Ben Wright

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BA(hons), Dip Couns, MBACP (accredited)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Bristol BS5 & BS1
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Hello!

I am an accredited, BACP registered counsellor and psychotherapist with over 15 years experienced,  based in the Easton and Bedminster areas of Bristol.  I work with adults over the age of 18 and also couples. I offer in-person sessions and can also offer online therapy.

I have worked in various settings, including doctors' surgeries and a sixth form college, as well as running my own private counselling practice. I have considerable teaching and training experience and also teach meditation and mindfulness as a tool to aid inner stillness and personal growth.

What is counselling?

The world is extremely complex, and there are many pressures all around us; pressure to be or think a particular way, to please others, to 'fit in'. Often we do this at the expense of who we 'really' are, and this often leads to symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Counselling provides a safe and confidential space to work through these things and move to living a more genuine and fulfilling life.

I work with a focus on the current needs and desires of the individual and believe that within everybody lies a unique spark that, if cultivated gently, with kindness, non judgementalism and understanding, can grow in exciting and often surprising ways.

The problem is that most of us come from the starting place of what we can't do or be, so we never get the chance to express our higher selves. I believe that by providing a space to explore those things that feel difficult in a confidential, caring and accepting environment, it is possible to clear away the blocks that stop us from fulfilling our highest potential.

My experience consistently proves to me the power of having a space to just be yourself and I am often struck and impressed by the changes I have seen in people as the result of this process.

What to expect from the first session

I usually suggest meeting first for an initial 50 minute session. This is an opportunity to get to know one another and for me to get a greater sense of your needs and expectations of counselling. Towards the end of this session we will make time to discuss how the session felt and come up with a plan moving forwards. Often I will suggest that we meet for a specific number of sessions and then review our work towards the end of this period, but how we move forwards would be very much up to you. Sometimes people need very few sessions to work through what they need to, others may choose to see me for a longer period of time.

How I work

I tend to meet people weekly or fortnightly and work short or long term, depending on what feels appropriate for you. I offer counselling for both individuals and couples. Individual sessions last for 50 minutes and Couple Counselling sessions last for 90 minutes.

The contents of each session will be unique to your needs. Sometimes we will just talk; you will have a chance to explore your 'story' and I will attempt to reflect this back to you to help you gain greater clarity. There may also be times when I suggest other activities to shine a light on a particular issue or problem - such as giving you a writing exercise to do, some artwork or some mindfulness meditation. However it pans out, the focus will be on your individual needs. I believe in the autonomy of the individual and my role is simply to facilitate a process where you can express yourself more freely and understand the circumstances of your life more clearly.

Training and meditation

In addition to my counselling work, I can provide training and workshops to trainee and qualified counsellors. I am particularly interested in learning to work more and more in the here-and-now, believing that this is usually where real, lasting change begins. With twenty years experience of meditating, I am also able to teach simple meditation techniques that can be life-changing in the way they help to still the mind and help you to stand back from the 'restless' world we inhabit.

Training, qualifications & experience

I am an accredited and registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). I have a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling and am also a trained couple counsellor, in addition to having extensive teaching and training experience. I regularly attend training courses and continuously work on my self-development through both my meditation practice and my own personal work.

I attend regular clinical supervision - both individual and group. As a Member of the BACP I am bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy.

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

Spirituality - exploring your philosophy of life can be a very fruitful way of understanding your life's circumstances and what they may be able to teach you.

Therapies offered

Fees

£45.00 - £90.00

Concessions offered for

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

Additional information

Please note that these are my standard rates. I am very aware that current circumstances can make paying for regular therapy difficult, so I am able to offer reduced fees on request. Please do not be afraid to ask...my biggest wish is to be able to provide therapy to those who seek it during these challenging times.

£60 (Individuals)

£90 (Couples)


When I work

I am available weekdays and evenings.

Bristol, City of Bristol, BS5

3 Redcliffe Parade East, Bristol, City of Bristol, BS1 6SW

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone
Home visits

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples
Groups
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

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

Skype
Whatsapp
Zoom