Colette Burgess


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Do you feel lost, unsure of who you are or something is standing in the way of you reaching your full potential? Has a big event happened recently which has changed the shape of your future? Do you notice that you do everything for everyone else but not for yourself? Is perfectionism creating self-doubt and making you anxious to take that big risk? Are you struggling in your relationships and feeling isolated?
Life can be challenging and overwhelming, and deciding to start counselling can feel scary. You might feel under pressure and unable to cope with emotions and all you need is someone to talk to; to offer you a safe, confidential space and to feel understood and not judged. This is something that I can provide and I am here to walk through your journey with you.
Working as an integrative counsellor means that I use a range of approaches: person-centred, humanistic and psychodynamic. These approaches will enable you to focus on current issues and / or past experiences; it will also enable and support you to accept every part of yourself, building on your self-confidence and acceptance.
The way I work is client-led which means we go at your pace, and you bring what you feel comfortable to talk about. I also offer open-ended sessions, so there is no limit to how many sessions you have, we go at your pace.
I am available to work from my space in Biggleswade or remote. I’m also able to provide counselling sessions in British Sign Language so if you are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, I can adapt my communication style to meet your needs.
I offer a free 15-20 minute consultation, this will help you to work out if I am the right counsellor for you. It gives you the opportunity to ask me questions and I can find out more about what brings you to counselling. It is important that you find the right counsellor as it helps to build on the therapeutic relationship and trust and this will help you throughout your process.
Counselling is an investment in you.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have experience working with adults (18+) and offer support for a wide range of issues, including but not limited to; anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, loss and grief, stress management, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and trauma.
I also hold an interpreting qualification in British Sign Language, (iBSL Level 6 Diploma in Sign Language interpreting studies). Therefore, I can provide sessions in BSL or I can adapt to meet your needs. This means I can speak and sign at the same time, or use SSE.
Integrative counselling means I use a variety of theories. Psychodynamic (past experiences and any unconscious thoughts / feelings which may have stemmed from childhood), Person centred (what is happening for you right now, in the present moment) and Existential (accepting life and death, finding a purpose). This helps me to understand what is going on for you, and adapting my approach to support you through the process. The foundation of my work stems from person-centred and is sometimes called talking therapy; which means I will always provide clients with empathy, genuineness and a non-judgemental environment. This supports the therapeutic relationship, helps to build the trust between us and enables you to express your feelings and concerns freely.
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
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
£50.00 per session
Discounted rates are available for student, trainee counsellors.
When I work
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