Elizabeth Pollard
About me
Much of what we do we do without knowing why. Psychodynamic therapy can help when things go wrong and you find yourself in yet another mental cul-de-sac. Sometimes life seems full of wrong turns and troubled relationships and you wonder, 'why me?' I can help you explore your deeper unconscous motivations and work with you to find a new way forward. It may not feel like it right now, but life can get better.
I also offer supportive counselling in a calm, confidential environment for the times in life when you just need someone to come alongside you while you live through a period of sadness or loss. This may be the death of somone you love, the break-up of a relationship or the everyday anxieties of growing up or living in a competitive world. Through all this I can provide a reassuring presence when you are troubled by unspoken tensions that are difficult to share with family or friends.
Training, qualifications & experience
I began my informal training in counselling skills 30 years ago as a volunteer with Central London Samaritans. Subsequently I have volunteered with the mental health charity, MIND and Barnado's Support4Parents scheme.
For the past 7 years I have been involved with Child Bereavement UK supporting both adults and children with the death of someone important to them. Since 2013 I have also worked as an honorary counsellor for two low cost services in the community and also in a school in Oxfordshire.
My formal training was initially in Psychology and arts at Leicester University and I subsequently gained a Post Graduate Diploma and Masters Degree in Psychodynamic Practice at University of Oxford. I now practice as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, Accredited by the UKCP and am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Member organisations
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.
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
UK Council for Psychotherapy
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
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.
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Attachment difficulties
Existential/life crises
Therapies offered
Fees
From £30.00 to £50.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sliding scale based on ability to pay
Availability
Evenings 6-9pm Daytime 10 am - 4pm. Please contact me to discuss current availability
Further information
Short and long term contracts available
Adults and young people