Amanda Rafferty

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BA (Hons), Dip. Counselling, MBACP (Reg), MNCS (Accred)
No current availability
No current availability

This professional has no current availability for new clients. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.

Bangor BT20 & Belfast BT16
No current availability
No current availability

This professional has no current availability for new clients. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.

About me

I have worked with a variety of mostly adult clients, but including young people and children. I offer one to one counselling sessions in both Bangor and Belfast (Dundonald), whichever is suitable to you. I have worked in the voluntary sector for almost 30 years. I have a particular interest in working with people who have experienced difficult childhoods. I specialise in women going through menopause transition.

The counselling clients, who come to me, do so, for many different reasons.  This can range from feelings of general dissatisfaction and unhappiness with life, to clients with Anxiety and Depression or those with deep emotional pain.

Sometimes we can experience feelings of not being able to “fit in” or feelings of helplessness and/or hopelessness. Whilst specialising in clients who struggle to stop following unhelpful patterns of relational behaviour, I work with clients with a wide range of presenting issues. However obviously no 2 people are the same, therefore, you may have completely different reasons for wanting to come to counselling. Whatever your reasons, we will work collaboratively to explore whatever is troubling you and is having a negative impact on your life. Together we will endeavour to make a positive lasting change.

Training, qualifications & experience

I graduated in 1988 with a BA (Hons) in Philosophy and Politics.  I also have a postgraduate Diploma in Administrative and Legal studies. I feel my broad educational and multi-disciplinary professional background and my broad range of life experiences adds to the value of the experience that I can offer my clients. My counselling qualifications include a Diploma in integrative Counselling (Person-centred & Psychodynamic) and also a higher-level Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Psychodynamic and CBT). I am an integrative practitioner, but I am particularly passionate about psychodynamic therapy. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Levels 1 & 2. I also have an OCN level 3 certificate in substance misuse. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and I am an Accredited Member of the National Counselling Society (NCS).

I firmly believe, and have experienced, how counselling and psychotherapy can help you become the “best you can be”. However if this is to happen, there has to be the “right fit” between counsellor and client.

Our work will be a partnership where you will feel safe, you will be free to express who you are and I will assist you to work towards your goals in a genuine non-judgemental and confidential environment. I will remain open to ensuring that our work together “fits” what you want. This includes respecting your preference for short or long-term work and also factoring in your thoughts on the counselling modality.

Member organisations

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.

NCPS
National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)

The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society

This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations.

In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

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

National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society
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.

National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society

Other areas of counselling I deal with

Menopause transition.

Fees

£40.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • Trainee counsellors

Health Insurance/EAP

  • Aviva

Additional information

Fees:        

Sessions last 50 minutes and cost £40, however, concessions are offered to counselling students and those on benefits. If full EMDR processing appears to be the most appropriate treatment, 90 minute sessions can be offered and these would be charged at £60 per 90 minute session.

Further information

Training qualifications and experience

In order to keep my professional development as current as possible, I have participated in numerous training courses.  These have ranged from Addiction, Asist, Autism Awareness, Beating the Blues, Bereavement, Child Protection, Disability awareness, Equality & Diversity, Mental Health First Aid, Parent-teen communication, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Safe Talk, Suicide & Risk, Outcomes Star, Vulnerable Adult, Working with single Dads, Working with young Mums and Steps to cope.

Further information:

If you would like to have an initial telephone conversation about how I could possibly benefit you, please do not hesitate to call me. This is an opportunity for you to ask some relevant questions and for us to decide if even a one-off face to face session may be helpful. You can either email me, in the first instance, or contact me by telephone. Counselling sessions, are usually once weekly and appointments can be day-time or evening.

Bangor, County Down, BT20

Dundonald, Belfast, County Down, BT16

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Adults
Older adults
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Online platforms

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Amanda Rafferty
Amanda Rafferty