Clare McDonald
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I have over 18 years experience as a counsellor, working in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
I have a strong track record with successful outcomes across a wide range of issues including:- stress and burnout, anxiety disorders, generalised anxiety panic attacks, phobias, clients who have substance misuse and mental health issues co-occuring (referred to as dual diagnosis) including alcohol dependence and binge drinking and working towards either abstinence or harm reduction. I work with clients who have experienced multiple types of abuse emotional, sexual, physical abuse. Clients who have suffered traumatic loss, bereavement issues including clients who feel unable to move on from a particular bereavement. Clients on the Autism Spectrum.
I work as an integrated counsellor tailoring the needs of my clients to several different theoretical approaches with the view to enable clients to have strategies as well that can be useful throughout their lives.
I am an Accredited Registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
Couple counselling - I have over 8 years experience of couple counselling. Enabling clients to identify certain patterns of behaviour, thinking styles that may be having a negative affect on them. and identifying all issues within the relationship that the couple are requiring support for.
Continued Professional development:-
Trust issues - affairs and betrayals; jealousy and mistrust; substance misuse including binge drinking and the affect on the relationship.
Working with Couples - "Dealing with Affairs"
Couples therapy - "Neurodiversity and Relationships"
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications :
Diploma in Couple counselling
P.G. Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (Integrative)
BSc(Hons) Criminology / Psychology
Diploma in Health and Social Care
City and Guilds in Substance Misuse (including 'legal highs')
Auricular Acupuncture
Level one Sign Language
CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:-
Effective Anger Management (Human Givens Approach)
Integrating CBT and 3rd wave therapies
Supporting Adult Survivors of childhood abuse (N.A.P.A.C)
From stress to psychosis - How to prevent mental illness (H.G)
Is it possible to build resilience to stress? (H.G)
Couples therapy - A practical masterclass (Human Givens)
Couples therapy - Neurodiversity and relationships
Effective brief psychotherapy (Human Givens
First Aid for health anxiety: Helping people cope with their health anxieties when health anxiety is entirely justified (Association for Psychological Therapies - (APT)
Understanding and Lifting Depression (Human Givens Approach)
Effective Anxiety Management (without using drugs)
Mindfulness
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA - MIND)
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST - MIND)
Autism Awareness
Aspergers - Understanding the Couple Relationship
Child Protection Awareness (NSPCC)
Working with Suicidal Clients
Dual Diagnosis (substance misuse and mental health)
Resilience training for anxiety and depression
Family Liaison Officer
Experience :-
I qualified as a therapeutic counsellor 16 years ago.
I have over twelve years experience of working within the Prison Service using a tailored blend of established and creative therapies to help clients from mixed backgrounds and across all age groups. This included substance misuse, Auricular acupuncture, managing anxiety and depression (CBT) physical, sexual and emotional abuse, bereavement, suicide intervention and family liaison work.
Previous work with young adults on the Autism Spectrum offering intervention within therapy, in order to promote and develop mental and emotional, physical and social well being of clients.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I have experience of working with clients who have had life changing events :- Stroke survivors and the emotional turmoil associated with it. Cancer diagnosis and the effect on the individual and family.
Whilst working within the prison service I was trained as a Family Liaison Officer and now counsel clients who have experienced sudden or traumatic deaths.
Previous contract with the Priory Group - counselling students on the Autism Spectrum between the ages of 16 - 25 years of age.
Counselling supplier to ITV
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
Session - £50.00 per hour or £90.00 for two hours.
Couples - £70.00 per hour or £130 for two hours.
When I work
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Further information
I work from a log cabin that is in the garden. This helps create a sense of privacy and cosiness whilst enabling clients to relax and discuss their issues in complete peace and quiet.
