Emma Thatcher
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I'm a qualified Integrative Art Psychotherapist, offering sessions both in-person and online. I provide a safe and creative space for mental health support, self-exploration and growth.
People start therapy for many different reasons. You may feel dissatisfied, worried or sad, want to explore the past, process difficult events, or achieve goals. I have experience of helping with a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, panic attacks, trauma and experiences of unstable mood.
Art Psychotherapy uses a mixture of talking and art-making in the sessions. It combines the usual practices of talking therapy - a safe confidential space to discuss what may be troubling you - with the possibility of using creativity to give further insight.
By also using the arts, it is possible to explore emotional issues in a different, sometimes deeper way, one that words alone may not allow. You do not need to be an artist to benefit from this, just drawn to the idea of expressing yourself creatively. I will encourage you to be curious and reflective about what you create. Together we can explore what might best support your wellbeing.
Sometimes people like to paint, draw, use collage, clay, writing, photography or music. You can read more about art therapy here: https://www.baat.org/About-Art-Therapy
I work in an Integrative way; this means I use ideas from different therapeutic frameworks depending on individual need.
This includes:
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - how our past, unconscious processes and repeating relational patterns impact us.
- Humanistic (Person-Centred and Gestalt influenced) Psychotherapy - our experience and self-actualisation in the ‘here-and-now’.
I believe questions of purpose, freedom, meaning, and how we manage life-stages are also important and am happy to explore clients’ existential and spiritual needs if desired.
My style is empathetic and warm, with an awareness of how identity, difference and social context impact experience. My therapy is supportive of LGBTQ+ issues and alternative relationships and lifestyles.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more.
Training, qualifications & experience
Registered Art Therapist (Health Care Professions Council: reg. no. AS16754).
Integrative Psychotherapist (UKCP: reg no. 2011184884. Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College).
BAAT (British Association of Art Therapists) registered.
IATE registered.
MA in Arts Psychotherapy from the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education (Distinction).
I currently work in private practice. I am accredited with the HCPC and follow their standards of ethics and confidentiality and have regular supervision with an HCPC registered supervisor. I am fully insured, registered with the ICO and in-compliance with GDPR.
I also have several years of experience as an honorary arts psychotherapist in the NHS, in inpatient and outpatient services, seeing both individuals and groups. I also have worked in a community mental health setting, as an art therapist in a women's counselling service and as an honorary counsellor for MIND.
I have a previous background in photography, arts and heritage, the charity sector and user-led mental health.
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 HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£65.00 - £80.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sessions are on a £65-80 sliding scale dependent on income.
As a rule, I charge £65 for those on incomes up to £35,000, £70 for those up to £40,000, £75 for those up to £50,000 and £80 for all higher incomes.
I also have a limited number of concession spaces available. Please enquire about availability.
When I work
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In-person sessions available on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Online sessions Monday, Thursday, Friday.
