Dannii Richards
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
**Offering Zoom sessions nationally**
I am a qualified Integrative Counsellor/Psychotherapist and an Accredited Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). This evidences that I have achieved a higher standard of competent, ethical practice. I am a qualified EMDR therapist. EMDR is a powerful psychological treatment method that can benefit in treating psychological trauma - please contact me for further information.
I am an LGBT affirmative therapist and I am passionate about working with the LGBT community. I have gained status as an Advanced Accredited Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversities Therapist (Pink Therapy), which evidences my experience and ongoing commitment to providing high quality support coupled with an inclusive, welcoming approach to people from all areas of gender, sexuality and relationship diversities. I have also gained experience in various areas, please see below for further details. I have recently completed additional training and gained a Professional Certificate in Psychosexual Therapy.
I am a qualified and accredited Mindfulness teacher, having completed training through Mindfulness Now. This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society.
In my private practice, I work with adult clients on an individual basis. I believe that an individual, tailored approach specific to the client is required in order to work through and gain a deeper understanding of the difficulties faced. As part of the therapeutic process, I hold the belief that one of the most important aspects of the work is our relationship with one another in order for a successful therapeutic outcome to be achieved.
How counselling could help you
Feeling stuck? Even the strongest among us can feel lost, unsure, ambivalent, or unhappy at times. As a Counselling Professional, I can help you understand and manage whatever life throws at you, and how to do it successfully. I believe that you have the strength not just to survive, but to truly thrive. In times of emotional distress, not everyone has the support of friends or family to help them through the difficulties faced. I aim to provide a warm, neutral environment for us to explore any issues that you wish to bring to the therapeutic space, in an empathic and honest manner.
Whatever issues you would like to work on, this will remain confidential and I work within a non-judgmental viewpoint.
What to expect during the initial session
Making the first step into counselling can be overwhelming and a little daunting. I will listen to your story and propose how we may be able to work together. This also gives you the opportunity to decide if I am the right therapist to support you through your difficulties.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have gained experience managing the counselling service at an award winning LGBT charity and in voluntary settings working with clients of a variation of ages, gender, disabilities, social and cultural backgrounds. Some of the issues I am able to help you with range from Anxiety, Depression, Low Self-Esteem, Abuse, Gender, Sexuality and Identity. I have also gained experience working as a Psychotherapist at a residential rehabilitation facility supporting clients with alcohol detox, substance detox, therapy support for depression, anxiety, gambling and any other forms of addiction and mental health issues. Please see below for the a more detailed range of issues that I offer support with.
In addition to my private practice I have worked as an Associate Counsellor for Umbrella, which is part of the NHS. This was an invaluable experience. In this role I often worked with people from the LGBT community and I found this extremely rewarding. I have also provided counselling for adults via Gender GP, which is an online organisation offering transgender health and wellbeing services worldwide. I am also a recognised practitioner with Aetna Global Benefits, Aviva, AXA PPP Healthcare, Bupa, Cigna and Vitality Health - please check policy eligibility with your insurer. I also work with clients referred from Victim Support.
Qualifications gained:
- Professional Certificate in Psychosexual Therapy (COSRT Accredited)
- EMDR Therapist (Parts 1-4, EMDR Europe Accredited)
- Mindfulness Practitioner
- Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling Level 4 & 5 (BACP Accredited)
- CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- NCFE 3 in Depression Management
- ABC Level 2 Award in Counselling Concepts
In addition to my qualifications, I have attended various Continued Professional Development sessions covering the areas of counselling I have dealt with. I am committed to attending further CPD sessions on an ongoing basis to support my practice and client work.
I am a qualified EMDR therapist. EMDR is a powerful psychological treatment method that can benefit in treating psychological trauma - please contact me for further information.
Professional Membership:
My details are listed on the accredited register of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP).
As part of my professional membership, I adhere to the Ethical Framework for Counselling Professions. (Details of this can be provided on commencement of therapy if required).
I am a member of EMDR Association UK.
I hold professional indemnity insurance and have an approved Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Any client data is stored in accordance with ICO guidelines (copy of this can be provided on commencement of therapy if required).
I am GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliant.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
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
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I believe that therapy should be accessible for everyone, regardless of your current status. Please contact me by phone or email to discuss further.
When I work
Weekdays, evenings
Further information
I accept self-referrals and I currently have varying availability on weekdays and evenings. Please contact me for further information.
The initial session would be to asses your current concerns and this would also enable us to collaboratively decide whether we are suited as client and therapist.
