Clare Allen

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DPS Counselling, MBACP (Reg)
Not accepting new clients
Not accepting new clients

This professional is currently not accepting new clients at this time.

location_on Bristol, BS7
Not accepting new clients
Not accepting new clients

This professional is currently not accepting new clients at this time.

About me

How I work
I offer a safe and confidential place for you to come and talk about anything in your life that may be causing you distress or confusion. I believe that counselling can benefit anyone; it can really help to talk to someone who is objective, professional and has no other involvement or role in your life. Often people come to counselling with no clear idea of what they want or how they feel. There is no expectation from me with regards to the issues you bring; counselling is your space and it is common for people to feel confused, lost or unsure. My aim is to support you through the process and help you to better understand yourself and your struggles, so that you can move forward with your life.

I believe that counselling is a journey of self-learning & exploration; I am interested in helping you to understand your behaviour and thought processes. I work with you to uncover unconscious behaviours and feelings which may be preventing you from reaching your full potential or blocking you from moving forward in some way.

I am a qualified integrative counsellor; this means that I am trained to use a wide variety of counselling techniques. I believe this is a beneficial way of working as it allows me to adapt my approach to suit the needs of the individual. The main theoretical approaches that I use in my work are; Psychodynamic, Person-centred and Transactional Analysis. My website provides more information about these different counselling approaches.

Below is a list of some of the areas I have experience of working with; it would be impossible to list all the different problems that I have come across over the years, so if you cannot relate to any of these issues, please know that I am open to working with any problem that you may bring.

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Neurodiversity 
  • Panic attacks
  • Disordered eating
  • Bereavement
  • Trauma
  • Low self-esteem/lack of confidence
  • Addiction
  • Pregnancy related issues
  • Abuse
  • Stress
  • Sex and sexuality
  • Self-harm
  • general life direction

My Experience
I have been working with individuals and groups for the past 18 years. I have worked in a wide range of environments including; substance misuse projects, community mental health services and educational settings.  As a result, I have a wealth of experience in helping people to make positive life changes.

I have a successful private counselling practice based in Bristol which has been running for 13 years. Prior to setting up my private practice I spent two years as a volunteer counsellor at Hope's Place, an agency that provides counselling for individuals who are struggling with pregnancy related issues, and I was also a volunteer counsellor at Bristol Drug's Project.

I have extensive experience of facilitating group therapy sessions, specifically for individuals suffering with mental health and/or addiction problems.

More recently, I provided group & individual supervision sessions for staff at St Mungos which is a homelessness charity based in Bristol & London.

Practice details
My practice is based in Horfield, Bristol; it is within easy reach from Gloucester Road, Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym. There is free on-street parking & bus stops near by.

I provide open-ended counselling; this means that there is no set limit on the number of sessions that I offer. I offer sessions on a weekly basis, although I am able to meet fortnightly, depending on the circumstances. 

Contact details
You can either contact me by e-mail or phone and I aim to respond to all enquiries as soon as possible.

Please have a look at my website if you require further information or alternatively contact me directly.

Training, qualifications & experience

Experience; 

I have worked as a counsellor since qualifying in 2011. I spent some time as a volunteer counsellor at Bristol Drugs Project, before setting up my private practice in 2012. My counselling practice has been running for 13 years & during that time I have worked with a wide range of presenting issues. I have  experience of working long term with clients, exploring more deeply rooted issues & uncovering potentially unhelpful behaviours and ways of thinking which have thus far remained unconscious. Equally I have experience of working short term, focusing on a specific topic which you wish to address. 

I am an EAP Provider for ComPsych International; they provide Employee Assistance Programmes to companies around the world, with several based in Bristol. In this role, I offer short term counselling to employees, in order to support them with specific concerns which may be impacting on their ability or capacity to work. 

Training/Qualifications
I completed my Diploma in Counselling (DPS) at the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) in 2011. This was a BACP Accredited course.
I completed a Certificate in Counselling (UWE) as a prerequisite to the Diploma in Counselling in 2009. 

Recent Training/CPD

'Women and girls on the autism spectrum' (Certificate, National Autistic Society, 2024)

'GDPR and Data Protection Certificate' (IT Governance, 2024)

'Working with Panic Attacks' (Open University, 2023)

'Understanding ADHD' (Open University 2023)

'Moving your counselling practice online' (Online Therapy Institute, 2021)

I attend regular CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshops and lectures to ensure that I am always improving and reflecting on my practice.

I attend monthly clinical and group supervision to ensure that I meet BACP's ethical requirements. I have extensive experience of engaging in personal therapy over the past 20 years. 

Professional membership
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (MBACP). 

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

Fees

£50.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income

Additional information

The initial session is charged at £25 for 30 minutes; here you will have an opportunity to meet me, get a sense of whether you would like to work with me & have time to ask any questions about the counselling process.

Further sessions are charged at £55 per 50 minute session.





When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Monday- Wednesday 9am - 6pm and Thursday mornings.

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Groups
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

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.

Online platforms

Microsoft Teams
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online

I offer supervision for individuals in the Bristol area.

View supervision profile

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