Vivien Blackford
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Welcome. BACP accredited counsellor, with over twenty five years experience, offering accepting, supportive space for you to talk about what you need and be heard. Sessions are offered remotely via telephone and Zoom . BUPA/Aviva approved. Also approved by e.a.p.'s and other health insurance companies
Fees £45.00 Availability Monday - Friday 09.30 - 17.30
Also offer CBT/counselling support to people experiencing trauma and going through personal injury claim.
People reach out to a counsellor for many reasons.
Do you need support with workplace or personal stresses; are you feeling low or anxious. Do you need support with a bereavement, a life transition e.g. leaving home, beginning or leaving a relationship, a change in health etc.
Perhaps support is needed for personal growth. To make changes in your life.
Are there unhelpful behaviours and beliefs that you would like to change.
Is something from your past still unresolved................... If so counselling can help
Being heard in counselling can help you come to a deeper understanding of yourself and of what matters to you.
The quality of the relationship you and your Counsellor create together (known as the therapeutic alliance) plays an important part in any change. Our first meeting together gives you a sense of how you would feel working with me.
Each person is different, so at our first meeting I will listen to your counselling needs and this will inform how we may work together. This can change over time as your needs change and as you progress.
My Background:
I am experienced in working in many styles of counselling, including cognitive behavioural therapy, integrative, person centred, psychodynamic, solution focused, trauma focused counselling, acceptance and commitment therapy.
My counselling experience is expansive and includes ten years experience on an e.ap. helpline as a telephone counsellor and case manager; 13 years working on an addiction helpline. Since Covid I support clients who now prefer to work remotely via Zoom or telephone counselling.
Other counselling I have offered on a voluntary basis has been for a well known bereavement charity, as a student counsellor at a university, within two London Hospitals; within the charity sector, for a well known mental health charity
If you feel I can offer you support, do make contact.
Training, qualifications & experience
Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling
Training in clinical assessments
Training in brief therapy
(one year placement within London Hospital,
to support above course, taking referrals from g.p.'s/hospital)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Depression
(Examined training at Kings College London)
Mindfulness training
Acceptance and Commitment therapy Training
Bereavement training - Cruse training
Trauma and Recovery/working with personal trauma/road trauma
The Art of Focusing (the Felt Sense - body connections)
Training in Neuro Linguistic Programing
Training in Smoking Cessation/ten years experience working
in this field.
Training in telephone counselling
Training in understanding addictions/withdrawal processes
One year training in group counselling/understanding organisational processes
One year training in psychotherapy
Nine month practical training in systemic/family counselling
Training in Motivational interviewing and Solution Focused counselling
City & Guilds 7307 (stage 1) Further & Adult Ed. Teachers
Full NCSCT Certification as a Smoking Cessation Advisor
NCSCT "Smoking Cessation in Mental Health" Certificate
NCSCT "Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy and the Post Partum Period" Certificate Compassion focused therapy
Member organisations
school 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 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
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
£40.00 per session for OAPs and people on low income (Under £15000 pro rata)
BUPA Recognised. Provider Reference Number 30010343 (Referral through G.P.)
AVIVA Recognised Provider Number 600083072
Provider with other Health Insurance Companies Fees £50.00
Also offer CBT/Integrative counselling support to Clients following Road Trauma and going through Personal Injury - Fees £55.00
When I work
09.30 - 17.30 hours Monday - Friday
Further information
Counselling premises have good parking facilities and are a few minutes from Three Bridges Station
