Dean Addams
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I was an MBACP-accredited Gestalt Practitioner for 20 years and have been working as a counsellor for over 25 years. Currently, I run a private practice where I see both individuals and couples for counselling and longer-term therapy. I offer both short- and long-term work, depending on each person’s needs. Concessionary rates are available for those on a low income who can attend sessions during the daytime—please feel free to enquire.
My areas of specialism include childhood sexual abuse, sexuality, depression, and anxiety. I also offer supervision for both trainee and qualified counsellors and psychotherapists.
The word Gestalt, of German origin, doesn’t translate easily into English—it broadly means “the whole” or “the complete picture.” In Gestalt therapy, the goal is to understand the person as a whole: who they are, what they’ve experienced, and how all the parts of their life and self fit together. This process invites deep engagement—through thinking, feeling, and supported exploration.
My therapeutic approach is holistic and integrative. I work with every aspect of a person’s individuality—from how they think and express themselves, to how trauma and emotional wounds can manifest physically. Whether our work together is rooted in body awareness, spirituality, experimentation, or practical strategies—or a combination of these—I tailor my approach to the uniqueness of each client.
I respect and honour each person’s values, beliefs, gender identity, sexuality, cultural background, and lived experience. To me, therapy is a collaborative journey—two people bringing their full selves into a space of growth, healing, and transformation.
At the heart of Gestalt therapy is the development of awareness. As awareness grows—of body, mind, environment, and spirit—so does the capacity for meaningful experience, conscious decision-making, and more fulfilling relationships.
In my work, I support clients in cultivating awareness through attention to body language, voice, interpersonal dynamics, and, where appropriate, creative experiments within a safe, professional, and supportive environment. Alongside this, I also focus on helping clients develop emotional resilience and the ability to create and sustain authentic, nourishing connections with others.
Training, qualifications & experience
Educationally, I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree (graduated with honours) and a Master’s degree in English Literature. I have also completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychoanalysis and Culture and subsequently achieved a Diploma in Gestalt Therapy. Most recently I went back and completed my psychotherapy training in Gestalt Theory & Practice, but I prefer to refer to myself as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.
Throughout my academic training, I took a keen interest and specialisation in the field of sexuality including cultural taboos and sexual dissidence, and during the course of my professional career, I have maintained an enthusiastic and devoted interest in human psychology. This interest has been a driving force throughout my many years of practical experience as a counsellor.
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
£50.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sliding scale from
£50 - 70 lower income daytime/student (limited)
£70 normal day fees
£70 - 90 evening fees. low income/full employment (couples £90).
When I work
various daytimes and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday evenings.
Further information
As an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, I subscribe to their Ethical Framework for Good Practice. I have private indemnity insurance and I am committed to my own personal development and training.
