Alex Ferguson
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Arrange a free, no-obligation 15-20 minute consultation in person, online or over the phone.
January Offer: To celebrate the new year and Wharf St. Practice's completed refurbishment, any clients who book their free consultation in January will receive their first full session at half price.
Hi, I’m Alex and I’m a fully qualified integrative and relational therapist. If you’re anything like me when I was first looking for a therapist, you’ll be wondering how you’re meant to find the right one when everyone’s profiles seem so similar.
Research shows that the fundamental factor that makes therapy a success is the strength of the relationship between therapist and client (Miles, 2015)*. That means the key to finding the best therapist for you is a little bit like online dating: you can get a rough idea from the profile, but you really find out whether you might gel together on the first meeting. The difficult truth is that you might not get it right first time - but every relationship will teach you more about what’s right for you.
Below, I’ve outlined how I like to work, my experience and how I would hope to foster a relationship that will help you make the changes you wish to see.
If you think that might chime well with you, reach out and we can book in a free, no-obligation 15-20 minute consultation in person, online or over the phone.
What therapy is like with me
My practice is anti-racist and LGBTQ+ inclusive. Clients of all races, sexualities and genders are welcome in my therapy room and, if you wish these areas to be part of our work together, we will explore your relationship to these parts of your identity with curiosity and sensitivity.
As an integrative therapist, I draw from multiple models of therapy to create a unique way of practising which helps me build up our relationship. I’ve refined these as a result of my training and what worked for me in personal therapy - so I have lived experience of their effectiveness.
Primarily, I work with a blend of Person-centred Therapy, Compassion-focused Therapy and Attachment Theory. Below, I’ve briefly outlined what each of these three models will look like in practice in our sessions:
Person-centred Therapy: You will be in the driving seat for your therapy; we will go wherever you want to go at a pace that you dictate. My goal is to understand what it’s like to be you, to see what life looks like through your eyes and view it without judgement. You understand your circumstances better than anyone and are the best person to identify the changes needed - I’m here to help you uncover them.
Compassion-focused Therapy: If you’re a person who can be self-critical or struggles with shame, we can look at where that critical voice has come from, what it might be doing for you (both good and bad) and how we can bring greater balance to your emotions.
Attachment Theory: We can look at your core relationships growing up and how they might be impacting your life and relationships today. Once we understand this, we can explore any unhealthy patterns and how you might be able to repair them.
All of this combines into an experience that I hope you will find as challenging as it is reassuring, empowering as it is vulnerable and transformative as it is grounding.
*Miles, J. (2015). Why the therapeutic relationship matters. https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/why-the-therapeutic-relationship-matters-13123
Training, qualifications & experience
- Counsellor - New Wortley Community Centre, Leeds (January '23 - June '24)
- PGDiP Integrative Counselling (Leeds Beckett University)
- Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy (Compassionate Mind Foundation)
- Introduction to Transactional Analysis (Northside Training)
- MA Integrative Counselling (Leeds Beckett University - Currently studying)
Member organisations
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 - £55.00
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
My standard price is £55/session - however I offer a discounted rate of £50/session for clients wishing to book in 4 sessions at a time.
A free 15-20 minute consultation in person, online or over the phone is available for all potential clients.
I accept both self-funding clients and clients funding through Allianz, Vitality and WPA insurers. Please highlight in our consultation if you wish to pay through insurance.
When I work
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Further information
I am a member of the BACP and work within their ethical framework.
I am also a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and am currently conducting research aiming to increase the confidence therapists have to explore the climate crisis with clients wishing to do so.
