Donna Harris

Verified Professional task_alt Verified Professional
Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

MBACP (Accredited)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1TL
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Life can be difficult. You may know why you are struggling, or the problem may be less obvious. Regardless, you may feel stuck, lost, anxious or depressed.

At times like these, having the space to be heard and understood, without being judged, can bring emotional relief and restore perspective, clarity and hope.

My role is to step gently into your world and through a calm, supportive and attentive approach, I hope to help you make sense of your thoughts and feelings.

As well as helping you to better cope on a day to day basis, we can explore the possible underlying causes of your unhappiness, confusion or distress. Often, unresolved issues from the past compromise our ability to connect fully with the present. As a result our relationships and overall quality of life can be impaired. It doesn't have to be like this and our work together can help you develop self-awareness and alternative perspectives. This may empower you to make choices that move you towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

As an integrative therapist, I am able to offer a personalised approach, drawing from the counselling and psychotherapy modalities that best suit both the issues you bring and what you find helpful.

I offer a free, no-obligation, initial session to give us the opportunity to meet, discuss what is troubling you and think about how I might be able to help.

I am a registered and accredited member of the BACP. 

For more information see my website: http://www.dorchestertherapy.co.uk

Training, qualifications & experience

I am a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Registered Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist MBACP (Accred).

Experience:

Prior to my transition into full time private practice, I have previous experience as a lecturer in counselling, a crisis counsellor, a university counsellor and as a  counselling and psychotherapy trust practitioner. I have worked with a broad range of issues.

I have also worked for services supporting people with anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding issues and depression.

I am experienced in facilitating support groups, group therapy and workshops and work with an ecotherapy project in my spare time. 

Qualifications:

  • Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling (BACP Accredited), Iron Mill College
  • Certificate in Counselling, Iron Mill College, Exeter
  • DPhil in Ecology, University of Oxford

Some examples of recent Continuing Professional Development training:

  • Mastering Internal Family Systems (IFS) for clinical challenges: Resolving trauma, anxiety, attachment injuries and more - Dr Richard Schwartz & Dr Gabor Mate
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for trauma, anxiety, depression - Dr Richard Schwartz & Dr Frank Anderson
  • Treating complex trauma with IFS - Dr Frank Anderson
  • Existential psychotherapy and counselling - Mick Cooper
  • Revolutionising trauma treatment - Babette Rothschild 
  • Working with shame - Carolyn Spring
  • Taming the amygdala - brain-based strategies for the anxious mind - Dr Catherine Pittman
  • Working with trauma: Somatic based interventions - Dr Arielle Schwartz
  • Grief Works: Julia Samuel
  • Trauma and the body: Somatisation and dissociation - PODS
  • Identity: Can you tell me who I am? - BACP Private Practice Conference
  • Supercharging CBT for complex OCD - Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, Maudsley Hospital
  • Abuse and trauma counselling skills - Dorset Action on Abuse
  • Counselling online - Open University
  • Working with groups - BACP
  • Taking your therapy practice outdoors - Dr Ruth Allen

Member organisations

school Registered / Accredited

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
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

£55.00 per session
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session

Additional information

I offer a free 30-minute, initial consultation.

Ongoing individual weekly therapy sessions are then £55 for 50 mins. 

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Further information

Please feel free to contact me by phone, text or email with any questions or to arrange your initial session.

What to expect:

My private practice is based at Partners in Wellbeing, a comfortable clinic on a quiet green in Poundbury. There is plenty of free parking in the vicinity. The clinic is fully accessible.

Your initial, no obligation session will last 30 minutes and is free of charge. I understand that the idea of this first session, especially if it's your first time in therapy, may feel daunting and that you may feel anxious. This is all natural. However, it may help to know that I aim to provide a calm, non-judgmental, supportive space for you to share what brings you to counselling/psychotherapy and what you hope to achieve from your therapy. You will get an idea of my approach and whether you feel comfortable with me and I will be able to make sure that I'm the right person to help you.

Should we agree to continue then I offer weekly sessions. The first stage of our work together will involve taking a 'history' to gather information on your past and to clarify your current circumstances (including childhood, important relationships and events, health issues etc.) as well as exploring your expectations and hopes/goals for therapy. We will decide on an approach that feels right for you, and to keep the therapy focused, we may decide to have a review after a set number of sessions.

Somerleigh Gate, Somerleigh Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1TL

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples

Key details

Wheelchair user access info
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Online platforms

Skype
Zoom