Giorgia Bonfili
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an experienced psychotherapist practising in Bristol. My commitment is to provide psychotherapy in a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment.
I offer regular weekly appointments to my clients, for 50 minutes, on an open-ended basis. The length of therapy will depend on your personal circumstances and we will be able to discuss this as our work progresses.
I am experienced in working with individuals and couples facing a variety of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, work related problems, relationship issues, addiction and bereavement.
My way of working is psychodynamic.
This particular approach looks at our specific patterns of relating to ourselves and others which influence the way we perceive the world. Sometimes these relational patterns are no longer helpful to us and, as a consequence, we may struggle to fulfil certain aspects of our lives.
Working together, we will aim to bring about a better awareness of yourself and of your emotional responses. This insight will help you view your challenges from a different perspective and to start making more helpful choices for yourself. Your perception about yourself and about different situations may also gradually begin to shift.
Psychotherapy offers us the opportunity to know ourselves better and to become more true to our self. This transformative quality of the work could be compared to a journey which enables us to step into our lives from a different perspective from the one we started from.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am experienced in working with both individuals and couples.
Individual therapy:
Individual therapy offers a safe and confidential space where you can explore feelings around yourself, people and situations. Our work will aim to make sense of your experiences so that you can feel more empowered.
Becoming our own person is an ongoing process of self-discovery. Each personality goes through a process of transformation starting in childhood and never truly ending. People are affected mentally, emotionally, physically, sexually and spiritually by the intricate web of relationships we hold with ourselves and others. Many transformations occur in our infancy, childhood, adolescence and through adulthood, which shape us as unique individuals.
In the same way, changes can be nurtured through the therapeutic relationship, especially in the areas of our lives where difficulties were experienced in the past. The therapeutic relationship can offer people the opportunity to feel stronger within themselves, achieve better clarity, and make decision in their lives based on a more authentic sense of self.
Couple Counselling and Therapy:
Fulfilment in our close personal relationships is a basic human need. Partners at times experience relational difficulties which can cause distress and affect their well-being.
Whatever your background, sexual orientation, marital status… whether you are living with your partner or experiencing separation, couple therapy may be beneficial to both of you and also to the children that are affected by the quality of your relationship.
Couple counselling and therapy will help you better understand some of the issues that cause difficulty in your relationship.
As partners you will be encouraged to explore your feelings and become aware of the recurring patterns of conflict between you; how these create rupture and disconnection, undermining a feeling of security, mutual trust, and intimacy.
As therapist, I will provide a supportive space for you, so that you can feel safe and able to open up to one another. We will work to improve communication and mutual understanding between you. Difficulties experienced in current relationships are often linked to challenges you might have had in your childhood, as well as current issues of day-to-day life. We will be able to look at these together in an atmosphere of mutual caring and support, working to improve your sense of well-being both as individuals, as a couple and as a family.
Professional membership:
I am a member of the FPC (Foundation for Psychotherapy and Counselling) and of UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy).
As a member of these professional bodies I adhere to their stringent ethical framework and code of practice.
I hold the following professional qualifications:
- Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Theory and Practice
- Certificate in Counselling Skills
- MA
- BA Hons
Alongside seeing clients in private practice, I worked for the NHS mental health service (IAPT) as an Honorary Psychotherapist.
Member organisations
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 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
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
£45.00 - £60.00
Additional information
During our initial meeting we will have the opportunity to explore your needs and consider what you can expect from therapy. It is natural to feel a bit anxious about starting therapy as it is a new experience for most people. If we decide to work together, we will agree on a regular weekly time to meet.
My charge for sessions are as follows:
Individual therapy £45
Couple therapy £60
I have a few places available for clients experiencing financial hardship.
In this case we will be able to discuss your individual situation and agree a fee for ongoing work.
Please ask about this.
When I work
Mon-Fri: 7am-9pm
Further information
As a native Italian speaker, I can accommodate clients who would be more comfortable having sessions in Italian rather than English.
I offer online sessions through Zoom.
