Karen O'Hara-Lowe

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B.A. (Hons), UKCP Reg. Memb. UKAHPP
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Stroud, Glos, GL6
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Hello, are you seeking a therapist who will listen and support you in dealing with issues such as anxiety, depression, addictive behaviour, trauma, OCD or relationship issues, I am an experienced, accredited psychotherapist working with clients since 1989 in both a long and short term capacity. I offer a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space, in a beautiful, peaceful therapy room in my garden in Chalford. I offer support to clients experiencing difficulty in their lives, providing space, and encouragement, to help look at and explore difficult events and feelings, and come to terms with them. I also endeavour to help clients to experiment with their way of being in the world, trying new things, and letting go of old patterns.

I see the therapy process is a meeting of equals, and welcome the diversity of my clients, and all that difference has to teach me. I believe fundamentally in the self healing capacity of human beings; that given the right conditions and enough support we will grow and develop to our greatest potential.

My training was at The Chiron Centre for Bodypsychotherapy in London, and I take a flexible approach to the therapy process, working out, together with the client, which style or techniques work best for them. I work in a range of ways; with Talking, Gestalt, Dreamwork, Visualisation, Hands-on Bodywork, Massage, Body awareness, Transference, and also with the relationship between myself and the client, using that relationship as one way of seeing how the client operates in relationships.

Due to my training as a bodypsychotherapist, when I am with clients, I will be thinking about how the client is in their body, and how their story has become embodied. Thus I see physical symptoms of dis-ease as of particular relevance to the therapy, and indicative of how the clients whole system has dealt with his or her life experience. My experience is that working on the emotional level can have a hugely beneficial effect on what is happening to clients physically.

About myself; I have always been drawn to "what makes people tick", but became more expressly interested in psychotherapy through experiencing difficulties myself. I have worked with both children and adults with autism and Aspergers syndrome, and have also worked with ex. long-term psychiatric patients. I was attracted to a Bodypsychotherapy course because I felt, and still feel, that it is impossible to separate out the mind from the body in psychotherapy, for me, the whole thing comes together. This opinion is currently being reinforced by the recent discoveries in neuroscience outlining the many feedback loops interlinking body and mind.

I also offer supervision, and have completed the CSTD training in supervision.

I have lived in the Stroud area for over 30 years, and still find the beauty of the area breathtaking, I have a great love of animals and spend my time when not working caring for a collection of them. I am also married, and have two children.

If you would like any further information about me, or the way I work, or to book an appointment, do get in touch.

Training, qualifications & experience

Degree in Modern Literature

Working as a volunteer at The Children's Hours Trust, with children with autism and Aspergers syndrome.

Working at Mind (national council for mental health) with ex-psychiatric patients, and administering the scheme caring for them.

Certificate and Diploma in Psychotherapy, from The Chiron Centre for Bodypsychotherapy.

Certificate in Biodynamic Massage, from The Chiron Centre for Bodypsychotherapy.

ITEC massage qualification

Working for Gloucestershire Group Homes, with clients experiencing autism and Aspergers syndrome.

Babette Rothschild 12 day course in Somatic Trauma Therapy.

Fully qualified UKCP Registered Supervisor, trained at the Centre for Supervision and Team Development

Completed Couple Counselling training with Juliet Grayson

Fully qualified and registered Craniosacral therapist and member of CSTA

Certificate in Equine Craniosacral Therapy

Member of CABP (Chiron Association of Body Psychotherapists)

Served on the Ethics committee of CABP.  Chair of the Ethics committee for two years. Member of CABP Council for 2 years.


UKCP Registered.

Member organisations

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.

UKCP
UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.

As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.

UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

Accredited register membership

UK Council for 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.

UK Council for Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Fees

£55.00 per session

Additional information

I do offer some low cost places.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I work in the daytime, all weekdays, other than Thursday

Further information

I have particular interests in Eating Disorders, Addictive behaviour, OCD type behaviour, and Trauma.

Chalford, Stroud, Glos, GL6

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Adults
Older adults
Couples

Key details

My therapy room is a five minute walk down a pedestrian lane, and does have a few steps up to it.

Online platforms

Skype
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

Hello, and welcome to my supervision profile.

View supervision profile

Karen O'Hara-Lowe
Karen O'Hara-Lowe