Athena Matheou
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello. I am a professionally qualified, experienced and registered psychotherapist, counsellor and supervisor based in East London. I offer one-to-one work tailored to your individual needs.
Below you will find some information about counselling, my qualifications and my experience. If you would like to know more please take a look at my website, www.athenapsychotherapy.co.uk. If you would like to talk to me about your particular situation and requirements do feel free to contact me via phone or email. I will be pleased to discuss your individual situation with you personally.
When counselling or psychotherapy can help
People come to therapy for a wide variety of reasons.
It could be that you find yourself in a crisis that is hard to deal with because of a traumatic experience such as an attack or abuse. Perhaps you are struggling with a major life event such as bereavement, divorce or becoming a parent. Or maybe your goal is clear and specific; for example to overcome a fear of flying.
Alternatively, your reason for seeking therapy might be more difficult to put into words. Perhaps you have a general feeling of being depressed or anxious, but you don't know why. Perhaps you think that life just doesn't feel right for you at the moment but you're not sure what is wrong or what you would like to change. Some people seek therapy simply because they feel stuck or unfulfilled.
My aim is to find out what it is you want from therapy and then to provide you with a safe, supportive and non-judgemental environment in which we can try to find what you, personally, are looking for. In therapy you can explore how you might increase your options in life by identifying ways to move forward and find more satisfying and valuable ways to live.
All our work together will take place in a professional and confidential environment. I abide by the UKCP Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Conduct.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training
I completed an extensive academic and experiential training in Integrative Psychotherapy and Counselling at the Minster Centre in London. I am committed to practising with high professional standards. After fulfilling the requirements to be awarded an Advanced Diploma, which qualified me to practise, I continued my training and completed an MA which I was awarded with distinction.
Qualifications
- Diploma in Integrative Supervison
- MA with Distinction in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy (Minster Centre/Middlesex University)
- Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy (Minster Centre)
- United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy registered
- Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Member of the Minster Centre
Experience as a Therapist
I have been working as an integrative psychotherapist since 2004. I am experienced in short and long-term work. I have worked in the NHS, voluntary sector and private practice. Being employed in these different contexts means that I have worked with people with many different issues, a large age range and diverse backgrounds.
I have worked with many issues, for example:
- abuse
- anxiety
- bereavement
- birthing trauma
- creative block
- crisis of identity
- depression
- eating disorders
- fertility issues
- isolation
- lack of confidence
- low self-esteem
- maternal ambivalence
- miscarriage
- panic attacks
- parenting issues
- post-natal depression
- relationship issues
- self-harm
- stress
- transition in life
- traumatic experience
I have a special interest in issues to do with fertility, pregnancy and post-natal depression.
Previous Experience
Before becoming a therapist I was a musician, music teacher and workshop leader. In this context I experienced working in relationship with many different people in varying situations and it was from here that my interest in being a therapist grew. My qualifications in this area are:
- MA in Music Education (Institute of Education, University of London)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Performance and Communication Skills (Guildhall School of Music and Drama)
- GGSM 2:1 (Guildhall School of Music and Drama)
Member organisations
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.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My current session fee is £70
I have a limited number of low cost places for students and those with a low income so please feel free to ask.
When I work
I offer daytime and evening appointments.
Further information
Sometimes the idea of contacting a therapist can be daunting. If you have read this far you are probably quite serious about wanting something from therapy. I know it's a bit of a cliché but it might help to concentrate on taking things one step at a time - you don't have to know where a journey will end in order to take one good step. You are not making any commitment by getting in touch and you are under no obligation to me. Even if I am not the right person to help you at this time I might be able to point you in a useful direction.
I look forward to hearing from you.
