Diane Birrell
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Counselling takes place in quiet and comfortable offices in the centre of Lancaster or in Arnside, easily accessible and with free parking. Both daytime and evening appointments are available and Saturday morning appointments can also be arranged. Currently working online and by telephone due to the on going coronavirus situation.
I am a qualified Integrative Psychotherapist, which means I use and facilitate a variety of Psychotherapy Models in a blended way, depending on the needs of each individual client. I believe that each person has within themselves the ability and resources to heal, but that sometimes life's difficulties and circumstances can make this difficult, which is where a skilled therapist may help to overcome the feeling of 'stuckness' we experience. This may manifest itself with feelings of depression, anxiety, addictive behaviour, relationship issues, low self-esteem and self-confidence, anger or a general malaise.
My main area of Psychotherapy work is from a Person-Centred and Psychodynamic background as I believe that each person is individually significant and the processes we all engage in are relevant to our well-being. Often, what has happened in our past is affecting how we feel, behave and react in our present. I also take an existential stance as I see basic meaning of life issues as being very important to mental health. I also believe in working holistically towards health.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and work in accordance within their ethical guidelines and principles. See www.bacp.co.uk for more information. I am also a member of the United Kingdom Association of Psychotherapy Integration - UKAPI.
Prior to becoming a qualified counsellor I have worked in schools and the community as a personal and careers advisor. I have a breadth of experience working with adolescents and adults in both fields of counselling and advice. I am currently working voluntarily with substance misusers and have recently worked with Young People with a variety of issues.
BA (Hons) First Class - Counselling and Psychotherapy Studies
Post Graduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy - Distinction
Master of Arts in Integrative Psychotherapy - Distinction
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Substance Misuse specialism
Therapies offered
Fees
Additional information
Initial consultations are free for the first half hour, but if the session runs to the full 50 minutes then the full fee of £45 becomes payable and subsequently fees are £45 per 50 minute session. Couples counselling is £55 per 50 minutes. I am happy to negotiate a discounted rate for unwaged/low waged people.
After 6 p.m. and weekends are £50 and £60 respectively for individuals and couples.
When I work
Lancaster - most weekdays and some evenings.
Arnside - by arrangement.
Online counselling via Zoom giving further availability
