About me
My name is Austen and I am based in the Salford Crescent area of Greater Manchester. I provide Psychotherapy sessions to individuals and couples either in-person or online via Zoom.
My particular skill is helping clients process sensitive or traumatic problems. I qualified as a therapist in 2011 and I am BACP accredited.
Some of my specialist areas are;
- Affairs and Betrayals
- Conflict and Trust Between Partners
- Unfulfilled Sexual Needs Between Partners
- Negotiating Non-Monogamy
- Sexual Abuse
- Sex/Porn Addiction
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Kink-Related Shame
- Crossdressing
- Living with HIV
- Gender Identity & Transitioning
- Sexual Orientation & Identity
- Low Self-Esteem
- Low Mood and Depression
- Social Anxiety
I have undertaken specialist training in;
- Trauma and Dissociation
- Emotional Regulation
- Nervous System Regulation
- Sexuality Related Problems
- Sex/Porn Addiction
- Couples Therapy
Practical information;
- Opposite Salford Museum & Art Gallery
- 2 min from Salford Crescent Station
- In-Person and Online Sessions Available
- Individual Therapy £65 & Couples £80
Many of my clients have previous experience of therapy and are seeking a therapist with specific skills and a therapeutic approach that is focused. I'm Gay and my clients are Heterosexual and LGBT+.
If you are considering starting therapy, the next step is to book a free, confidential, initial consultation so I can answer any questions you may have. The consultation is via Zoom and lasts twenty minutes. If you decide to proceed, we can then arrange your first therapy session. My availability is Monday-Thursday.
Training, qualifications & experience
- BACP Accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist
- MA in Psychotherapy, York St John's University
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling, Strathclyde University (2010/11)
- Emotion-Focused Therapy level 1, 2 and 3 Strathclyde University/SIEFT
- Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples and for Trauma
- Brainspotting Therapy, BSP UK
- Traumatic Incident Reduction, TIRA
- Behavioural Activation, LBU
- Motivational Interviewing, LBU
My main therapeutic approach is Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) which supports you to regulate painful emotions such as shame, anxiety, anger, sadness and loneliness. It combines an empathic therapeutic relationship with evidence based interventions, such as chairwork and focusing. EFT is an effective treatment for a range of conditions, including depression, social anxiety, trauma and eating disorders. In addition to this, EFT for Couples is recognised as one of the most effective approaches in resolving relationship distress. 85% of couples will experience significant clinical change after 8-20 sessions. A version of EFT, known as 'Person-Centred-Experiential Counselling' is available within the NHS Talking Therapies service.
My secondary approach is Brainspotting (related to EMDR) which regulates the nervous system and is effective at treating PTSD.
I am also qualified in Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR), Behavioural Activation and Motivational Interviewing.
I have previously worked as a counsellor for sexual health and higher education services including; NHS Glasgow (Sandyford), Terrence Higgins Trust, Brunswick HIV Centre, Yorkshire MESMAC and Leeds Beckett University. Prior to being a counsellor I worked in the field of sexual health promotion from 1992-2010.
Member organisations
school 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.
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
I also support people experiencing other kinds of difficulties such as;
- Emotionally Unavailable/Neglectful Parents
- Anxiety and Depression
- Perfectionism
- Anger and Rage
- Bereavement, Loss and Grief
- Relationship Endings or Beginnings
- Couples Counselling
- Codependency
Contact me if you would like to know if I have experience of working with a specific issue.
Therapies offered
Fees
£65.00 - £80.00
Additional information
- Individual Therapy £65
- Couples Therapy £80
Bookings are arranged on a session by session basis.
When I work
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Further information
I offer a therapeutic relationship that is confidential, respectful and supportive where you can talk openly about your experiences and feelings without being judged. Together, we will have opportunity to explore, understand and process what is troubling you. After therapy you are likely to feel a sense of change, relief, resolve and resilience.
"I started therapy with a specific goal of stopping my sex addiction. Austen helped me to achieve this much quicker than I expected. I didn't anticipate therapy would also be a completely life changing process; I now understand myself and my emotions and I have the tools to cope with life. The experience was phenomenally life changing."
(Client's words)
"After my wife discovered I had slept with a mutual friend, she was shocked, angry and teary. I worried that therapy would just be about blaming me and making me feel bad. In fact, it was about understanding how the infidelity had affected our relationship and appreciating how important closeness and affection is between us".
(Client's words)
"I have had the privilege of being Austen's clinical supervisor for several years. He is an excellent counsellor who cares deeply about his work. He provides a respectful, warm and highly professional space for clients to explore and resolve a variety issues. He has a deep understanding of therapeutic work generally and specialist knowledge of complex trauma, sex and porn addiction and relationship counselling."
(Pauline Brumwell, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor & Supervisor)
