Amaia MacKle

ABOUT MY APPROACH

I offer an authentic and honest working relationship based on trust. It is this trust that will enable us to share and explore your issues safely. I will support you and guide you if difficult feelings appear by using practical methods and strategies to manage emotions.

I am an integrative humanistic counsellor which means that your wellbeing is at the centre of my practice and that the ethical principles and the values of honestly, empathy and respect are the pillars of our relationship. By integration, I mean that if you like, I will use techniques from different approaches to therapy when I believe they will be of benefit to you.

I am also a relational counsellor. By this I mean that I relate and interact with you and not just listen.

We will create together a space and a time that will help you to explore whatever you bring to therapy.

MY EXPERIENCE

I am a BACP and UKRCP accredited counsellor with 20 years’ experience working for the NHS and in private practice.

I have worked in many different areas and departments within the NHS through the years: the former Primary Care Trust at different surgeries in York, York Hospital Trust, Priory Medical Group within three of its surgeries and TEWV NHS Trust.

I have also worked in two secondary schools counselling children and staff, in the Women Counselling Service in Harrogate and in Askham Grange prison in York.

In private practice, I work with the University of York and York Hospital Trust and also with different Government Ministries and York City Council through different EAP companies. I am also registered and work with Bupa, Axa and Aviva health insurance companies.

These different settings have allowed me to work with a great variety of people of different nationalities, races, religions, education and backgrounds, and many different problems and issues both in short-term and long-term therapy. I can work with current more immediate issues or with deeper long-standing problems.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM OUR FIRST SESSION

My only aim in the first session is to prove to you that I am worth of your trust and to help you feel comfortable and safe with me. I will listen to you and interact with you. I will convey to you my understanding, empathy and non-judgemental attitude. I aim to be fully present for you and establish an honest relationship where we can explore your concerns freely.

I will also explain to you the confidentiality limits and the boundaries of our relationship. I will always be open to any questions you may have.

In future sessions, we will look at your issues, your needs, your relationships, your aims for therapy and in life in general and use practical tools to help you access what you need or want.

HOW COUNSELLING CAN HELP YOU

We all want to be happier, less stressed, feel safer in life in general. You might want to explore and feel better about a particular incident or event in your life. You might be struggling with a relationship or have work or family issues. It might be about the past or more current immediate concerns. Whatever you bring, we will explore it together to help you gain insight, understanding or learn strategies and ways to overcome your issue to change what is limiting you.

The general aim is that you live a more fulfilling, satisfying and happier life realising your potential.

OUR RELATIONSHIP

I trust in the capacity my clients have to heal and recover and consider my role is that of a humble helper in my clients' journeys.

My clients say consistently that I am naturally warm, that they feel comfortable with me very quickly, that I am supportive and that they feel hopeful and encouraged after the sessions even when we have had to explore difficult or painful issues.

We may use our therapeutic relationship to aid the understanding of dynamics that might be displayed in your everyday life. The understanding of emotions and how they affect our bodies, appropriate supportive challenging and information sharing, may also be part of our therapy if they are of benefit to you.

Similarly, if it is just offloading what you come for, I will respect it. Whatever your aims and your needs are, they will be respected.

TRANSPORT, SESSIONS AND FEES

My practice is easily accessible from York city centre by car, bus, cycling or walking. There is plenty of parking on the street. Bus number 1 leaves you 2 minutes walk from my door and you can get it from most bus stops in central York. The train station is a 20 min walk away and there is a bus stop there as well if you prefer to come by bus.

Coming to an initial sessions does not oblige you to continue. In fact, you are not obliged to continue counselling at any point.

You will be in control of the frequency and timing of the sessions to suit you within these times and the availability I have for that week:

9am - 4pm (last session starts at 3pm) Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Please, do not hesitate to contact me for an informal 10 minute chat if you require further information about me, my practice or any other questions you may have.

I look forward to welcoming you into my practice.

£55.00 per 50 minutes session

I also advertise on the BACP Find a therapist directory.

I am a registered approved counsellor with BUPA, AVIVA, WPA and AXA.

I work supporting staff at York Hospital Trust, University of York and several other companies and Government Ministries through EAP intermediaries.