Anna Clifford
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello and a warm welcome to my profile.
Sometimes we can find ourselves feeling 'stuck' in life, not knowing or fearing which way to go next. It can be a frightening and lonely experience to experience any kind of strong emotions or general discontent in life. Counselling provides you with a safe space to have a look at what you are experiencing. With compassion, I aim to build a supportive relationship with you, to enable you to make any changes you need. Or perhaps you are simply looking for somewhere to speak completely openly and freely without judgement or advice being given.
I am a BACP qualified and registered Counsellor with experience of helping people to explore their issues within a safe, supportive and non-judgmental environment.
I use an integrative approach which means that I draw from a range of psychological therapies as each individual has different experiences and needs. These may include solution focussed methods, to identify what you would like to achieve or compassion focussed therapy to help develop greater self-compassion.
At the heart of this is a person-centred foundation as I believe each person is the best 'expert' of themselves and already has the answers within themselves to resolve the troubles they are facing when provided with the right environment to explore them.
Counselling gives you a safe place to explore what is going on for you and supports you towards finding the right path.
- "What is person-centred counselling?"
The purpose of person-centred therapy is to facilitate our ability to "self-actualize" - the belief that all of us will grow and fulfill our potential. This approach facilitates the personal growth and relationships of a client by allowing them to explore and utilize their own strengths and personal identity. The counsellor aids this process, providing vital support to the client and they make their way through this journey. - Read more here: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/person-centred-therapy.html
I understand that making the decision to come for counselling may be a daunting step and finding the right counsellor that matches you is important. Please do get in touch through email,text or phone as this may help you decide if you would like to book a first appointment. Even if I am not the right match for you, perhaps I'll be able to point you towards someone that is.
You are by no means obligated to continue for any number of sessions if you decide that its not the right time for you- Counselling provides you with a place that is yours, and yours alone- it is important that you feel safe to take things at your own pace.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and hold a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Keele and a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bath Spa University. I have been qualified and working as a therapist for 12 years.
I endeavour to undertake continuing professional development courses to inform my practice.
This training has included;
- Working with and supporting bereaved children and young people - Winstons Wish
- Certificate in Using Creative Interventions in the Counselling Room
- Foundation in Mindfulness-based Cognitive therapy- University of East Anglia
- Compassion focussed approaches to working with anxiety
I've worked with young people aged 11-25 in schools and universities, as well as adults in a variety of settings. I have been working in private practice with young adults and adults aged 17 and above since 2017.
Having experience of working within a school environment, I'm particularly interested in working with teachers or other school staff.
I also have a particular interest in working with life changes/transitions.This may include changes in a relationship, becoming a parent, going to university or changing jobs. When life brings new transitions, whether planned or unplanned, we are left to adapt to a new way of being which can often be unsettling and difficult to deal with.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Coping with Anxiety and Depression During Pregnancy
Postnatal Depression and becoming a new parent.
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I have limited places for reduced rates available. Please do feel free to ask me about this and we can discuss further during an introductory call or via email.
Please note that I use a 24 hour cancellation policy which means that any session cancelled or rearranged without over 24 hours notice will need to be charged at full rate.
When I work
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I am currently available on Mondays and Fridays as well as over the weekend. In the New Year (2025) this will change to Mondays and Wednesdays.