Carrie Helman
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi I'm Carrie, a qualified psychotherapeutic Gestalt General & Medical Counsellor. Gestalt is a form of psychotherapy that works through clients' issues in the present rather than the past, the triggers causing these issues and how to manage them going forward. It's an extremely empathic and warm form of therapy and has a softer approach than some other therapeutic approaches.
I've been told my manner is very warm, empathic, compassionate and I'm able to really appreciate the problems my clients are trying to manage. My aim is to offer you the time, space and understanding to be seen and heard.
The plus point is that I don't know anyone else involved and likely never will. I'm here for YOU and YOU alone without any motives or judgements. I'm here to listen to you fully and be open to you sharing whatever is on your mind. I adapt my approach to each individual client and am not hesitant to try something new, especially at the request of a client.
Some of the techniques I often use are Sand Tray Therapy, Play Therapy, Art Therapy, etc.
Some of the general issues I support clients with are:
- anxiety
- depression
- worries around physical/sexual relationships
- physical/sexual/coercive abuse
- sexuality/identity
- financial and/or work-related concerns
- childhood/adult trauma
- bereavement/grief/loss (people/animals)
- bereavement/grief/loss (losing a part of yourself due to illness/surgery)
- bullying/harassment
- low self-esteem
- body dysmorphia/body image
- end of life counselling
- gender dysphoria
- pregnancy/childbirth/post-partum depression
- infertility/miscarriage
- jealous tendencies
- separation/divorce
I have worked for the NHS within the Gastro-Colorectal field. Clients I see have encountered a diverse range of medical, physical and psychological issues including:
- fear of upcoming surgery
- living with Bowel Disease, e.g. Colitis, Crohn's, etc.
- chronic illness
- long-COVID
- cancer diagnoses
- disability
- chronic pain/fatigue
- worries around body image (post-surgery, due to medication, etc)
- living with an ostomy (ileostomy/ colostomy/urostomy)
- family dynamics in the immediate family (due to surgery or illness)
- pre-/post-surgical uncertainties
By reaching out for help you've made a really important first move. Let me now help you through the rest of this process to allow you to get to a place where you're truly able to manage better.
Training, qualifications & experience
I studied at Hertfordshire University and The Albany Centre and have a Diploma in Gestalt Counselling. I have worked with a diverse variety of clients over the past 5 years, from the young to the elderly.
I worked at the Watford Women's Centre supporting the mental health and well-being of women over the age of 18 who had suffered coercive, physical and sexual abuse.
I worked at Mosaic Counselling Services in St Albans with a variety of clients aged 20-65 with a range of issues.
I've also worked within the NHS as a Medical Counsellor specialising in Bowel Disease.
I'm a member of the BACP (British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists), the CMA (Complementary Medical Association) and Counselling Directory (CD).
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
Medical Counselling specialising in IBD - all types of bowel disease, relationship issues relating to this, physical/sexual problems due to this, coping with an ostomy, cancer diagnoses, body dysmorphia/image, etc.
I run Group Therapy sessions twice-monthly for those living with an ostomy, their immediate family and carers (in Harrow, Middlesex).
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My cost per session is £55 however, I will offer a discounted rate in special circumstances.
When I work
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I don't work over weekends or Bank Holidays. However, I am flexible in that I see clients on certain days of the week in the evening.
Further information
I have been seeing clients for 5 years and have recently chosen to move into Private Practice. I love what I do, and what I do is to help my clients see life from a different perspective and manage it with a different approach.
I work from my self-contained Therapy Room in Borehamwood at the back of my house which can be accessed via a side gate. Privacy is respected at all times. I also see clients remotely via Zoom.
