Bethany MacDonald
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
My name is Bethany MacDonald and I am a UKCP accredited psychotherapist with 20 years of experience based in Islington, North London. I work with individuals and couples.
My clients are from various walks of life and backgrounds and in our work together we explore the difficulties they are experiencing. I offer both long term and short term work depending on what you are wanting and the issues we will be working with.
If you are interested in counselling or psychotherapy, the first step is to call me or email me to make an appointment for an initial session.
The first session is for you to tell me about yourself, the issues you would like to explore and to ask any questions you may have.
At the end of this session, we should have a good idea as to whether we want to work together and continue with further sessions.
Once we decide to work together I suggest an initial 6 sessions after which we will review our work together and decide to either complete therapy or continue with ongoing counselling or psychotherapy.
Sessions last for one hour and usually take place on a weekly basis.
I hope you have found this information useful but if you would like to know more about my approach or have any questions, you can:
- call me on 07949580881
- email me via the link at the top of this page
- visit my website via the link at the top of this page
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
- MA Psychotherapy and Counselling
- Post Graduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy
- Diploma in Clinical Supervision
- Diploma in Couples Therapy
In addition to my private practice, I work as a Clinical Supervisor to trainee and experienced therapists At Spiral Therapy Centre which provides low-cost therapy to the local community.
Member Organisations
- United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapists (UKCP)
- British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- Health Professions Council (HPC).
Therapeutic Approach
My approach is Integrative which means that I draw upon different models of psychology and psychotherapy. This allows me to work flexibly, depending on your particular needs and experience.
Overarching my approach is an Existential perspective. I work in a way which acknowledges that life is not straightforward or easy. At the same time I hold the perspective that to explore and consider life's difficulties can lead to a new sense of meaning and direction in living.
I also work Relationally, and consider how life can be complicated by difficult experiences in relationships - past or recent. Negative experiences with others can have a very powerful effect on one’s well being. They can shape how you feel about yourself and how effective or satisfied you are in your life.
Background
I am originally from Canada. Prior to working as a psychotherapist, I worked in both mental and physical health sectors of the Canadian health care system as an occupational therapist.
I was drawn to psychotherapy to build on the psychological aspects of health and quality of life and moved to London in 2002 to take advantage of its excellent psychotherapy training opportunities.
Originally I had planned to return to rural Canada after my training, but in the end, I liked it so much I stayed on and have now made a home here in the UK.
Member organisations
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.
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.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I also provide Psychotherapy in Nature
Psychotherapy in nature is simply that – where the therapy room is nature itself instead of a traditional consulting room.
Nature brings so much more to therapy than is possible in an indoor setting.
Simply being in nature is grounding. You become less stressed and adrenalised and this provides a powerful window to healing and change.
Nature Allied Psychotherapy is a form of therapy that sits alongside the theories of eco-psychology, eco-therapy and wild therapy. These approaches believe that alienation from nature contributes to suffering, a sense of disconnection and illness – mental and physical. Reciprocally, nature heals.
In a world increasingly dominated by technology and alienating environments, psychotherapy in nature becomes a way of gently accessing and bringing the natural world into ones life with the support of another. A stepping stone towards a more grounded, nourished and satisfying sense of belonging in the world.
I currently offer nature allied psychotherapy sessions from my woodland ‘office’ in North London.
Therapies offered
Fees
£70.00 per session
Additional information
- Individuals: 70 pounds per 60 minute session
- Couples: 95 Pounds per 60 minute session
- Psychotherapy in Nature: £80 per 60 minute session
When I work
Daytime and early evening availability
Further information
Making an Appointment
After an initial contact by email or phone, we will arrange an appointment as soon as we can.
The First Session
The first session is for you to tell me about yourself, the issues you would like to explore and to ask any questions you may have about the way I work or the psychotherapy process. At the end of this session, we should have a good idea as to whether we want to work together and continue with further sessions or you may want to think it over for a few days. I encourage couples to have a chat with each other following the initial session and to then let me know if they wish to go ahead with further sessions.
Once we decide to work together I suggest an initial 6 sessions after which we will review our work together and decide to either complete therapy or continue with ongoing sessions. The initial 6 sessions can be a useful guide for helping you decide if you are wanting to work on short term or more open ended basis.
