Alison Stevenson

Verified Professional task_alt Verified Professional
Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

she/her/hers
Counselling & Psychotherapy MBACP Accred, Adults & Teenagers
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Horsham, West Sussex, RH12
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

If you are considering counselling or psychotherapy, you may find that you have been struggling with life and the difficulties it presents us, and perhaps you have recognised there is a need for change. Whether you would like to take care of your general mental health and emotional well-being, or work through more difficult life experiences or relationships, I am an experienced, BACP accredited psychotherapist, who embodies the core qualities of empathy, compassion and acceptance. I offer a confidential, non-judgemental space to listen and help find ways to live life the way you want.

I have 15 years experience as an integrative psychotherapist, offering individual therapy either face-to-face or remotely online. My practice incorporates a range of theoretical frameworks, to work with your individual needs, including Humanistic, Psychodynamic and Attachment approaches. I am also a qualified CBT practitioner (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), exploring negative thinking patterns and their impact on emotions and behaviours, and finding ways to challenge and change these to live a happier and more fulfilling life. In addition, I am qualified in Mindfulness Meditation and practices for well-being, which I share through experiential exercises in sessions, to help alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.

Being able to explore your thoughts and feelings, your relationships and interactions with others, may help you to understand the challenges you face and help you to identify any areas for change. Having a trustworthy therapist to talk to can be extremely valuable and can support you in living more authentically.

I have worked therapeutically with adults within the NHS ‘Adult psychology and counselling service’, as well as for a homelessness charity and within my private practice. I have worked with teenagers for the past 8 years in a secondary/sixth form school as well as within my private practice. I am experienced in working with many presenting concerns including depression, anxiety, social-anxiety, panic attacks, family issues, bereavement/loss, sadness, addiction, attachment/separation, abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, relationships, self-harm, suicidal ideation, peer-on-peer abuse, online abuse/social media safety, anger-management, low self-esteem, weight/eating and body image issues.

In my practice I also work creatively with the arts, for those individuals who would like to. I have found that using a variety of artistic mediums facilitates exploration and discovery of unconscious processes.  The emphasis is on the individual’s own interpretations of their creative process, rather than my analysis of what is created. Some of the mediums we can use include: imagery through drawing/painting, collage, clay modelling, poetry/song and role-play.

If you would like to discuss how counselling/psychotherapy could be helpful for you, please contact me to arrange an initial consultation. This will be a first meeting to discuss your concerns, expectations and goals for therapy.

Training, qualifications & experience

  • Diploma in Counselling Teenagers (IATE)
  • Trauma Informed Practice (IATE)
  • Bereavement Training (Wimbledon Guild Counselling Training)
  • Mindfulness Practitioner Training (Kagyu Samye Dzong, London)
  • Attachment Across the Life-cycle (Wimbledon Guild Counselling Training)
  • Post-graduate certificate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Advanced Diploma Integrative and Inter-Cultural Counselling
  • Certificate for Person-Centred and Psychodynamic Counselling
  • BSc (Hons) Degree Psychology

I am an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and abide by their Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

My professional training and counselling work have allowed me the experience of working inter-culturally within multi-ethnic and diverse settings. I am aware of and respect different cultural beliefs and values and different religions. I am committed to equal opportunities and would not discriminate on any grounds relating to age, gender, sexuality, race, religion or disability. 

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

Fees

£70.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income
  • check_circle OAPs
  • check_circle Students
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors
  • check_circle Unemployed
  • check_circle Refugees

Health Insurance/EAP

  • check_circle Aviva
  • check_circle Axa Health
  • check_circle BUPA

Additional information

My fees are £70 per session, to be paid at the time of our appointment via bank transfer.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I currently have some availability on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Further information

During our first assessment session we will discuss your priorities for counselling and your current concerns. We will also talk about the number of sessions you would like. Based on your needs, I can offer short term work with a clearly defined end date (usually 6-12 sessions), or I can work longer term and offer 'open-ended' psychotherapy, whatever feels right for you.

If you have any questions you would like to ask please call me on the number above or email me.

Horsham, West Sussex, RH12

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)

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

There are several steps leading to the property, therefore online counselling is available to those individuals who might be unable to access the practice in person.

Online platforms

Whatsapp
Zoom
Google Meet