Abigail Oatway
Verified Professional
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Dip.Humanistic Counselling. Registered Member BACP
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
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)
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
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
Fees
£45.00 per session
Additional information
Sessions are charged at £45.00, I offer a free telephone conversation, to help you decide if you would like to book an assessment.
When I work
I do offer evening appointments. Please contact me to discuss availability.
