About me
Due to Covid-19 I am currently working via Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp, appointments are made as usual and are of course confidential. If there is hesitation about this type of session then I also offer telephone counselling if required. I am not the best person with technology and prefer to make contact a day or so earlier to ensure that all goes well on the day, this only takes a moment but saves time and means that our first session is a full hour without time wasted trying to connect.
I am an integrative, private counsellor working near Chesterfield, this means I can tailor the counselling to suit my clients' needs, personalising the service I give. I offer down to earth counselling in a non judgemental, confidential environment with sessions available on weekday evenings from 5.30pm and also Saturday morning sessions subject to availability.
I work extensively with bereavement, anger, stress, anxiety, phobias (in particular related to anxiety and social situations), I do short or long term work depending on the needs of the client and their problems.
The first session is a getting to know you session, allowing me to find out what is happening for my clients and a little bit of history. There is also the chance for clients to ask me some questions and find out something about counselling and how I approach it.
You will have control through the all the sessions, how often you want to attend, what is discussed, especially important if what is being talked about is very painful. If you just want to sit in silence and relax then that is possible as well.
I am also a qualified hypnotherapist and hypnosis can used as a tool during counselling, but only with my clients full agreement. A light form of hynosis is a very effective way of helping people to relax and have a rest from their stresses and tensions and can be a technique learned to use outside of the our sessions to "take a break" from life's stresses and strains. This is however not appropriate for everyone and if requested I will use my discretion about the course to take.
I am a member of the BACP and work within the code of ethics and am currently following their advice in relation to Covid-19.
I have worked both privately and within a counselling service prior to moving home to Derbyshire in 2009, working with clients of all ages and with all types of problems including grief, loss, anger management, relationship issues, anxiety and stress. Before I trained as a counsellor I was a General Manager within a visitor attractions company, it was a very complex and stressful job, but has provided me with a keen insight into work related stress and anxiety as I struggled myself to keep up. This is in part the reason I became a counsellor.
I have a grown up family, my children live in the south of England, but I came back to Derbyshire as my parents are elderly and I want to be close to them at this time.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have over 10 years experience of client work related to many different problems. Some of these were gained in a Counselling Service but the majority are from working with private clients. I am a registered member of the BACP.
I undertake counselling training each year to update my skills and attend a continual personal and professional development group each month.
I currently hold:-
Advanced Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy
Diploma in Counselling
Diploma in Hypnotherapy
Certificate in Neuro Linguistic Programming
Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Level 4)
Member organisations

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership

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.

Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Pain Related Issues
Social Affective Disorder
Redundancy
Employment Issues
Fees
My Standard Fee is £40.00 per hour.
I offer a few concession places where the fee can be negotiated for example for students. Details of these are on my website - www.counsellinginchesterfield.com
Further information
I am a member of the BACP and the Hypnotherapy Society.
I am a student member of the BPS (British Psychological Society)
I attend regular supervision to ensure best practice.
I have full insurance
I adhere to the BACP code of ehtics
I ensure that I regularly update my skills through training courses.