All sessions last for a duration of 50 minutes. The number of sessions required varies and is dependant on your individual circumstances. This will be discussed during the initial assessment and reviewed on a regular basis.
Client Testimonials
"I wanted to work with Dannii originally due to his open and welcoming aesthetic on his profile. From the first session to the last, I felt increasingly comfortable unpacking my thoughts, feelings and emotions in front of him and allowing my thoughts to be explored without interruption. Going to see him to help me build my self esteem was one of the best decisions I had made and after our final session, I left feeling on top of the world in myself" - D.H.
"I decided to book a session with Dannii after struggling to really accept my sexuality and deal with some anxiety problems. Dannii provided a non-judgemental environment where I felt safe to say what I needed and always felt a kind of relief after my sessions. He offered both structure and a space to just talk when I needed to. Dannii has helped me get to know myself more honestly" - C.W.
"I just want to say thank you for your help. Despite lockdown we still managed to meet up virtually. You have helped me to focus on what are some of the causes of my anxiety and stress and understand the causes going back years. I now feel better able to see what is happening when the anxiety increases and how I can step back and manage life far better. I still experience stress and anxiety, but the impact on my life is far less and I am able to be happier and deal with life’s ups and downs much more. I’ve even started healthy eating and exercising more as my self-esteem has improved massively. So thank you for listening and your good counsel" - W.T.
"When I first approached Dannii, I was unhappy, struggling with work stress which had lead to difficulties in my personal relationships. Dannii supported me providing tools and structure to resolve these issues and encouraged me in establishing my boundaries. I now feel much happier and more confident in both my personal and professional relationships. I cannot recommend Dannii more highly. Thanks again for your support" - A.F.
"Thank you so much for all of the support over the past few months. I had been really reluctant initially to engage with counselling and was a little sceptical about how the process would work. Throughout you were non-judgmental and encouraged me to think about experiences in a new light. It was really interesting to see how you prompted me to think about experiences and situations from a different perspective. The process was undoubtedly challenging at times but it has made me consider things differetly and I am more aware of how other people might perceive things. I am also more calm and self-assured and I have been able to cease my anti-depressant medication with support from my GP. Thanks again for all of your support. I wished I had considered counselling much earlier" - N.S.
"I can’t thank Dannii enough for his support over the last year. He helped me to get my anxiety under control, amongst other issues, and this is something that I never thought I’d be able to do. I originally chose Dannii because of his profile and his work around the LGBT community, and I am so glad that I did because he made me feel so comfortable when I opened up about my struggles with my sexuality, and I never once felt judged. He was so supportive and encouraging and that to me was invaluable. My only regret about my sessions with Dannii is that I didn’t start them sooner!" - S.G.
"Attending sessions with Dannii has been really valuable. Dannii provides a supportive and non-judgemental space where I feel heard. Rather than telling me how I should feel or what I should do, Dannii enables me to work through my thoughts and feelings and take ownership of my situation. This approach has led to many positive changes in my life, of which I am really proud. I would particularly recommend Dannii for LGBTQ+ related therapy." - R.G.
"I enjoyed my sessions with Dannii and if I was to summarise my experience in a sentence, I'd say that all the changes and progress I've made have been sustainable. Several months on, and I feel stronger, more confident and, most importantly, I accept and love myself more. Through questioning, appropriate challenges and exercises , Dannii helped me remember that I am a valuable, beautiful and unique person and that I'm stronger than I thought I was. With his help and support, I've got so much better at being assertive and putting healthy boundaries in place. Thank you, Dannii." - K.B.
"I was recommended to try therapy for sex related anxiety issues by my GP. I found Dannii listed on the BACP website, and the whole experience of booking and attending sessions was excellent. Having never had therapy before, I was nervous about starting especially when discussing something so personal, but Dannii made me feel comfortable throughout my time with him, creating a space where I could really open up and talk through the issues I was facing. The 5 sessions we had together helped me make great progress, and I would definitely recommend him to others." - B.G.
"I was looking to start therapy because I was struggling with sex and intimacy and I wanted tackle some hard memories. I was lucky enough to find Dannii's profile online when I was looking for LGBTQ+ friendly therapy. The space Dannii provided during the sessions was really empowering, where I could tackle difficult topics at my own pace. Doing EMDR with Dannii really changed the way I engage with my past and now enables me to be more in control of my present. The sessions always felt very safe and comfortable, and I could truly and honestly be myself throughout the process. This has by far been the best experience I have had with a mental health professional! Thank you!" - S.E.