Ed Christmas
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi, I’m Ed Christmas. I have been trained and practicing integratively since 2018, and have been continuously studying and working to refine my skills and insights into the world of counselling and psychotherapy.
I have a particular interest in working with clients to help them recognise and address their conditioning and trauma. Often, it is the things that we learned or were told along the way that are problematic - about ourselves, others and the world - about our past, present and future - about our purpose and our identity. We believe these things are fixed, and often as a result we are led away from our true selves and our true potential. Often, it is these layers of meaning that are in the way of us seeing and being ourselves. Therapy can therefore help to look beneath them, and emerge as our perfectly lovable, competent and confident selves that were lying just beneath, all along.
I have throughout that journey explored and experienced many different modalities offered in therapy, and have found that none fit all, and that many are different ways of saying or doing the same or similar things - often with slight changes in focus, method or intention.
Overall however, I find that the client is the best person to decide what approach, language and practices will suit them best. I therefore work integratively and am very transparent in my way of discussing these things with my clients so that they can have full knowledge and control over the therapy.
The way that I work therefore adapts to the needs and preferences of my clients. However, I do my best to use all the various skills and learnings that I have developed over the course of my training and practice.
I therefore use aspects of humanistic person-centred therapy - where the client's voice and feelings are given space to be expressed and explored, leading to the client's recognition of themselves and the vast resources that they hold.
I also include aspects of Psychodynamic Therapy - where we understand the experiences and conditioning of childhood have had a profound impact on the way we live in the world, and how we view ourselves and others.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) offers us various tools and methods to approach the problems and patterns in our thoughts and behaviours - so that we can see these patterns clearly and come to grips with how to relax and change them.
Parts Theory and Parts Work is also essential to my understanding of the mind/body, and of our patterns. We all have complex internal systems containing many parts competing for attention and dominance. Exploring the purposes and the relationships that underpin these parts and their interactions can help us to take control and gain leadership within ourselves.
Lastly there is my training in hypnotherapy that has taught me that we have often hypnotised ourselves into believing and living according to certain ideas we have about ourselves, others and our future. Using hypnotherapeutic methods, we can therefore creatively, gently and significantly explore and change these ideas and patterns - using our rich imagination as a source of energy for finding strength, determination and clarity.
All of these combine fluidly to create a rich and effective treatment approach, all of which puts you, the client, at the centre of the work. Together, we can begin to find a path forwards - back towards a life of acceptance, fulfilment and peace.
I offer both online and face-to-face therapy in a therapy room in Suffolk, UK and from the Natural Health Centre in Woodbridge, Suffolk.
As suggested above, therapy is a collaborative process where we find out what the problem is, what is feeding or maintaining it, and then we find ways to change this situation for the better.
Counselling, hypnotherapy and psychotherapy offer pathways into ourselves that can make such change possible. Often it begins with only a little more insight and acceptance and moves towards greater feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction and connection.
All change is a journey, so by working with me, you will therefore be given a space where you are free to bring anything that you like, your whole, complete, unbridled self, and begin to use that space to explore and work through anything that is causing problems, barriers or blocks to your life, your wellbeing, and a contented sense of self.
I have particular experience working with people with autism and other neuro-divergence, as well as with the LGBTQ+ community.
Training, qualifications & experience
I now have an MSc in Counselling and CBT from the University of Suffolk, England.
However, I began my journey into psychotherapy in 2018, beginning with hypnotherapy training with Chrysalis, and counselling skills with Life-Force Courses, in Colchester. I continued to deepen my knowledge and skill in hypnotherapy with the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, where I learned hypno-CBT (-or Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy). I continued to train to achieve a masters in Counselling and CBT from the University of Suffolk. I have therefore covered a lot of theories and approaches, and learned to integrate them together more effectively than simply by studying for a shorter period of time in a blended approach. These are only those I studied formally, of course, picking up many more elements of psychotherapy and coaching along the way.
Since I began in 2018, I've been continuously learning, improving and deepening my understanding of the mind and therapeutic treatments with which to support others. Through my own personal counselling journey, and my own philosophical and spiritual basis, I have also learned how to connect with and understand people of different beliefs, backgrounds and languages. Growing up bilingual in English and French also helped to relate to the complex systems of beliefs and culture that we are shaped by.
I have throughout my training and practice worked with many clients, taking the time with each to understand them and their story, and to develop a safe and trusting relationship - being serious and thoughtful where necessary, and buoyant and energetic where possible.
Working together with my clients, people from different backgrounds and facing many different challenges, we have found a way to make a difference - to breathe new life and possibility into their story and into their internal system.
If you feel that you could benefit from talking with me, need help, or would simply like to know more about the kind of therapy that I offer, then don't hesitate to get in touch!
Member organisations
school 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.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society
This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations.
In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Happy to discuss any particular focus that you would like to bring.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£65.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Concessionary rates available upon discussion.
£65 per 50 minute session
£100 per 1.5 hour session
£120 per 2 hour session
£150 Bundle = 2 hour session + 1 booster session (upon request) - Useful for brief therapy, such as for smoking cessation and other habit changes.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
Monday - 10:30am - 8:30pm (F2F or Online)
Wednesday - 10:30am - 8:30pm (F2F or Online)
Thursday - 9am-4pm (Online) - 6pm-9pm (Online)
Further information
Please get in touch to discuss availability and anything else that you have questions about.
