Dean Richardson

Dean Richardson - "a proper counsellor…"

During these Emergency Times most counsellors added a video service to their practice portfolio all at once. When considering who you might want to work with on Zoom/Skype, etc., it's helpful to know that Dean already had 14+ years of experience working online via webcam/video conferencing. So... that'll be 14+ years more experience than a significant number of others in your area. It's worth thinking about.

Where does "Proper Counsellor" come from?
I ran into an old colleague at a Hampshire Mental Health exhibition about five or six years ago. She told me that over the years she'd referred people to me, but when it came to my specialties in men's and sexuality counselling, she told me about a student of hers who had described the therapists she thought she liked the look of.

"Oh no !!" - exclaimed my colleague. "You don't want to work with someone like that. You need to see a proper counsellor; go see Dean Richardson…"

I think the term is rather appropriate. Counselling is not a protected title, so anyone can call themselves a counsellor and provide a counselling service. This is where my colleague's student got into trouble; she was about to see someone who wasn't properly qualified or experienced to handle her therapy needs.

Services Available.
Over my 22+ years practice, I've amassed a great deal of experience and focus upon particular areas of counselling:-

• Individual Counselling: where the individual seeks understanding and symptom relief.
• Couples Counselling: where a couple wish to resolve their own issues and not become dependant upon a therapist for the rest of their lives.
• Counselling for Small Groups: where a relationship between 6-to-8 people is in conflict.

I'm also a skilled Zoom & Skype operator - offering tele-counselling for those who cannot reach my physical locations, or who simply want to work with me from their remote location.

What Others have Said.
I always ask a new client "how did you hear about me?" in order to learn what they are looking for, and how they thought I'd be able to help.

Some responses stand out in my memory (paraphrased):-

• "I like how frank you come across, not like the fluffy-template websites!"
• "You're the only one who says: 'f***' !' on their website"
• "No-ones website actually stated they worked with gay men [...who thought they might be straight]."
• "You work with polyamorous groups over Zoom."
• "You speak my language."
• "I thought you seemed very kind."
• "I wanted a frankly-speaking bloke."
• "You were the only one working with MOMs [mixed sexually-orientated marriages]"
• "No other website explicitly discussed transvestism."
  
• "We're in a long-distance relationship and you(r website says that you) counsel couples living over 1,000s miles apart."
• "My doctor / GU Clinic / friend / work recommended you.'

But, of course, you too will take your own impression of me when you read this profile and look through my website (go look, now!). Maybe soon I'll be asking you too: "how did you hear about me?"

There's a lot more to say, but rather than trying to fit it all into one box here, I'd recommend you visit my website, where you'll find a wealth of information organised into relevant pages for you to consider.

See you over there...