Alison MacDonald

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BA(Couns & Psych) MSc(Psych) BACP (Snr. Accred)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Ash Vale, Surrey, GU12
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am an experienced and qualified psychotherapist who has worked in a number of different fields. I am comfortable talking with children, adolescents and adults from a variety of different backgrounds. I believe everyone is equal and should have the right to be heard and understood by at least one other person. My aim is to focus on understanding what it is like to live in your skin and then enable you to live in a more fulfilling manner.

I like to think of counselling as primarily understanding a person and what they are coping with and then being a facilitator that aids the person to resolve whatever issues they are facing or just to help them cope with their emotions. I have at the centre of my practice the belief that it is in the therapeutic relationship of empathy and unconditional positive regard that enables a person to discover their deepest value and unique self.

My counselling style is integrative. I have formal training in CBT but like to integrate this into a person centred style. I offer Sensorimotor psychotherapy and have training and experience in working with complex trauma. I have experience in a number of areas that can prove problematical, which include relationship issues, couples counselling, depression, anxiety, anger, abuse of varying kinds, phobias, OCD, panic attacks and many more. I have formal training in systemic therapy and can offer couple or family counselling.

About Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: this therapy style blends cognitive and emotional approaches, verbal dialogue and physical interventions that directly address the implicit memories and neurobiological effects of trauma and developmental wounds. It is on the cutting edge of the latest research on the treatment of trauma. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy has at its core mindfulness and nonviolence. Feeling safe is often a foreign concept to those who have experienced trauma, abuse and neglect. I believe the client needs to experience a sense of safety in the relationship and in the therapeutic space. Drawing on my training and experience and my training in sensorimotor psychotherapy for the treatment of complex trauma I am able to facilitate this process.

Training, qualifications & experience

I have a Degree in Counselling. I have two degrees in Psychology. I have experience in a number of areas that clients have found difficult or problematic. I have attended many conferences and training days in order to keep abreast of all the recent advances in neuroscience and different psychotherapies.

I have a Diploma in Individual and Group Supervision.

I have studied Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for a year with Janina Fisher and Kekuni Minton.

I have a Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling

I am a BACP Senior Accredited Psychotherapist as of May 2013.

I have experience with a varied age range which spans the ages of 10 through to 60+. I offer individual and couples counselling.

Member organisations

school Registered / Accredited

Registered / Accredited

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
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Photos & videos

Fees

£65.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Trainee counsellors

Additional information

I charge £65 a session for individual therapy and £95 for couples therapy.

If 24 hours notice has not been given for a cancellation then I charge the full fee.

Supervision Fees:
I charge £70 per hour session for individuals.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I can offer sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am through to 8pm

Further information

I have worked as the Coordinator and as a supervisor for Guildford YMCA Open House Counselling Service whose age range is 11-30. I also was the School Coordinator between Open House and Kings College, Christ College (Guildford) and Ash Manor Secondary School.

I was the Clinical Director of #talkifuwant2 Counselling Service, which provided counselling in Ash Manor Secondary School.

My private practice is based in my home where a room has been specifically set aside. Client confidentiality is very important to me.

Ash Vale, Surrey, GU12

Type of session

Online

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Couples

Key details

DBS check info

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Additional languages

N/A

Online platforms

Skype
Zoom

Supervision

Online

I am a BACP Senior Accredited Supervisor (Individuals). I offer one-to-one supervision and group supervision.

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