Frances Palmer-Thompson

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she/her
FdA / MBACP Accredited

About me

Finding stability when life feels overwhelming can require a space that feels both supportive and structured. I work with adults and young people aged 16+ experiencing anxiety, low mood, burnout, trauma, neurodivergent masking and the impact of chronic health challenges. Based in Oldbury, I offer counselling across Sandwell, Birmingham, the West Midlands and UK-wide online/telephone.

Choosing a therapist can feel difficult, particularly if you have felt misunderstood before. As a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Accredited Sight Loss Counsellor, my lived experience of sight loss and chronic health conditions informs my understanding of the practical and emotional impact of disability and long-term health issues. We can focus on your experience without you needing to explain the basics.

My core areas of work include:

Complex trauma (C-PTSD)
Support with processing past or ongoing trauma, developing boundaries, and building self-understanding and self-compassion.

Neurodiversity
An affirming space for autistic and ADHD clients, including support with burnout, masking and identity.

Sight loss and disability
Support with adjustment, identity shifts, emotional impact and the barriers that can come with visual impairment or disability.

Chronic health conditions
Exploring the emotional impact of long-term illness, including uncertainty, grief and ongoing adjustment.

This is a culturally and LGBTQIA+ affirming practice, supporting identity, relationships and life transitions at your own pace.

My approach is integrative, drawing on Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, CBT, Transactional Analysis, Gestalt and IFS-informed work. Alongside talking therapy, I work in a steady, grounded way with how stress and emotional experiences are held in the body, helping make overwhelm more manageable.

Sessions are available short or long term depending on your needs. A free 25-minute initial conversation is  available.

Training, qualifications & experience

My background equips me to offer thoughtful, inclusive, and compassionate support to people from all backgrounds and experiences.

BACP Accredited Counsellor

Demonstrates that I have attained a high professional standard in my counselling practice.

Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling – Newman University, Birmingham

Allows me to draw on a range of therapeutic models, enabling me to adapt my approach to meet each client’s unique needs.

Accredited Sight Loss Counsellor

Provides specialised, accessible therapy for individuals navigating visual impairment and eye conditions. This enables me to offer targeted emotional support around sight loss diagnosis, identity changes, loss of independence, and health system navigation in fully accessible formats.

Level 4 Certificate in Rehabilitation Studies (Visual Impairment) – Birmingham City University

Enhances my ability to support clients living with disability, loss, or life-changing transitions.

NCFE Levels 2 and 3 in Counselling Skills

Built my strong foundation in active listening, empathy, and relationship-based work – the heart of effective counselling.

CPCAB Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Supervision – Currently in Training

I am currently undertaking training to become a qualified clinical supervisor, developing my knowledge and skills in providing clinical supervision to qualified counsellor's, newly qualified Counsellor's and  Counselling students. Once completed, this will enable me to provide formal clinical oversight, a reflective space, and professional support to practitioners.

These qualifications, combined with my own lived experience, allow me to create a therapeutic space that is open, grounded, and responsive to life’s complexities, creating space for clarity, reflection, and growth.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Fees

£50.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • Trainee counsellors

Additional information

Please note: individual counselling sessions last 50 minutes. An initial assessment must be completed before any ongoing individual counselling sessions. The initial assessment costs £40 and lasts 50 minutes

Clinical Supervision:  Supervision is available for qualified counsellor's, newly qualified Counsellor's and Counselling students, seeking regular monthly clinical supervision while I complete my CPCAB Level 6 training. 

All payments for initial assessments, ongoing counselling sessions are payable by bank transfer in advance.

Limited concessions: A limited number of concessionary spaces are available for counselling clients and Counselling students, subject to current diary availability. Concessionary rates can be discussed during your initial free 25-minute initial conversation.Clinical supervision fees: £40 per 60-minute session for qualified and newly qualified counsellors, and £30 per 60-minute session for counselling students.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Early morning
Morning
Early afternoon
Late afternoon
Evening

Oldbury, West Midlands, B68

Type of session

Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

I am visually impaired.

Online platforms

Microsoft Teams

Supervision

Online
Phone

CPCAB Level 6 Integrative Supervisor in Training. Reflective supervision for qualified, newly qualified and trainee counsellors.

View supervision profile