Alex Gulland
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, my name is Alex, Well done, you've made your first step in asking for help by clicking on my profile. I have a background in the creative industry, working for most of my life in Central London. I moved to counselling in 2017 when it became apparent that I had a passion for helping individuals navigate their way through life either through face-to-face/online/telephone counselling or Equine Therapy. If you are having issues or experiencing mental health issues I can provide you with a safe confidential space where we can work together to help you move forward.
There are further details about me below, but you can also view a short film I've made, which explains a little bit more about my approach. This is in the Photos and Video section of my profile (scroll down).
What Therapy Do I Offer
I mainly practise Person Centred Therapy, also known as Rogerian or non-directive therapy. This is a type of psychotherapy that specialises in helping clients find solutions to their problems.
I fully understand that approaching counselling for the first time can be very daunting, but as a person-centred counsellor, I will work with you in a calm, professional environment to explore your issues and problems and work towards a solution.
I aim to be supportive and understanding and together we will endeavour to help you achieve greater self-awareness and establish your emotional independence.
Counselling Outdoors
If sitting in a counselling room is not for you, I also work as an Equine Therapist working out of an idyllic local therapy farm. This type of outdoor therapy utilises the concept that people's lives can be positively influenced and changed by spending quality time with horses, whom I believe are excellent teachers in our journey to discover and understand ourselves. My practise is based out of Silverbirch Animal Therapy Farm in Leigh on Sea, Essex.
Equine therapy, when combined with mental health counselling, can help those suffering from mental health issues. This modality is also very beneficial for those who prefer to work on their issues outside in a more natural environment. All the work takes place with the horse/pony on the ground (no riding takes place).
Other Therapies
I am informed by Inner Child Therapy and Polyvagal Theory. More recently I have become a member of the Polyvagal Equine Institute.
Inner Child Therapy can help heal emotional pain and Polyvagal Theory and Equine Polyvagal can help draw attention to self-awareness and regulation.
Whether you are looking for room-based counselling or Equine therapy, I will provide a safe, non-judgmental and confidential space in which you can share and talk. I also work online and on the phone.
Background Information
I am also a documentary filmmaker and the common theme of my films is the effect of various situations on an individual's mental health.
My last two documentaries were ‘LOCK4TIMES’, which focussed on the nation's mental health during the first Covid lockdown, and ‘TAILS FROM THE BORDERS’, a film which looked into the desperate plight of pets and wildlife in war-torn Ukraine and the devastating mental effect on their owners.
Both of these films assisted in my desire to increase my experience of the human condition and greatly complemented my counselling studies, by expanding my knowledge of various mental health problems and potential solutions.
Contacting Me
If you wish to make the first step and feel that I may be able to help, please make contact for an initial free telephone or Zoom consultation.
During this call, you can ask me any questions and discuss what you hope to achieve from counselling and whether you would like to continue with me.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Mental Health Counselling, Person-Centred Levels 4, 3 and 2 - South Essex University
- Inner Child Healing Diploma - The Centre of Excellence
- Jungian Analysis Diploma - The Centre of Excellence
- Premiere Pro recognised editor - ADOBE
- Equine Assisted Learning Practitioner - LEAP
- Working with Addiction Using EFL - LEAP
- Somatic Ways of Working - The Beech Practice
- Polyvagal Theory Course - Professional Education Systems Institute
- 4 International Film Festival Awards for the feature doc ‘Tails From The Borders’
- 15 Laurels and two honourable mentions for the short film ‘Lock 4 Times’
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 - £75.00
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Equine Therapy is more expensive than room-based therapy because of additional facilities required eg a horse or pony.
When I work
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Evening work is limited to online or telephone work.
Further information
I offer face-to-face in a quiet room in Rayleigh, parking is available on site. I also work out of Silverbirch Animal Therapy Farm CIC, in Leigh-on-Sea. Both settings are tranquil and secure.
