Rachel Wesley

Verified Professional Verified Professional
Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

BSc (Hons), PG (Dip) in Counselling, Reg MBACP and EMDR UK
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Bolton BL1 & Chorley, Preston PR7
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am a qualified mental health therapist/trainer who runs a nationwide online practice and from clinics in Bolton, Chorley and Preston.  Before starting private practice, I worked in psychological therapy for 18 years in the NHS in both occupational health and primary care mental health services. I work in a client-centred and holistic way with individuals and couples, irrespective of religious belief, sexual orientation or race. 

I am an integrative psychotherapist and offer, compassionate focused, CBT and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Therapy). I work with single incident trauma such as assaults and accidents, more complex PTSD due to abuse or being exposed to life threatening or horrific events. I have experience of working with:

- trauma eg domestic violence, long term abuse, health related

- relationship issues (both with couples and individuals), separation/divorce

- low mood/depression including peri and post natal depression (for men and women)

- general and social anxiety, stress

- eating/alcohol/drug difficulties

- low self-esteem and body image issues

- bereavement/loss and life adjustment

- anger and managing emotions

- family and parenting difficulties

- work related issues eg bullying, redundancy, career changes, facing retirement

- long term ill health and chronic pain (having worked for the MS Society for 5 years)

I have particular experience in helping parents/carers who have children on the autistic spectrum.

I also run an anger group to help people explore how they can more healthily deal with conflict situations.

I also conduct home visits when a GP makes a private referral for clients who have long term health conditions.

Training, qualifications & experience

I am a Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, EMDR Association of UK and Ireland and UK Psychological Trauma Society, have a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and is nearing the end of a Masters in Counselling, in addition to specific qualifications in CBT and EMDR. I also have a BA (Hons) in Human Resources which was my first career before moving into therapy. I work in an integrative framework incorporating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing) and compassionate focused approaches. The tools are not the most important part of therapy - rather the relationship is, being understood and accepted.  I enjoy working in nature and offer 'walk and talk' therapy with clients in nature, where they can always bring their dog if they wish.

From my HR background I also offer coaching particularly around redundancy and career change issues.  I run workshops for therapists and staff within the care professions covering ASD/ADHD, managing anger and conflict, psychopharmacology, PTSD/Trauma, compassionate mind, good clinical care practice within the care sector.

I have worked as independent therapist for a local secondary school with adolescents (11 year olds and upwards) who have emotional and behavioural issues; regularly runs workshops for staff in the education and care sector on mental health issues.  Recently the workshops have included subjects such as anger, stress management, mental health in adolescence, attachment disorders and self-harm.

I am a clinical supervisor and coach for both student and qualified counsellors, staff involved in education, social work and mental health eg teachers, foster carers and social workers.

As a Reiki master teacher, I am also able to offer bio-energy healing and relaxation, mindfulness meditation.

Past clients' comments: "I couldn't even sit in the passenger seat of the car for months without shaking after the accident.  My insurer referred me to Rachel and after just a few sessions the panic feelings started to reduce.  I'm not yet driving as confidently as I was but I can drive and sit in a car again which I never thought would happen."

"I didn't know what to expect from counselling - it was all a bit of a mystery. Over time I started to feel I could trust Rachel and she has helped me understand that by avoiding things my world has got smaller and my anxiety has got bigger.  Although it's been hard and painful at times, my world is slowly getting a bit bigger again and I am starting to live."

Member organisations

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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

Aspergers - help for parents and carers

Photos & videos

Fees

£50.00 - £65.00
Free initial telephone or online session

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • Keyworkers
  • OAPs
  • Students
  • Trainee counsellors
  • Unemployed

Additional information

Individuals - £50 to £65 for counselling therapy, £55 to £65 for EMDR per session. Discounts available for clients on low income
Couples - 60 minute session on a sliding scale (income dependent) from £65 to £50 per session
Teens (age 11 years and upwards) - £50 per session
Telephone/online - sessions up to 60 minutes £50 per session

Corporate/EAP/employer sponsored for individuals; EMDR - £65 to £55 per session depending on therapeutic model required; reports for insurers/solicitors/other referrers are negotiated on a time basis

Weekly 6 session Anger group is £120 (for 6 sessions)

Discounts are offered for staff in the emergency services/NHS, veterans, students and people on low incomes

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Sessions available from 10 am to 7 pm online; clinic appointments Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm in Bolton, Chorley and Preston (Fulwood area).

Further information

If you wish to discuss your issues informally, please give me a call to book a time for a 20 minute free chat before arranging an initial session. Daytime and evening appointments are available in Bolton and Chorley.  Telephone and Zoom sessions offer the option to receive therapy at home. 
You can access my services privately without a GP referral, however dependent upon the nature of the issue, a link into your GP may be beneficial so that we can work together offering a package of care. I also perform therapy for a number of EAPs and private health insurers.
Solicitor and medico-legal referrals related to ongoing claims are also welcome and they are normally managed by the solicitor or insurer looking after your case.

Bolton, Lancashire, BL1

Chorley, Preston, Lancs, PR7

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone
Home visits

Types of client

Young people
Adults
Older adults
Couples
Groups
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

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

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Chorley and Preston premises

Online platforms

Skype
Whatsapp
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

I am an experienced and pragmatic practitioner; working as a psychotherapist for 18 years in the NHS/IAPT/occupational health/private practice arenas.

View supervision profile

Social

Rachel Wesley
Rachel Wesley