrupted.
