Tracey Goodwin

Most of us need help at some time in our lives. We can all experience times of crisis, when we feel lonely, vulnerable, anxious, distressed, isolated, traumatised, confused, depressed or generally overwhelmed and unable to cope. It may be difficult to know where to turn. I really believe that counselling/psychotherapy can help. I have witnessed, many times, positive and long-lasting results, in listening to and empowering people to feel more able to cope and better about themselves so that they can grow as individuals, change the things they want to, make their own decisions and live the lives they choose.

A little bit about my approach and what I offer -

I am a fully qualified and experienced Person Centred Counsellor and a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). This is a non-directive approach, which enables the counsellor to explore the client's issues with them, working through difficult feelings, in a safe, non-judgmental and confidential environment.

I adopt a warm, caring and sensitive approach to counselling, offering empathy, acceptance and unconditional positive regard for all of my clients, within a climate of trust, genuine honesty, openness and mutual respect.

I have high professional and ethical standards and regularly attend independent, professional clinical supervision, in line with BACP Ethical Guidelines and a wide range of continued professional development training, so that i can be the very best that i can be for my clients. I want my clients to feel valued and that the issues they bring are important.

I am also able to offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is a more direct, solution-focused, goal orientated approach.
Much of my work is integrative and I can also offer online counselling for those who prefer this method or are less mobile, depending on client needs.

Clients -

I work with people of all ages, both men and women . At the moment my youngest client is 6 years old and my oldest is 80 years of age!)
in addition, as well as my work with adults, I have vast specialist experience (over 25 years) of working with vulnerable children and young people around a range of mental health issues, conditions and traumatic experiences, which may have caused distress, anxiety and low-self-esteem.

Background and Experience -

I first came to counselling following a very long and rewarding career in Education and I had the privilege of working with many young people, who were experiencing emotional distress, high levels of anxiety, low self-esteem or social isolation. These included young people who are on the Autism Spectrum, have Learning Disabilities, mental health issues, or emotional distress. A large part of this work was supporting not only the young people themselves, but their families, including parents and siblings. I became very aware,during my career, of the enormous pressure placed on young people today and the affect which this can have on their mental health, self-esteem and general well being. It was this understanding, which led me into counselling and a complete career change.

One aspect of my counselling work, is as a specialist counsellor in these areas, where there is sadly, often, a lack of services. However, i enjoy working with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

Additional roles -

I am also now a Special Educational Needs Governor in a local school and a Specialist Mental Health Advisor at three local Universities (Chester, Edge Hill and UCLAN). I also work as both advisor and counsellor for a local organisation, for young people in residential care (LAC).

In addition, I have worked for the past 8 years, as a counsellor, in a local women's centre, a charitable organisation for women who are experiencing a wide range of mental health conditions, such as OCD, anxiety or depression, stress, bi-polar, disassociation, obsessive thoughts or behaviour, panic attacks, low self-worth, self-harm, suicidal thoughts or ideation, or have experienced significant trauma, including Post-traumatic stress, sexual or domestic abuse, bereavement, sexuality issues, gender identity issues, terminal illness, disability, eating disorders, bullying, family issues or relationship problems or employment related stress.

I have worked therapeutically with people of all ages (children, young people, older people, both men and women), as well as couples and families and I believe passionately in the process of counselling. I trust completely in the client's ability to change and grow through counselling, so that they can be more self-aware, accepting, confident, resilient and realise their own potential, by living the life they choose.

I have a fully enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate and a full Public Liability Insurance Certificate.

Additional Specialism -

I am also a very experienced and Specialist counsellor in working with people (adults/children) on the Autism Spectrum (including Asperger's Syndrome ) or living with a Physical or Learning Disability. This can either be with individuals themselves, or with someone within the family, such as a sibling, parent, or the partner of a person, who is on the Autism Spectrum. Over the years, I have worked with people with a wide range of disabilities, complex needs or personal challenges and understand the additional pressures which this can often bring in day to day life, both to themselves and to the people around them.

Fees -

My fee for Person-centred/ integrative counselling is £45 an hour, with a reduced fee for counselling students.
My fee for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is £60 per hour.
My fee for online counselling is £45 an hour.

What to expect in your first session-

Our first session is an opportunity for me to explain what is on offer, answer any questions and help you to understand what to expect from the counselling sessions and how this may be able to help you. You can also gain a sense of whether you feel comfortable working with me and how we can work together to help you with some of the difficult issues and feelings which you bring. It is also therefore, an opportunity to gain an 'overview' of some of the key issues which you are bringing with you, although this will always be at your own pace and only when you feel ready.

Contact -

Please contact me to make an enquiry or book an initial appointment, preferably by email  on - traceygoodwincounselling@gmail.com
or by mobile phone on 07749323636
(please leave a voicemail message if I am unable to answer, with your name, contact number and a convenient time for me to return your call and I will contact you as soon as possible at a time to suit you).

In addition .....

I have a fully enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate and am registered for the yearly update service. I am a fully registered member of the BACP and have recently applied for membership of the BABCP. I work within these professional codes of ethics, standards and practice, depending on which approach I feel best suits the client's needs.

In addition, I have a full Public Liability Insurance Certificate and attend monthly independent Clinical Supervision, with confidentiality clauses (as required by the BACP) and an extensive and varied program of Continued Professional Development.