Valerie Harrison
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Counselling can be really beneficial if you are finding things difficult and it is hard dealing with life issues.
I help you explore your issues and move forward by listening, confidentially and without judgement.
Clients say they feel safe with me, as I offer support and respect their views.
Your therapy is individual and tailored to your needs. I use an integrative model developed through five years’ of training which includes the three major approaches in psychology: humanistic, psychodynamic and behavioural.
This means that around the relationship between client and therapist, I use a wide range of techniques (including some cognitive behavioural therapy – CBT and sometimes meditation) depending on what helps you achieve your own aims in coming to therapy.
First meeting, my approach and the schedule
In our first meeting it is important that I have an understanding of your situation and I will ask what you hope to gain from coming to counselling. This initial appointment, like all subsequent sessions, lasts 50 minutes.
You may have questions about the process of counselling and so it is also an opportunity for me to answer these, and for you to find out whether it feels safe and comfortable working together.
Following on, we can then agree a contract for a certain time period, say six sessions, before reviewing our work and aims.
In later sessions we will review again, and depending on your needs, might decide to extend our work longer.
Confidentiality remains paramount throughout the therapy process.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a professionally qualified counsellor and psychotherapist. As a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I abide by its Code of Ethics. My work is supervised by a senior practitioner.
I am in private practice and have worked as a volunteer counsellor for about 13 years, as well as having experience of working both in the NHS environment and at a top London university.
My qualifications are:
- BA (Hons) (1st class) Integrative-Relational Counselling (BACP Accredited)
- Pre-Practitioner Certificate in Counselling
- Counselling Skills Certificate
- Diploma in Advanced Hypnotherapy
- BSc (Hons) Anthropology
I have worked with clients with a wide variety of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, bereavement, low self-esteem, divorce, loss, infertility, panic attacks, sleep problems, redundancy, and work related stress.
I have experience of working with adults of all ages, ethnicities and sexual orientations.
Prior to becoming a counsellor, I worked in the City, travelled extensively, lectured in business skills and taught stress management with an emphasis on calm and how to deal with anxiety and panic attacks.
I believe passionately in the potential of every human being and that we have the answers within to change from the inside out, to find our way of living fully and to be happy.
I bring to my work sensitivity, intuition and creativity. I am quietly spiritual, and often amazed by mysteries which present themselves, recognising there is more to life than meets the eye.
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 - £65.00
Additional information
My fees are from £60 per 50 minute session.
If you miss an appointment because you are ill and you have given me 48 hours notice, or because you are on holiday, you will not be charged.
If you give less than 48 hours notice you will be charged a cancellation fee.
When I work
I work weekdays and in the evenings.
Further information
Parking is free.
