About me
I am an experienced counsellor/therapist and supervisor working with individuals, couples and organisations. I have specialisms in addiction, anxiety, trauma and relationship counselling.
I started training as a therapist in 1999. I completed training as an integrative psychotherapist, and I have completed CBT training, RELATE training in couple counselling and Family Counselling. I am a BACP and UKCP accredited therapist, and a trained clinical supervisor.
My approach offers a range of ways of working depending upon the issues that clients bring, and includes short and long term work.
I work with clients in private practice and with referred clients from employment, statutory services, relationship and family counselling. I have experience of working for local agencies and organisations. These include alcohol agencies, a GP practice, NHS Psychotherapeutic Services and with Nottinghamshire Police. I have worked in the community as a family counsellor and as a supervisor to therapists in training.
Further information on my approach is available on my website at www.nottscounselling.co.uk
Training, qualifications & experience
- MA Integrative Psychotherapy (Birmingham)
- Post-Grad Diploma, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Post-Grad Diploma, Family Counselling
- Diploma in Relationship Counselling (Relate)
- Diploma Supervision
Member organisations
school 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.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£48.00 per session
Additional information
I charge on a session-by-session basis. Payment is by electronic transfer at a point after the session. I don't require a commitment to a certain number of sessions.
Further information
I work from offices in the centre of Nottingham, in Nottinghamshire and in Dubar, East Lothian.
I also work online using WhatsApp, Google Meet, Zoom and MSTeams and other media by arrangement. Working online is a practical approach that suits many clients and is supported by professional bodies who have issued guidance on ethics and confidentiality. Feedback from clients is largely positive - it works for them, provided they have access and a confidential environment from which to speak. All other arrangements for initial assessment, on-going sessions and supervision remain unchanged
I always suggest a brief telephone call to hear what you are looking for and to see if I think I can help. There is no charge for this. You should feel free to ask any questions of me at this point. If you feel you would like to go ahead we can arrange a first session at a convenient date and time.
The first session is an opportunity to say more about what you are looking for and to decide if you can work comfortably with me.
I will ask you about the issues you are experiencing, and enquire a little about the history of these. There is no 'script' or paperwork. Towards the end of the session I will give you feedback on what I have heard you say, and suggestions about what I think I can do to help. I will give you 2 or 3 objectives which might help to guide the work going forward, and say a little about how we might achieve these. I also suggest we use these objectives, together with what you are looking for, to review progress if we work together.
I usually suggest you take 48 hours to decide if you feel this process is ok with you and ask you to let me know if you want to go ahead. If you decide not to go ahead I don't ask for explanations, just a text if possible to let me know.
I hope this gives you an idea of the process. It can change according to circumstances of course. And I am always happy to answer any questions you may have before the first session.
