Dr Gael Bateman
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello there - if you've come across this page, you're likely seeking support to navigate some of the challenges we face in life. Welcome; I'm glad you've made it here.
I’m Gael, my pronouns are she/her, and I offer in-depth, high-quality, feelings-led therapy to those seeking sustainable change. My work is empathic, ethical, and trauma informed. I specialise in working with people who come to therapy struggling to like or trust themselves.
I’ve been working as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist for 5+ years. I’m a practitioner member of Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
I'd welcome hearing from you. Tell me about yourself and what you're looking for from counselling. If that doesn't feel possible to put into words right now, that's okay too, we can meet for a chat and work at your pace to identify what will be most helpful for you.
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I wonder, what brings you here…your personal story matters. When you're ready to share it, I'm open to hearing it. Please do, get in touch.
I work with individuals, who are grappling with experiences of bereavement, diagnosis, loss, grief, and depression. I also work with those who are experiencing uncertainty, anxiety, and career difficulties, or who may be struggling to make or adjust to a change, or life transition.
I specialise in working with people who've experienced relational trauma (trauma in-relationship with others), intergenerational trauma (trauma which spans generations) as well as collective trauma (trauma which affects specific groups).
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My sessions are gentle, collaborative, creative, compassionate, and relational. They are usually held face-to-face, and last for one hour. Once we’ve established our work together, I’m also able to offer Wild Therapy sessions which can take place outside and with nature.
In addition to my work with private clients, I volunteer with local charities. I also work part-time at The University of Edinburgh, teaching on their postgraduate Counselling & Psychotherapy professional trainings.
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If some of what you read here feels like it resonates, please reach out. The first step towards us working together will be to meet for an obligation-free initial session where we'll get the chance to get a feel for one another and decide if we'll be a good fit.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications:
- Professional Doctorate in Psychotherapy, University of Edinburgh, 2023.
- COSCA-Validated Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling, University of Edinburgh, 2020.
- Bachelor of Arts in Social and Cultural Studies, University of Nottingham, 2012.
Experience:
I've been working as a psychotherapist for 5+ years in both private practice and as a volunteer with community agencies. I opened my private practice in September 2020 in response to the collective trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic.
My practice is gentle, creative, and trauma-informed. This approach is shaped through my work with survivors of sexual and emotional abuse, as well as my doctoral research which explored how difficult it can be to tell stories of trauma and loss, particularly when these stories span generations.
Prior to training as a psychotherapist, I spent five years working in student support at a University in Australia, developing compassionate, ethical and holistic support services to respond to traumatic incidents and experiences. Now, in addition to my work as a psychotherapist, I also work part-time at the University of Edinburgh on their postgraduate counselling programmes.
Member organisations
COSCA is the professional body for counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland, and seeks to advance all forms of counselling and psychotherapy and the use of counselling skills by promoting best practice and through the delivery of a range of sustainable services. COSCA Counsellor Accreditation is a pathway to entry onto the UKRC. It is a requirement of all individual and organisational members of COSCA to abide by its Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice and be accountable to the Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
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.
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
I specialise in working with people who've experienced traumatic or neglectful relationships, and who come to therapy struggling to like or trust themselves.
My practice is small and steady. I work with a limited number of clients, usually for long-term periods of time which reflects my intention to offer in-depth, high-quality, feelings-led therapy to those seeking sustainable change. I truly cherish my work with clients.
Therapies offered
Fees
£70.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
The first step towards us working together would be to meet for an initial session, which costs £55.00. Following that, sessions cost £70.00.
When I work
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I offer face-to-face sessions in Central Edinburgh, a short walk from St Andrews Square and Edinburgh Waverley station, please contact me for specific availability.
Further information
As a counsellor member of COSCA and a registered member of BACP, I am committed to my ongoing personal and professional development. I regularly engage with individual supervision and professional development activities.
I adhere to COSCA’s Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice and BACP’s Ethical Framework. I also subscribe to their Complaints Procedures. You can find out more about these professional practice procedures at www.cosca.org.uk and www.bacp.co.uk.
