About me
Feeling anxious, stuck or overwhelmed?
Perhaps you're struggling with worry that never quite switches off. You might feel low, lonely, or not good enough, or something painful from your past still affects you today. Perhaps it's relationships, feeling distant from your partner, or going round in circles with the same argument, or finding your way through the hurt an affair or betrayal leaves behind. Maybe you have noticed the same patterns repeating in your relationships. Whatever has brought you here, you don't have to work it out alone.
I'm Amanda, an experienced counsellor working with individuals and couples. My main practice is in Leeds city centre, with a limited number of appointments available in Halifax. I also work online via video call as an alternative to face-to-face sessions. I offer a warm, confidential space where you can talk openly, make sense of your experience and find a way forward.
How I can Help
People come to see me for many reasons. I have particular experience with:
- Anxiety, stress and OCD - constant worry, panic, feeling under pressure, or intrusive thoughts and rituals you can’t switch off. Where helpful, I can draw on CBT techniques, a recognised approach for anxiety and OCD.
- Low self-esteem and loneliness -a harsh inner critic that tells you you’re not enough, feeling disconnected from others, or struggling to build the relationships you want.
- Trauma and abuse - I spent many years counselling survivors of sexual abuse at a specialist service in Bradford, and I understand how much courage it takes to speak about these experiences. We will always go at your pace.
- Relationship difficulties and couples counselling -communication problems, affairs and betrayals, growing apart, separation and divorce. I also help people understand the patterns that repeat in their relationships, leading them to find themselves in the same painful place again and again. I’m trained in couples work and see couples and individuals.
- Loss and life changes - bereavement, miscarriage, family issues, and times when life simply feels too much.
- Living with ADHD- I’m not a diagnostic service, but I offer a space to explore what ADHD means for you, whether you have a diagnosis, are exploring one, or simply trying to understand yourself better.
My approach:
My training is relational, which simply means I pay close attention to how you experience yourself and your relationships, past and present and to the patterns that may be holding you back.
Because everyone is different, I draw on a range of approaches, including CBT and Transactional Analysis, and tailor our work to your needs.
We are all shaped by our experiences and the lives we have lived, our culture, faith, sexuality, gender, background, and the communities we belong to. These shape how we struggle, and also how we heal, so they will always have a place in our work together. My aim is for you to feel understood and respected as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms.
I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) and work within their ethical framework, so you can be confident you are in safe, professional hands.
What Happens Next?
I offer a free 15-minute telephone call, which gives you the opportunity to ask me any questions you may have. From that point, if you wish, we can arrange an initial appointment which will allow you to decide whether I am the right counsellor for you.
Counselling sessions are usually face-to-face and usually take place on a weekly basis, although other timescales may be discussed to fit in with your personal circumstances. Video call sessions are also available.
I can be contacted via telephone or email. If I am unable to answer, please leave a message, and I will return your call as soon as possible.
Training, qualifications & experience
* Post Graduate Certificate in Counsellor Supervision -York St John University.
* Diploma HE in Therapeutic Counselling - Leeds Metropolitan University.
* Certificate in Couples Counselling- Leeds Centre for Psychological Development.
* Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
* Foundation Certificate in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy - I have a keen interest in Transactional Analysis and after completing the Foundation Course I have continued on to advanced clinical training in this specialist area.
* Mosaic II training - issues surrounding sexual abuse.
* Ascentis Certificate in Bereavement and Loss - Cruse Bereavement Care.
* Certificate in Counselling & Therapeutic skills- Wakefield College.
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
Fees
£70.00 per session
Additional information
- Individual therapy is £70 per 50 minute session. This is payable in cash or bank transfer at the beginning of each appointment.
- Couples counselling is £90 per 1 hour session.
- Supervision is £60 per hour.
- My cancellation policy requires 48 hours notice to prevent the full fee being payable.
When I work
I offer daytime and evening appointments subject to availability. Weekend and early morning appointments are available subject to availability
