Dr Christopher Bell
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, I’m Chris a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist with over 5 years’ experience working mostly one-to-one with individuals in a range of settings from hospitals to private practice in the village of Effingham. I am also a clinical neuroscientist and can bring my expertise from that background to help you with more technical or complex difficulties. I can help with many individual issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, LGBTQIA issues, bereavement and loss and with ill or changing health. I am also experienced in working with people with a PTSD/stress-disorder diagnosis.
I have been passionate about improving mental health, wellbeing and general ‘brain stuff’ for all my adult life and have benefited from counselling and talking therapies myself. As an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I aim to work in partnership with you, the client, to tailor sessions and an approach to suit your needs and individual personality in a professional and person-centred setting, drawing on elements of CBT, Transactional Analysis, Trauma-Focused CBT, existential counselling and bereavement work, as necessary.
My private practice is rooted in the principles of community and fairness, so I offer more affordable fee structures for local residents, public-sector workers and those with low fixed incomes, with the aim that everyone can get the psychological services they deserve. It may also be possible to arrange home visits for those who find it hard to get to my counselling room or telephone sessions, anything to make it easier – counselling with you in mind.
Why not give me a call, drop me a text or ping me an email to arrange a free 20 minute introduction and assessment to discuss your needs, goals and a possible plan and take that first step towards improving your wellbeing.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Higher Diploma in Humanistic Counselling (CPCAB; Guildford College)
- PhD in Clinical Neuroscience (University of London, Institute of Psychiatry)
- MSc in Neuroscience (University of London, Institute of Psychiatry)
- Certificate in Bereavement Counselling (Princess Alice Hospice)
Selected Experience
- Bereavement and end-of-life care work at Princess Alice Hospice
- Counselling support for people living with cancer and their families at Royal Surrey County Hospital
- Lecturer in Counselling at Guildford College
- Neuroscientist in neuroimmunology and neurodegenerative disease at MRC Brain-Bank and Institute of Psychiatry
Member organisations
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
£35.00 - £70.00
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I run a fee schedule aimed at maximising access to counselling services with a number of community discounts for public-sector workers and those who are low-/unwaged. Please contact me or look at my website for further details.
When I work
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Sessions can usually be arranged to suit your needs, please contact me to discuss your availability.