Heidi Windham Edwards

Verified Professional task_alt Verified Professional
Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

Pronoun: she
MBACP (Accred),Dip Psyc, Dip Sup, FDAP
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Grays, Essex, RM16
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist/Supervisor with over 30 years experience working therapeutically. I am CEO at Heart and Mind, our Family run Confidential Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice, Established in Essex 1992. 

Being human can be extremely challenging. Talking about your individual experience of being in the world, sharing your thoughts and feelings and experiencing being truly heard without judgement can be a huge relief, it is healing in itself and reduces anxiety.

I will encourage you to listen to yourself, develop kindness and patience for yourself and offer my support and guidance in discovering what is right for you and what you hope to gain from therapy.

It may be that you are suffering because of painful memories relentlessly looping in your mind, or are struggling with a difficult situation and feel misunderstood by those around you. Talking through your individual experiences can enable you to move forward with your life.  Sharing the burden of everyday stress can free you up to discover your purpose and ultimately find peace of mind.

From my experience of 'sitting with' thousands of people over the years, I believe that we all have the potential to suffer less and live more contented lives.

I am a very down-to-earth, 'say it how it is', transparent person and take both a creative and very practical approach when working with people.

Working together, I will encourage and support you with a mixture of compassion and tenderness, I will gently challenge you to explore your unhelpful patterns of relating, access your own internal resources, encourage humour and self acceptance as you navigate your new journey. 

Diagnosed with ADHD over 10 years ago, I have a particular interest in supporting people with Neurodiversity, including ADHD and ASD in developing new tools to manage their symptoms and learn how to harness their energy to work for them. It may be that you are newly diagnosed, considering seeking an assessment for a diagnosis, or suspect that you may benefit from support but do not want or need a formal diagnosis. 

I work with individuals and couples, as well as supervising other Counsellors. Integrity is vitally important to me and I am committed to good ethical practice. I have regular supervision with a BACP, UKRC Accredited Supervisor.

(We have adapted our work from face to face, to online sessions. We are pleased that this has been a smooth transition with minimal impact on the work we do together and are now providing individual support nationwide through various platforms.)

Training, qualifications & experience

I began my training in 1992 as a Work Scholar at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. I have continued training over the years obtaining qualifications including Counselling Skills and Theory 1996-1998. In 2003 I started working towards my Diploma with the Beeleaf Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and qualified in 2009.

I believe strongly in professional development and have continued studying and completed courses in Ericksonian Hypno-Psychotherapy, Psychopathology in Psychotherapeutic Practice, Systemic Family Therapy and C.B.T (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). In September 2010 I achieved my FDAP Certificate in Supervisory Management and Leadership Techniques qualification with the Human Performance Group. In 2014 I gained a Diploma in Supervision from the Gestalt Centre in London.

I have worked with a mixture of client groups across Essex and East London. In 1996 I was employed by Newham Drugs Advice Project as a School Counsellor. I continued my work in Barking at The Axe Street Project 1999-2002 working with clients with various addictions. I also co-facilitated training for volunteers at Careline Telephone Counselling Service in Ilford.

I was employed from 2003-2012 at a busy charity in Grays; Essex called Open Door as a Contemporary Psychotherapist for the Interventions Team and as Service Manager of the Young Peoples Substance Misuse Project- The Network.

I have been Director at Heart and Mind and running our Grays clinic since 2009 and continue to offer appointments to individuals, couples and supervision to other counsellors and psychotherapists.

Since 2015 I have been an independent consultant and Clinical Lead at HBBS a bereavement counselling charity in Brentwood.

Member organisations

school Registered / Accredited

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.

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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

ADHD/ASD                            Shame and Regret

Social Media Addiction        Intimacy and Communication in Relationships

Phone Addiction                   Chronic Pain/Invisible Illnesses

Parenting Issues                    Feeling Lost

PMDD/ Severe PMS/PMT     Communication

Internal Conflict                   Anxiety/Overwhelm

Communication Issues

Gaming Addiction

Young People

Therapies offered

Photos & videos

Fees

£75.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income
  • check_circle Keyworkers
  • check_circle OAPs
  • check_circle Students
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors
  • check_circle Unemployed
  • check_circle Refugees

Additional information

Initial Consultation £90

Individual: Standard fee: £75

……………………………………………………………


Couples: Initial Consultation £145

 Couples: Standard Fee £130


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

APPOINTMENT TIMES:

Monday through Thursday daytime appointments only.

TRAVEL:

Heart and Mind is easy to find. If you are travelling via train to Grays station, you can catch the number 22 or 269 bus which stops two minutes away. If you are driving I will give you my postcode or help you with directions over the telephone.

PARKING:

There are no parking restrictions. Parking is free and there are always plenty of spaces.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

*Available For Enquiries 

*Daytime Appointments Only

*Limited Availability 

Further information

If you would like to discuss making an appointment or have any questions about counselling with me please contact me on the above telephone number or email

COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS CLIENTS:

"Heidi is an excellent counsellor - She has fantastic listening skills & is able to suggest and implement the most effective solutions tailored to the individual. My previous counsellor never really understood me - unlike Heidi. Thank you for improving my life!"

"I felt I could truly be honest with Heidi and she listened to everything I had to say, very warm and friendly and she made me feel at ease. The room is very comfortable and relaxing."

"I found Heidi very helpful and understandimg."

"Unlike counsellors I've been to in the past, I felt this therapy gave me 'tools' I could go away with and use for life. The counselling room is comfortable and calming. I felt it was private enough to speak about sensitive issues."

(All clients gave permission for their comments to be shared anonymously)

Type of session

Online
Phone

Types of client

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

Key details

Ground floor office (one step at front door) with windows facing nature reserve.

Online platforms

Whatsapp
Zoom
FaceTime

Supervision

In person
Online

I am a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist with over 30 years experience counselling and have been supervising since 2008.

View supervision profile

Social