Elliot Downs MSc MBACP (Registered)
About me
I am a person centred counsellor, offering counselling in Herefordshire and the surrounding areas.
I am registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and fully abide by their Ethical Framework.
I work with my clients in a safe, confidential and empathic environment, free from judgement.
I have a clinic in Hereford, not far from the city centre.
What can I offer you?
I offer counselling and psychotherapy to adults and adolescents. My priority has always been to ensure that you feel safe to explore whatever you feel you need to explore. I have a calm, empathic and engaging presence, which I hope will enable you to discover new avenues of thinking and of being. Giving you the confidence to change how you experience your life.
What can counselling offer you?
I have extensive experience in the private mental health sector, as well as the voluntary sector. Working in such environments has given me the opportunity to understand the personal experiences that can cause pain and suffering. My role as counsellor is to help you understand these experiences, in a safe environment, in the hope that it will inform a deeper understanding and enable you to experience your life in a more engaging and fulfilling way. Your role as a client is to fully commit to the process of healing, which I will support you with throughout your journey.
My Approach to Counselling
My approach to counselling sees you as the expert of your own experiencing. I place a value in you as an individual, trusting the way in which you experience your own life. This therapeutic modality, coined the Person Centred Approach encourages you and I to explore your own understanding of your life experiences. This approach allows you to bring to our sessions, anything that is causing you emotional distress. Working through such experiences together, I hope that I can help you to understand them at a deeper level and move forwards with confidence. At times, I may bring in different ways of working, dependent upon what is being discussed in our sessions.
Why people choose counselling?
My previous experience has led me to understand that people attend counselling for a variety of reasons. Some of the difficulties that my clients have come to seek help for include, anxiety and depression, work-related stress, previous childhood trauma, bereavement, anger management and relationship issues, as well as many other causes of personal distress.
The importance of the therapeutic relationship
Finding the right counsellor is important. It is vital that you and I are able to work together. To help make this decision, I offer a free 30-minute consultation. This gives you an opportunity to decide whether on-going counselling, with me, is the right thing for you.
Please note, I am unable to offer couples counselling. I offer counselling on an individual, one-to-one basis only.
Training, qualifications & experience
My Qualifications
BSc Human Psychology - Aston University (2013)
MSc Counselling & Psychotherapy - Keele University (2018)
My Experience
I have extensive experience working within both voluntary and private mental health sectors, in a variety of settings. I have worked with both adult and adolescent clients. I currently work with an award winning charity in the west midlands that specialises in child and adolescent counselling.
Member organisations
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.
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
Additional information
Initial 30 Minute Consultation - Free
50 Minute Session - £45
I offer a limited number of concessionary spaces, priced at £35 per session. These sessions are reserved for students or clients accessing means tested benefits. Please contact me for more information regarding this.
Fees are payable at each session, I accept cash or BACS transfer.
Availability
I usually offer appointments Monday-Friday 0900-2000 hours. I also offer appointments on a Saturday Morning, between the hours of 0900-1300.
Further information
I have a full enhanced DBS certificate (adult and child workforce); evidence of which can be provided upon request.
