Catarina Rato MBACP (Snr. Accred) Counselling, EMDR, Supervision
About me
I am a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor, Supervisor and EMDR therapist in full time practice with over 13 years experience.
I work with a wide range of issues and I have extensive experience in working with sexual abuse, trauma, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), addictions, bereavement and loss. I work with individuals and couples.
As well as practicing privately I work as a counsellor at Mankind, a counselling service for men who have been sexually abused.
I am committed to providing counselling in a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment for you to speak freely about the issues that are of most concern to you, in a way that is sometimes not possible with friends or family.
Sharing your thoughts and feelings with an experienced counsellor can help you make sense of life circumstances and lead you on a journey of self-awareness and personal growth.
I take the view that people are able to find their own ways of dealing with life’s challenges and I encourage you to trust in your ability to make changes and appreciate your own resources.
Often people find that the insight and awareness that comes from the counselling process can help them find a fresh appreciation of who they are and new ways of dealing with difficult issues.
You don’t have to find yourself in a crisis situation before you can benefit from counselling.
I am a trauma informed person-centred counsellor and I have had a long interest in body psychotherapy and somatic psychology. My counselling practice is informed by the latest research on trauma and the body. I have over 20 years experience in bodywork as a qualified Shiatsu practitioner and I am interest in the fundamental relationship and interconnection between mind and body.
Training, qualifications & experience
Professional experience:
- Avenue Counselling - Private practice
- Mankind (counselling service for men who have been sexually abused) - Counsellor
- One Therapy Brighton - Clinical supervisor
- Survivor's Network - Clinical supervisor
- The Wilbury Clinic - Private practice
- Cruse Bereavement Care - Clinical supervisor
- BHT Mental Health & Wellbeing Services - Clinical supervisor
- Gamcare (national support for problem gambling) - Frontline services adviser and clinical supervisor
- Breakeven (counselling service for anyone affected by problem gambling) - Counsellor
- Sussex Multiple Sclerosis Centre (MS, ME and other chronic neurological conditions) - Counsellor
- CRI (drugs and alcohol counselling service) - Counsellor
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.

EMDR Association UK
EMDR UK
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
Fees
I offer a free, half hour introductory session to discuss your needs and decide if I am the right therapist for you.
Counselling & Supervision: £50 - £80, the fee to pay is agreed with each individual client based on their financial circumstances.
EMDR: £80
Couples counselling: £80
Private health insurance: I am a registered and approved provider with Bupa, Aviva Health and WPA.
I have a limited number of concessions available for students and those on low income.
Concessions offered for
Availability
Weekday, daytimes and evenings
Further information
My work reflects the principles of the Person-Centred approach, that the individual is a person of worth and value with vast resources for growth, change, and self-determination.
Confidentiality is an essential part of the counselling relationship and everything that takes place in the sessions is confidential, treated with respect and discretion.
Sessions may be short-term or open-ended. The length of time a client stays in counselling depends on the needs of the individual. Deep rooted problems may require long term counselling, while specific issues can sometimes be addressed in a few sessions.
On our first session we can discuss and establish your needs and agree on the frequency and time of sessions, length of contract, fees and confidentiality. This may also be the time to explore your expectations about counselling and to ask any questions you may have about the counselling process.
Counselling sessions last for 50 minutes and take place on a regular basis once a week.
(Profile photo by www.lizaomalley.com)