Bridget O'Connell
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
My name is Bridget and I warmly welcome you.
Well done for taking the first step towards therapy. The next step is to find the right therapist, which can feel overwhelming, especially if you are already anxious, depressed or currently holding trauma. You may not know exactly what you want from therapy or where to begin - and you don't need to. If we decide to meet, I will start wherever you are and you will be met by a warm, approachable and empathic therapist.
I am a fully qualified and registered Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor with 12 years experience of working with depression, anxiety, neurodivergence, PTSD and bereavement amongst other issues. I believe that the power of the therapeutic relationship is key to the success of therapy and as such, from a strongly relational, committed and boundaried stance, create a safe, nurturing and calm environment in which to explore any issues you may be currently facing.
I will help you develop greater self-awareness and understanding. Previous clients describe feeling safe and at ease with me early on in the work together. From this sense of safety I gently challenge unhelpful patterns of thought and behaviour, aswell as offering reassurance and support where its needed.
I provide 1:1 face to face, short and long term counselling and psychotherapy from my private therapy room in Whitchurch, South Bristol (near to the ring road and surrounding areas of Totterdown, Hengrove, Knowle, Brislington and Keynsham).
TESTIMONIAL FROM PREVIOUS CLIENT (permission given to use the following) :
"I can't thank Bridget enough for the help she has given me.
Throughout my initial sessions Bridget primarily focussed on listening to what I had to say. Further down the line we began to tackle my issues and really unravel them into real solutions/new mindsets. Some of them I had no idea were even bothering me.
My outlook on life has never been clearer and I can truly say I'm the happiest I've been in a very, very long time. Given the place I was in when I started attending my sessions, it truly is a 180% night and day.
I have no doubts in Bridgets ability to help anyone, as well as being a great listener and not afraid to give an honest outlook.
Would definitely recommend to anyone.."
Training, qualifications & experience
Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling (Distinction).
Foundation Certificate in Counselling.
I have a BSc (Hons) Degree in Psychology from Middlesex University.
I am a registered member of BACP and adhere to their code of ethics and also attend regular supervision.
I am committed to my professional and personal development and as such regularly attend workshops to further develop my knowledge and practice. My additional qualifications and experience include:
'British Sign Language' Level 1
'Working with Shame'
Certificate in 'Eating Disorders In the Therapy Room'
'Managing Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Panic Attacks'
'Healing our Shadow' - Jungian Archetypes
'Weekend Anger Workshop'
'Using Music in the Therapy Room'
'Transactional Analysis'
'Finding One's Voice in the Therapy Room'
My work experience includes:
Bristol Mind - working with individuals who came with a range of issues including, bereavement, isolation, trauma, financial and relational issues.
The Southmead Project - working with clients who had current addictions and came from abusive backgrounds.
Weston College - working with individuals aged 16+ who were suffering with exam related stress, depression and anxiety.
I was also a Samaritan for a number of years.
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
I have extensive experience working with pre- and perinatal issues, such as miscarriage, fertility challenges and the transition into parenthood. I welcome anyone who would like help exploring the emotional impact of these experiences.
My work is also informed by a sensitive understanding of the challenges that accompany various medical conditions and rare diagnoses.
As a former piano teacher I am also drawn to and have significant experience working with creative techniques in the therapy room, for instance listening to music or simple drawing as an alternative method of expression. I have found that they can help clients access emotions that can feel hard to articulate, such as feelings of shame and experiences of vulnerability.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
From £75.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I charge from £75 per session.
I offer a free 15 minute phonecall so we can see whether working together feels like a good fit. If we decide to go ahead we will book in an initial session and at this point if it feels right for both of us will organise a weekly slot on the same day and time each week.
When I work
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Further information
Feel free to get in touch to book in a free introductory 15 minute phonecall. This will allow us to organise an initial in-person session, if appropriate. Once we have met if we both feel we are a good fit we will then find a suitable day and time each week to meet.
