Carole Thomson, Counsellor & Psychotherapist, MBACP (Accred)
About me
Many people are put off coming for counselling as they are worried it will be seen as a sign of weakness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Reaching a point where you know that something isn't right and then asking for help takes a great deal of courage. If you've never been for counselling before, it may feel like a huge step to take. Coming for counselling can give you a sense of taking control at a time when perhaps you may feel like things around you are outwith your control. Counselling offers a safe and confidential space to explore your feelings at your own pace.
You may feel apprehensive about confronting and exploring painful feelings you may not have been able to share with friends or family but I'll work slowly with you in a gentle way keeping you at the heart of our work at all times. I won't tell you what to do, judge you or make decisions for you but throughout our work together I'll help you to explore and find a clearer way forward.
If you feel anxious about coming for counselling and you're wondering if it's going to be right for you, please feel that you can email me or give me a call if you would like to chat things over before making a decision or even if you would just like to get a sense of who I am and how we may work together.
Something I particularly specialise in is loss of any kind and have many years experience as a bereavement counsellor. I am an Accredited Counsellor with The Foundation for Infant Loss.
Loss
Loss comes in many shapes and sizes and underpins much of what causes us distress in our lives whether it’s the breakdown of a relationship, changing jobs or being made redundant, wanting to change something about our lives but worried about how this may affect others and our relationships with them or feeling that anxiety or depression is preventing us doing the things we want to do.
Bereavement
In terms of a bereavement, when someone we have been very close to or have had a bad relationship with dies, we can be left feeling sad, lonely, depressed, anxious, desperate, guilty or even angry (at doctors, the police, God, ourselves or even at the person who has died). Sometimes these feelings can be so painful that we may feel overwhelmed by them and unable to cope. Family and friends are not always able to understand the depth of our distress so avoid letting us talk about our loved one for fear of upsetting us. This can leave us feeling even more alone and isolated. A death can have a wide rippling effect on our lives affecting our relationships, our ability to work, our sleep patterns, physical and mental health.
Bereavement counselling is available one to one and also for couples and families.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
Post-Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (Person-Centred)
Accredited Bereavement Counsellor with Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland
Certificate in Online & Telephone Counselling
Introductory Transactional Analysis 101 Course
HNC in Counselling (3 Stage Integrative Model - Humanistic, Psychodynamic and Cognitive & Behavioural)
Accredited Counsellor with The Foundation for Infant Loss
Member organisations
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.
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
Each session lasts for one hour and costs £45. Payment by cash/cheque only please.
No fee will be charged for cancellation in advance or due to illness but unfortunately, if you miss a session without notifying me 24 hours in advance, a reduced fee of £20 will be charged,
Approved BUPA Therapist - https://finder.bupa.co.uk/go/mrs_carole_thomson
Further information
Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) - Registered Member Certificate Number 051324.
I adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy and Professional Conduct Procedure.
Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and Disclosure Scotland.
Location of Counselling Room
The counselling room is in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh and is on the 1, 21, 26, 32 and Airport 200 bus routes and close to the City Bypass, M8, M9 and Forth Road Bridge. There is also plenty of free parking available. I respectfully ask that you don't park in the driveway. This property has three steps to enter it.
