Christopher Tovey

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MEd BA (Hons) Person-centred Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am an existential therapist and coach. I believe that authenticity should be at the heart of everything we do. Mutual agreement to begin work is negotiated in a free initial 15-minute telephone session. My aim is to assist clients in developing and consolidating ways of tackling life's challenges, so that you can find your own meaning and direction. We work together on understanding problems in living and overcoming adversity. My overall approach has been inspired by ten years of in-depth counselling work with clients experiencing a diverse range of life issues including loss and grief, post-traumatic stress, childhood abuse and adversity, addiction, anxiety, depression, relationships and autism.

My developing approach to practice has also been guided by my own experience of working towards a more authentic quality of life. This personal self-help philosophy can be briefly summarised as:

  • Know Yourself
  • Own Yourself
  • Be Yourself

Please contact me to arrange an initial telephone consultation.

Training, qualifications & experience

In 2010, at the age of 62, I completed my degree in Person-centred Counselling and Psychotherapy at Warwick University and began to work independently as a therapist.

I took early retirement from a 35 year Public Service career in Social Care Management and Education and began working voluntarily for Cruse Bereavement Care and the Citizens Advice Bureau. I also attended three introductory counselling courses over the following two years. I began a full-time degree in Person-centred Counselling at Essex University in 2008 and transferred to Warwick University after a Certificate year in order to relocate in Kenilworth.

During the last five years of training and personal development as a therapist, I have gained experience of a broad range of counselling relationships with diverse people through voluntary work with organisations such as Warwickshire Age UK, Safeline Warwick and Coventry and Warwickshire Cruse Bereavement Care. I am continuing with voluntary work at Safeline in addition to private practice. 

In 2012 I returned to Warwick University for further specialist professional development in counselling and psychotherapy. In March 2014 I was awarded a BA (Hons) Degree in Person-Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I recently completed a two year practitioner research project on the experience of post-traumatic growth with survivors of childhood sexual abuse. An article titled 'Harvesting Hope' was published about this work in BACP's 'Private Practice' journal in December 2017.

In 2017 I completed an intensive advanced course in Existential Coaching at the New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling in London.  I now offer Life Coaching as an alternative service provided by 'Kenilworth Counselling'.

In March 2018 I published an article in BACP's 'Private Practice' journal titled 'Tragic Optimism', which explains how existential therapy and coaching can be of benefit to both clients and practitioners.

In January 2019 I began a 3 year counselling research PhD course at Warwick University, Centre for Lifelong Learning.

In March 2019 I published an article in BACP's 'Private Practice' journal titled 'The world and I are within one another', which explains my approach to talking therapy as 'relational recovery'.

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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

Lifelong Learning

Post-traumatic Growth

Existential Therapy

Logotherapy

Therapies offered

Fees

£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income
  • check_circle Keyworkers
  • check_circle OAPs
  • check_circle Students
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors
  • check_circle Unemployed

Additional information

My standard fee for an hourly session is £50.


Mutual agreement to begin work is negotiated in a free initial 15 minute telephone session.

When I work

I can be contacted phone or e mail at any time. I will try to respond to messages within 24hrs if I am not available at the time of the enquiry.

Further information

How I Work.

The foundation of my theoretical approach is Rogerian Person-centred Therapy.

More about this form of talking therapy and counselling relationship can be found on my website  www.kenilworthcounselling.co.uk.

I am currently learning about and exploring 'Mindfulness' and 'Focusing' as part of my continuing personal development.

Published articles

Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

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.

Ground floor counselling with easy access and toilet facilities.

Additional languages

French

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