About me
Hello,
Thank you for visiting my page. You might be reading this because you are feeling sad, depressed, stressed, anxious or just ‘out of sorts’. You might be struggling with overwhelming experiences, having relationship difficulties or in the aftermath of a trauma or loss. You might simply be seeking therapy for your well-being and self-care.
These are just a few of the many reasons why people reach out for support. Whatever your personal reason, I want to acknowledge your courage and reassure you that you are not alone. Help is available to you.
It can sometimes be very confusing knowing who to contact and working out what the terminology means, so I want to tell you a little about me and my work in fairly simple terms. If you have a question that’s not answered here just drop me a line.
About me & my practice:
I am a fully qualified counsellor and psychotherapist. I’m registered with UKCP and a number of other well respected psychotherapy and counselling organisations such as BACP and UKATA. I am also a senior accredited practitioner with NCPS. This all indicates that I am a highly ethical and safe practitioner and I have invested a lot of time and energy into my career. I have made a commitment to work to the codes of ethics and good practice of these organisations.
I work with a range of different clients from all walks of life, from older teens and young adults to senior citizens. Most of my clients self-pay (i.e. pay me directly for each session via bank transfer or debit / credit card). Clients usually have the same session time each week.
I do also work with some insurance companies such as Bupa, and some Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs). So if you have insurance through Bupa, you may be eligible to have your sessions paid for by them. I am in the process of applying to other insurance companies such as AXA and AVIVA.
About my qualifications: My highest counselling and psychotherapy qualification is a Master’s level CTA-P (Certified Transactional Analyst in Psychotherapy). To gain this, I undertook 4 years of clinical training and then continued in advanced clinical training while I completed advanced exams. I gained extensive experience and met robust criteria in order to pass my CTA-P and to become UKCP registered. I am also committed to my own self-development so have stayed in my own personal therapy for over 10 years.
In addition to my extensive psychotherapy and counselling training, I hold a Diploma in Trauma Therapy and I am currently on an advanced teacher training pathway to teach Mindfulness & Compassion courses. I have run workshops on mindfulness in organisations and in schools for teachers and pupils.
My initial training was in Transactional Analysis (TA), but in the last couple of years I have been increasingly drawn to concepts from Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is often referred to as the third wave of CBT. Instead of changing the way we think, we change the relationship to our thoughts. This allows us to drop the struggle, increase self-compassion and move forward in line with our personal values. My blend of TA & ACT training means I can help you identify patterns of ‘script’ behaviour and make different choices, if you wish to.
I am experienced in helping clients with a wide range of difficulties including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety, depression, panic disorders, low self esteem, grief, stress, divorce, neurodivergence, relationship problems, trauma, disabilities and life-changing injuries.
Whatever your reason for reaching out, I can offer a safe, confidential space for you to explore what’s going on for you. I will listen wholeheartedly to you, help you to discover your own inner resources and help identify patterns in your thinking, feeling and behaviour that may be getting in your way of living a full and happy life. I believe that you can be the person you want to be, rather than the person who you think you should be.
About my other interests: I enjoy creative writing, and I have written and published articles on topics such as spirituality, creativity and creative writing in therapy for ‘The Transactional Analyst’. In 2024, I was awarded the UKATA Medal for my extensive contributions towards the publication over many years including being a columnist, book reviews editor, assistant editor and finally the editor. I have recently stepped down from my involvement in the magazine and am enjoying writing for my own wellbeing again.
Here are some additional details about what I can offer:
Creativity: If you would like to work creatively together I am happy to facilitate this using sandtray, metaphor, images, creative writing and so on. Creativity can be helpful in exploring our subconscious and giving us a different perspective on what you are going through. Creativity is not everyone’s cup of tea, though, so there’s no pressure at all to be creative! We can just talk.
Mindfulness: I have experience of teaching mindfulness to individuals groups, schools and organisations across the UK in order to improve wellbeing. I am enrolled on an Advanced Teacher Training pathway to teach mindfulness and compassion. Mindfulness can be very effective in reducing anxiety, stress and depression and improving emotional resilience. Learning some basic skills in mindfulness can have some fantastic positive results on your well-being, particularly reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. If you’re interested in joining a group do let me know.
Trauma: If you have suffered trauma that is impacting on your daily life I can offer a specific 3 - 4 stage trauma therapy treatment plan. I hold a Diploma in Trauma Therapy and have experience of working with traumatised people.
Goals: It can be helpful to have an idea of what you'd like to achieve by seeing me. You may not know at the moment what your goal is, and that is absolutely fine. We can review this as we go along.
Length of therapy: Each session is 50 mins for individuals. I can work on a long term or short term basis, depending on your needs.
Insurance & Supervision: I am fully insured and I complete regular professional training. I am regularly supervised by two UKCP registered supervisors.
My profile here is intended to give a snapshot of who I am and how I can work. If you have specific needs, do drop me a line to tell me a little about what you’re going through. We can arrange a short free chat before committing to sessions if that feels helpful. There’s no obligation to continue with me if I am not the right fit for you.
I understand how difficult it can sometimes be to reach out for support. I’ve been there myself and I understand. Asking for support is an achievement in itself, so well done for getting this far.
I look forward to hearing from you and supporting you on your own personal and unique journey.
Warm wishes
Dee
Training, qualifications & experience
In summary, I have the following training and experience:
- 4 years advanced clinical training in Transactional Analysis (TA) counselling and psychotherapy (level 7) 2015-2019
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (level 2) 2026
- Diploma in Trauma Therapy 2020
- UKATA Diploma in TA Practice (psychotherapy) 2019
- Mindfulness Now Teacher Training
- Masters in Creative Writing & Personal Development 2003
- BA (Hons) in English and Creative Studies 1998
The charities I have worked for are:
- Redhill Counselling Centre
- Carers Support West Sussex
- Headway Tunbridge Wells
Since 2018 I have run a successful private practice in East Grinstead.
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.
UKATA (formally the Institute of Transactional Analysis) is the national UK Transactional Analysis organisation representing all fields of TA theory and practice. TA can be used as an effective tool in a wide range of contexts such as: personal development, management, coaching, counselling, psychotherapy, teaching, education, parenting and more.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 - £65.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I offer a free introductory chat to discuss your concerns and get to know each other. This is usually via Zoom and lasts about 20 mins.
There is no obligation to continue if you do not feel I am the right therapist for you or we are not a good match.
Session fees depend on location:
Individuals
50-minute sessions
– In-person sessions at a comfortable, private location in East Grinstead: £60
– In-person sessions at a centrally located clinic (Silver Grey Clinic, A22, Felbridge): £65
– Online sessions: £60
Concessionary Rates
I offer a limited number of concessionary spaces for those who need them, for any reason. These sessions are £55 per session and available for individuals.
Please mention when you first get in touch if you’d like to request the concessionary rate.
Note: Concessionary sessions are available during weekday daytime hours only (9am–3pm).
When I work
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