Dorrie Townend
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About me
Does your child or teen not seem themselves? Feels like they are shutting you out of their world? Perhaps they are 'acting out' more than normal, or withdrawing 'in'. You're worried about them and desperately want them to feel better. Maybe they are feeling a lot of pressure, stress, sadness or anxiety? Struggling with OCD, school refusal, their confidence or awaiting an ADHD or ASD diagnosis? Or are you a student or young adult needing support with your mental health?
My job is to help; I provide a dedicated, empathetic and impartial space to help young people (aged 4-30) open up, make sense of their mind and behaviours, and find healthier ways to cope. As a parent myself, I understand just how worrying it can feel to know your child is struggling, and I endeavour to ensure the care they receive with me is exemplary.
Providing young people an impartial therapeutic environment that is tailored to their unique world is often the catalyst for change. My clients tell me they leave our sessions feeling lighter; that thing they came in with that felt hard to manage now feels doable, the place they never thought they'd get to, they are there.
My passion lies in giving people a space that is entirely theirs. The therapeutic relationship is a rare dynamic; in everyday life, relationships are two-way: we ask, "and what about you?". But in therapy you don't need to worry or think about me, it is your space, and I am there to listen, learn and help you.
Many people who begin therapy may be anxious that what they have to say is embarrassing, too bad, or not bad enough, but whatever it is that brings you here, I will welcome it with genuine curiosity and empathy. Everyone, no matter their age, needs a safe space to be seen, heard, and understood.
My approach
My approach to therapy is warm, compassionate and fun. Some young people like to talk; others find 'sitting and talking' hard. Therefore, I have many creative strategies to help young people when words don't suffice. I use CBT, play, art, and creative therapy. My speciality is in the trust and connection I build with my clients and their families. My practice is neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed. I draw upon attachment theory too.
To begin with, I offer a consultation session, which is an assessment session with no obligation. This is for you to decide if this type of therapy is right for you or your child. If we decide to go ahead, we can meet weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. I offer a review session after every 6 sessions to meet with parents and check-in with how things are going.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I uphold the BACP Ethical Framework, which sets the standard for good and ethical therapeutic practice.
In addition, to ensure the trust and safety of my clients, I also hold an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Qualifications
- Master's in Counselling and Psychotherapy for children, adolescents and families from Roehampton University.
- Bachelor's in English Literature from the University of Leeds.
- Best Practice when Supporting Autistic Clients (Aspire Training)
- Working with Grief (John Wilson Training)
- Compassion-Focused Therapy (Association for Psychological Therapies)
- Addressing Trauma-Based Shame (Child Centre Mental Health) 2024
- Working with Children with Depression (Child Centre Mental Health)
- Attachment in Schools
- PREVENT and Safeguarding training
Foundation in Childcare and Mental Health
I have many years experience supporting children and families; my career began as a Nanny, I then worked for the Crisis line SANEline, supporting adults in mental health crisis with gentle, genuine, 'in the moment' emotional support. My psychotherapy training led me to working in schools and NHS services as a children's therapist. I worked for MIND's Children Looked After service. Now I work in a secondary school as a School Counsellor and in private practice.
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.
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 per session
Additional information
I offer a concessionary rate for trainee Counsellors and Therapists.
When I work
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I have flexible work hours so try to accommodate my client's schedules as much as possible.
Further information
Please reach out to me if you are interested in working together.
