Alison Penfold

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(BA Hons) MBACP Accred/Reg. BAPAM Reg. Individuals/Couples
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Bath, Somerset, BA1 2ED
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Having established my practice in London for over ten years, I moved to Bath in 2019. I have significant experience of supporting clients with a wide range of life issues, transitions, depression and anxiety. This includes survivors of  abuse, bullying and other difficulties in childhood. Also, clients struggling to assert boundaries in intimate relationships or the workplace, or those dealing with a more specific issue in the present.

It can be distressing to recognise yourself repeating unhelpful patterns that you feel unable to change. I aim to validate your experience and empathise with you, whilst challenging unhelpful beliefs and supporting you to embrace meaningful and lasting change. As an integrative therapist, I'm informed by a range of perspectives and will offer the most helpful for you. The most vital ingredient in successful therapy will ultimately be the relationship between us, as therapist and client. 

Primarily, our first consultation is used to discuss your reasons for seeking therapy, to decide the most helpful way for us to work together and to discuss practicalities such as time of sessions and fees. I offer both short and long-term therapy for individuals and couples and offer a limited number of early morning and evening appointments when available.

Training, qualifications & experience

I have a BA Hons Degree in Integrative Relational Counselling and have been awarded Accredited Member Status with the BACP as a Counsellor/Psychotherapist. I am always guided by their ethical framework.

I regularly engage in Continuing Professional Development, particularly in the areas of Trauma, Attachment, Parts Work, Resilience and Healing. In order to support my work with couples, I have a certificate from COSRT (College of Sexual and Relationship Therapy), have attended additional brief CPD training at the Tavistock Institute for Couples Therapy, and more recently attended training seminars with a leading expert in this field.

Over many years of practice I have provided additional support for clients who work the twelve steps of addiction recovery.

Originally from a Performing Arts background, I worked for many years as a Classical Singer and for a time, with a National Opera House. I am a Registered Therapist for the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).  As a guest lecturer, I've presented workshops on Emotional Wellbeing for Performers, at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. This enables me to work effectively with clients experiencing performance-related (and boundary issues) at work, in educational environments, and in competitive sporting situations. 

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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

My experience within the theatre and performing arts gives me valuable insight into working with performers and also with those experiencing performance-related issues in other types of work environment and competitive sport. I welcome the opportunity to do this. In this capacity, I am an approved therapist for The British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) and this means that I update my knowledge in this area by completing regular training with them. I have worked as a visiting lecturer (on psychological issues facing performers) at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

I have extensive experience of working with a very wide range of emotional issues, including adult survivors of childhood abuse and trauma and sibling abuse.  I regularly attend further training in support of my work. I also see clients who work the Twelve Steps and are in established addiction recovery.

I frequently work with young adults (from age 18), enabling them to explore any difficulties that they might be experiencing, including conflict with parents, issues arising from peer pressure, self-esteem issues, obsessive/addictive behaviour (including social networking obsession and mobile phone addiction), and other issues.

Therapies offered

Fees

£70.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Trainee counsellors

Health Insurance/EAP

  • check_circle Aviva
  • check_circle WPA
  • check_circle BUPA

Additional information

Individuals - £70  per 50 minute session

Couples - £100 per 1 hour session 

Payment is by bank transfer in advance, or in cash at the session.

I am an approved practitioner for Aviva, WPA and Bupa insurance.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Early morning, daytime and evening appointments available. These vary from time to time, so it's  best to make contact and I can advise you of my current availability.

Further information

I am an experienced Performers Therapist and Coach and a British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) Registered Practitioner. This means that I regularly support Performing and other Creative Artists. In addition, I work in Private Practice in Central Bath and online across the UK with all the above mentioned issues.

I have a fully up to date DBS Certificate.

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath, Somerset, BA1 2ED

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples
Organisations

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

Online platforms

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