Abigail Oatway Dip.Humanistic Counselling. Registered Member BACP
About me
I live and work in West Sussex, as a qualified counsellor I offer a safe, confidential, friendly environment for young people and adults.
Working from a shepherds hut, in a peaceful, location, I offer both short term and long term counselling.
I believe the relationship between client and counsellor is of huge importance, and hope that through being non-judgemental and offering acceptance, empathy and warmth, you will be able to explore and understand issues which are important to you. Whatever it is that you are struggling with, being able to share it, be heard and understood without being judged can bring clarity and hope.
People come to counselling for many reasons, allowing yourself some time and space to talk can help you understand the causes of your unhappiness, distress, anxiety or feelings of disconnection. Being able to link feelings to your patterns of behaviour or ways of relating with others, can help you make sense of certain aspects of your life. Counselling can empower you by helping you make sense of what is happening, deal with painful thoughts, and enable you to make the changes you need to move forward.
I am a member of, and registered with, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, working within their Ethical Framework which is based on principals of autonomy, respect, trustworthiness, avoiding harm to clients and promoting client's well-being. I participate in regular personal and professional development opportunities and as required, my work is regularly overseen by a qualified clinical supervisor.
I have experience in supporting people of all ages, who have brought a wide range of issues, including: bereavement, relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, addictions, self-harm, redundancy, illness and caring responsibilities.
At the first session I will ask you in more detail about what has brought you to therapy, about your current circumstances such as relationships, support networks and details of your history.
If you would like to meet again and I feel I am able to support you, we can arrange a subsequent meeting. I will recommend we meet for a number of sessions and provide you with details of my commitment to confidentiality and data protection, plus a therapeutic contract. A therapeutic contact is not a legal contract but more a commitment for our work together.
As we approach the end of the initial agreed sessions, I recommend that we review how useful they have been for you and how you are feeling about the process. At this point, we can determine if you feel happy to continue and agree a time to review our progress again.
I will always show you respect and ensure your best interest is at the heart of our work.
I have an up to date DBS check.
Training, qualifications & experience
I completed my Diploma in Humanistic Counselling at Chichester University. My experience of working with adults comes from a variety of organisations, including Carers Support West Sussex. I work with children and young people in schools across West Sussex.
I have completed a number of training courses including:
- CBT with a Heart
- Motivational Interviewing
- Working with Attachment
- Symbolic Sandplay for Therapy
- Counselling Bereaved Children and Young People
- Working Therapeutically with Young People
- Working with Anxiety and Depression
- The Adolescent Brain
- Understanding Trauma
- Safeguarding
- Suicide First Aid
- Using Arts and Storytelling Therapeutically with Children
Member organisations
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Availability
I do offer evening appointments. Please contact me to discuss availability.
