David Pierce-Myers
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Life can be painful, stressful and confusing, so finding the right support for you is important. Thirty six years working with mental health and wellbeing has taught me a wide variety of methods to respond to your particular needs.
Experience has taught me that each person holds the key to their own answers but can benefit from an experienced guide and find counselling can active, collaborative and creative process with you at the centre.
I am an experienced qualified counsellor who has been providing professional healthcare in both NHS service and privately. For 27 years my primary focus has been on addiction and the underlying causes.
I have been counselling for 16 years.
I offer a safe, confidential space for you to be heard without judgement believing through experience that by talking and exploring you can increase your understanding and acceptance of yourself and your life. This understanding can help to relieve the most difficult aspects of being human, which is not easy, particularly in these complicated times.
I aim to both support and gently challenge you in the process of you developing greater understanding of yourself, helping you to make informed choices and take action to improve your life.
I offer both short term and long term work.
I originally trained as a psychodynamic counsellor which focuses on how your early experiences continue to have influence on your life and how differences between what you feel and what you think can cause conflict.
I also use ideas from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Trauma Informed Therapy, Mindfulness and Nature Therapy.
I am a Registered Member of BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and adhere to their Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. www.bacp.co.uk
My past and current work has given me experience of working with addictions, depression, stress, anxiety, anger, trauma, abuse, bereavement, loss, self harm, eating disorders, palliative care, learning difficulties, physical disability, obsessive compulsive disorders and enduring mental health problems.
My background in nursing has been enhanced by a well regarded counselling training and as a NHS counsellor working with vulnerable adults I hold a current DBS certificate.
Sessions are typically weekly and last one hour. I work from an office in central Chichester which have pay and display car parks and on street metered parking adjacent. I also work via video or telephone calls if this is your preference. Outdoor work may also be available if time allows.
In addition:
I appreciate the value that companion animals have to people and the importance of the role they can play in our lives. I understand the significance of peoples relationships with their animals and the difficulties involved with the loss of an animal. I am also interested in how our disconnection from the natural world can cause distress and imbalance.
Please see my Website for more details of Natural Awareness Therapy and other potentially helpful links; www.dpmheartwood.com
Occasionally, I may have a dog with me. This has always worked well but please let me know if I should avoid this with you.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Accredited )2010
- Certificate in Psychodynamic Skills and Theory 2008
- Assessment of Clients for Counselling 2012
- Understanding Relationships (provided by Relate) 2011
- Couples Therapy Training Paul Hitchings 2017
- Natural Awareness Therapy Training Pathfinder UK 2017
- Nature as co-therapist, BACP endorsed Keele University Short Course 2015
- Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities 1991
- Diploma in Mental Handicap Studies 1991
My nursing experience began in 1988 with people with learning difficulties which became more managerial than therapeutic, so in 1997 I moved into addiction work. This included facilitating therapeutic groups and providing one to one support which is where my interest in counselling began. I have also had nursing experience in a palliative care setting.
I counsel for the NHS focussing on addictions and run a private counselling practice two days a week working with a wide range of people.
As part of my NHS work and BACP membership I am involved in continuing professional development.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
From £60.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
£60 per one hour session.
Concessions can be discussed for people on a low income.
I offer a free 20 minute introductory meeting in person, or by phone or video call if I’m not in the office at a convenient time.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
I currently have some availability on Fridays though Thursday appointments may become available.
Further information
I can be contacted on 07545 144284 or at dpmheartwood@gmail.com. If leaving a message, please state if it is okay to call back and whether it is okay to leave a message. As I wish to maintain your confidentiality I will not call back without your express permission. I will return your contact as soon as possible but this may take up to 48 hours. Text or e-mail communications will typically relate to organisational matters, altering appointments for example: any therapeutic material developed in these communications can usually be better explored in person. I make every effort to protect your confidentiality when using electronic technologies, but as this is rapidly changing landscape I ask you to help protect yourself my minimising the transmission of personal or private information.
I have an office in central Chichester which is a 10 minute walk from the train station, is close to the Cathedral bus stops and has car parks and metered roadside parking adjacent. The address and map can be found at the top of this page.
Or you can locate the office using What3words: paint.themes.seat
