Christina James

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she/her/they
Counsellor/ Therapist MBACP
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am a person-centred counsellor, with a particular interest in bereavement and trauma work, believing that loss and trauma sit behind many of the challenges we experience in life. I have worked for a number of years in both a bereavement charity and a charity supporting survivors of sexual and domestic abuse and violence.

My counselling approach

My approach is to create an environment in which the therapeutic relationship facilitates greater self-awareness, self-understanding and self-compassion. Insight and empathy towards our own inner world can bring clarity and purpose to how we engage with ourselves, others and the choices and decisions we make.

Respecting your autonomy

The space I offer is yours, to be led by you and what you need. I will do my best to offer you empathy – understanding how you see the world and what your experiences have meant to you, to not judge you, and to be reliable and trustworthy in facilitating your healing, growth and development. I hope that together we will be able to create a space in which you feel able and willing to explore any aspect of yourself and your experiences.

Bringing in the world

My counselling is anti-oppressive in that I seek to not pathologise you or any aspect of you but to understand and value the experiences that have created you. This can include an understanding and exploration of how power and privilege operate in our society, and how structures of domination including racism, patriarchy, heteronormativity and ableism, can cause or compound individual trauma and distress, and can cause us to pathologise ourselves. I believe that greater insight into how the political and the social play out in our individual lives can create significant relief and open up the possibility for transformational growth.

I welcome people of all identities, including those with diverse gender, sexuality and relationship identities, and those identifying as neurodiverse.  

I work with clients in person (in Stevenage, north Hertfordshire) and remotely (online). I work in an open-ended way meaning that clients continue to see me for as long as they feel is helpful.

My venue is wheelchair-accessible.

I offer a limited number of concessionary slots, depending on individual circumstances, and for therapists in training.

Training, qualifications & experience

  • Diploma in counselling, person-centred
  • Certificate in counselling skills, person-centred
  • Awareness in Bereavement Care

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

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors

Additional information

I offer a free initial conversation, over the telephone or online, of up to 30 minutes, in order for us both to assess if we feel that we could work well together. I ask a number of questions about what you are looking for from therapy, and I give a brief overview of how I work and an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Further information

I work with:

  • Anxiety and depression
  • Bereavement and grief
  • Adoption issues
  • Health diagnoses, including chronic illnesses and disability
  • Domestic violence/ abuse
  • Sexual violence/abuse
  • Narcissistic abuse and coercive control
  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Identity questions
  • Oppression/ discrimination 
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Workplace stress and bullying

Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)

Key details

DBS check info

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

Wheelchair user access info
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Wheelchair accessible: level access, widened doorways, space on drive to park a WAV, accessible bathroom available if required

Online platforms

Microsoft Teams