Catherine Palmer

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MSc, BSc, DipSup, DipCouns, MBACP
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Dover, Kent, CT15
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

"We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding and true empathy. Yet, listening in this way is one of the most potent forces for change."

Thank you for taking time to learn about me, I'm looking forward to doing the same with you.

How I work:

As an experienced integrative counsellor and counselling lecturer, with a preference for Gestalt therapy, I believe that all people are capable of forging their own path, their own solution and their own way forward in their lives. My role is to provide the empathic, compassionate, and perhaps, creative space for you to explore and access safely the aspects of your life that prevent you from living in the here and now; creating stress, tension, pain or perhaps just a deep sense of unhappiness or loneliness.

Sometimes people come to counselling having experienced a significant trauma or loss which feels too big or too overwhelming to address. I believe that resolving these painful experiences doesn't have to involve revisiting them, but instead looking at how you feel about them right now and gradually increasing your capacity to hold and acknowledge the pain.

I believe that all emotions have equal importance and value and furthermore, that when we allow ourselves to experience them without censoring, we become more free to move along a continuum of emotions and more able to choose how to respond.  When we reject the polarities that we ascribe to in life, we are afforded the opportunity to redefine our struggles; there becomes a strength in pain; an excitement in fear; and a release in tears.

If we do not acknowledge what feels bad it will remain unresolved and re-emerge at later points in our lives. Suppressing these feelings can be exhausting and can impact not just our mental health, but our physical health too. Thus, our work together will integrate with equal importance, all aspects of your well-being including your mind, body, emotions and spirit.

I believe that the counselling relationship is at the heart of the work we do together. The relationship is truly collaborative and co-created with your goals as our shared aim. As your counselor I will listen, I will help you to stay with your difficult emotions and experience them safely. I will provide the conditions for you to work through your grief, trauma, anxiety or depression, and I will challenge your thoughts to consider differing perspectives. I will work with you to re-establish the equilibrium in your life and uncover your true, authentic self.

Services Offered:

I offer:

  • Face to face counselling from my counselling room in River, Dover. 
  • Couples counselling either online via Zoom or Face to Face in my counselling room in River, Dover.
  • Children and Young People play therapy from my counselling room in River, Dover.
  • Online face to face counselling via Zoom. This can still incorporate many of the creative aspects of in-person therapy if this is your preference.
  • Telephone Counselling. This allows us to use talking therapy to help you to explore the aspects of your life that need attention but in the convenience of your own environment.
  • Walk and Talk Therapy which offers the opportunity for in-person contact in the open air. This may be walking, or sitting in outside spaces, or you may chose a more dynamic approach in which we work creatively - drawing in the sand, paddling in the water, or using nature based metaphors.  Whichever approach you chose, often this truly shared environment which belongs to neither you nor I, can feel empowering for clients, particularly for those who prefer an alongside speaking position as opposed to face to face.
  • In Face to Face Counselling in your home. I hold an up to date Enhanced DBS with no contraindications; and a full, clean driving licence. I will consider counselling in your own home providing you have a safe and confidential space, free from disturbance and interruption.

Training, qualifications & experience

My qualifications are as follows:

  • Current PhD Student in Social and Clinical Psychology
  • DipCouns in Integrative Therapeutic Counselling
  • DipSup in Clinical Supervision
  • MSc Social Psychology;
  • BSc Applied Psychology
  • Registered Member of the BACP
  • Registered Member of BPS

Additionally, I am an accredited CPCAB Counselling Lecturer training counsellors up to and including Diploma Level; and I co-own a CPD Counselling training company.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Fees

£50.00 per session
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session

Concessions offered for

  • OAPs
  • Students
  • Trainee counsellors

Additional information

  • I charge £50 per 50 minute session (Online, Telephone or Walk and Talk). 
  • I charge £60 per 50 minute session of supervision, or £70 for 90 minutes (as per BACP guidelines).
  • I charge £60 per 50 minute session for Couples Counselling.
  • The first session is offered free as an initial consultation (approximately 30 minutes)

The first step in putting you and your needs first is to get in touch! I really acknowledge how daunting this can feel at first, especially when you may not have experienced counselling before, or you have not been ready to face your difficulties until now. Rest assured that this relationship is built upon trust - once you make contact we can set aside some time to talk through your needs and decide together if we are a good fit.  

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Further information

I offer face to face counselling in River, Dover. There is sufficient private parking outside the premises and there are no steps to the door or room. 

Online counselling is provided by the Zoom platform. 

Walk and Talk counselling takes place on designated routes in in Dover and Thanet. 

Abbey Road, Dover, Kent, CT15

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone
Home visits

Types of client

Children
Young people
Adults
Older Adults
Couples
Groups
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

An experienced, creative counsellor, supervisor and lecturer providing support, compassion and challenge to promote both counsellor & client growth.

View supervision profile

Catherine Palmer
Catherine Palmer