Catherine Sharp
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MBACP(Accred)
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
About me
Hello, my name is Catherine Sharp. I am an experienced BACP accredited and UKCP registered psychotherapist/ counsellor currently working in private practice. I have considerable experience of working within the NHS and with Social Services. I also run workshops and groups dealing with trauma, anxiety, obsessive behaviours and stress. I have co- led a programme working with perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse.
The areas of counselling that I specialise in are depression, anxiety and relationship problems. I also work with clients who feel angry and struggle to find strategies that enable them to express their anger in appropriate ways. I am very experienced in working with loss, sensitivity, sexual abuse, bereavement and low self esteem.
I am very aware that Covid 19 has radically changed the way we are living. The uncertainty of health, jobs and sense of isolation has proved difficult for many to manage. Alternatively other people have felt stressed and inhibited by spending long hours under the same roof in circumstances that are uncomfortable or threatening. I would aim to explore how each individual has been impacted and to offer a safe space to consider coping strategies.
My core training is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Briefly translated I believe we are shaped by the conditions, circumstances and the relationships that we have with the significant people around us as we grow up. Psychodynamic theory also suggests that some of these patterns of relationships, good or bad, might be repeated in later relationships. Part of my work might involve exploring a client’s history in order to understand the influences from the past that have contributed to the person you are at present.
I have also trained in Solution Focused and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. These two therapies are useful for providing step-by-step interventions towards personal goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help clients recognize the link between negative thought patterns and behaviour. As a therapist I would help the client to explore more positive coping strategies and, by working together, introduce changes that result in the client feeling happier and more in control of their lives.
I believe that the quality of the relationship between counsellor and client is vital in bringing about beneficial change. I take care to establish a relationship in which the client feels comfortable to discuss very personal issues and/or beliefs and I make sure that counselling is taken at a pace that is suitable for each separate person.
I am able to see clients in my consulting room at home in Thorpe Waterville. Thorpe Waterville is a quiet village three miles from the A14 at Thrapston and within a 20 minute drive of Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Peterborough. The consulting room is comfortable, quiet and relaxed with discreet off road parking and entry.
I am an approved provider registered with the following medical health insurers
Aviva, Nuffield Health, Vitality, Lifeworks, OH Assist and Care First.
Training, qualifications & experience
Cert in Supervision. Lisa Mass Counselling 2019
Cert in Couples Counselling. Relational Academy, Cambridge 2017
Cert in Disordered Eating, Praxis Training, Nottingham 2014
BA (Hons) Professional Studies (Counselling). Leicester University 2009
MBACP (Accredited) 2008
UKRCP registered Counsellor/Psychotherapist 2008
Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Counselling. Leicester University 2005
Certificate in Counselling, Leicester University 2002
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)
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
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
£80.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I charge £80 per session.
I prefer to be paid weekly; however for longer term/regular clients I am happy to accept payment by bank transfer (BACS).
Sessions that are cancelled with less than 48 hours notice are chargeable. However I do not charge for pre-arranged breaks or holidays, either my own or the clients’.
When I work
I can offer remote appointments sessions via Zoom or FaceTime/WhatsApp or by phone. I work during the daytime and early evenings from Monday to Friday inclusive.
Further information
Some people may be involved in unhappy relationships or aware that they are repeating negative cycles of behaviour. For others, anxiety, stress or depression might be preventing them from living in a fulfilled way. Sometimes people develop obsessive thoughts or patterns of behaviour that spoil their relationships with others.
Counselling is designed to offer the time and space to explore such difficulties and to provide an environment where the client is enabled, through fresh insight and the implementation of new strategies, to work towards a more satisfying and resourceful way of life.
As a counsellor I aim to provide a safe, non judgmental and confidential space where we work together to identify any problems or difficulties that clients might be experiencing. Initially this might feel emotional and unfamiliar and it is my job to check out that the client is happy with the pace of our work. I also take care to find out how the client manages these feelings in-between sessions and, if necessary, can offer support by phone or email.
Each appointment will last one hour. I recommend that new clients come for an assessment session to make sure that they feel comfortable working with me. There is no obligation to continue. During assessment I take brief factual details and allow time for the client to talk about the reason why they have come into counselling. At the end of the session we can agree on a focus and aims for any future work. The number of sessions is mutually agreed and varies according to each client’s individual needs.
Some clients prefer to come weekly, others find it easier to space their sessions out. When appointments have been arranged it is the client’s responsibility to keep them. I will notify you well in advance of any personal leave. It is my normal proceedure to hold regular reviews in order to check that clients are satisfied with their progress and aims etc.
I am very aware of the importance of the correct handling of personal data and comply with all GDPR regulations. I am happy to explain and clarify how this applies to clients.
