Helen Bird
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Welcome to my profile.
There are many different and varied reasons people seek counselling. Sometimes we can mask how we really feel and get used to living a certain way. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, low mood/depression. Perhaps you are feeling unfulfilled or feeling you are surviving rather than thriving. We can protect others from our own emotions and pain resulting in feeling isolated, stuck, confused or lost.
Perhaps you have experienced difficulty in the past, suffered adversity or trauma resulting in painful and difficult to manage emotions. You may be currently going through change, transition, challenging life experiences or feeling stuck in a relationship.
I offer a confidential, non-judgmental safe space for you to explore whatever it is that brings you to therapy. You may not be able to fully vocalise what this is currently, that’s OK.
My hope for clients is that by engaging in therapy you can feel safe and supported in navigating and exploring life’s difficulties. Therapy gives you the time and space to explore how you really feel, gain a greater understanding of yourself and how you want to live, without judgement.
Feeling truly heard and accepted as you are, without conditions, can make this an easier process. Especially at a time of vulnerability or distress. Through counselling, individuals can gain clarity on their situation; past and present, think about change, acceptance and develop alternative ways of coping.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a qualified and experienced counsellor. I have previously worked for the NHS, providing therapy to adults of all ages as well as in a Higher Education University setting where I specialised in providing short-term therapy to young adults.
I am an accredited member of the BACP. This means you can be assured I have undertaken training to a specific level and practice according to high ethical standards, professionalism, and competence.
Taking the first steps in counselling can be intimidating and overwhelming. I endeavour to work at your pace. It is important to me that you feel safe at what might be a vulnerable time in your life. My role is to help facilitate your exploration and work collaboratively with you to meet your needs in therapy.
I qualified with a diploma in Therapeutic Counselling from Leeds Beckett University ten years ago and also graduated from University of Leicester where I studied Psychology.
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.
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Transitions in life
- Attachments and relationships
- Coping mechanisms
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
My fee is for a 50 minute session.
When I work
I currently have morning, afternoon and some evening availability.
Further information
Your first session is an opportunity for me to get to know more about you and for you to see if you feel comfortable working with me. The relationship that develops between therapist and client is recognised as being the cornerstone of effective therapeutic work. It is important it feels right for you. I often explore the question “Why now?” with you in order to begin to make sense of what has led you to seek support and for us to think together about what you want or need from therapy. We can then discuss how long we might work together for.
You can contact me via email or phone. We can have a brief, free discussion on the phone prior to your first session if you would like to find out a bit more about me and/or counselling.
Sessions are 50 minutes long and will ordinarily take place weekly unless agreed otherwise. I do offer fortnightly appointments also.
I currently offer telephone, video (Zoom) and face-face counselling. I offer day time and early evening appointments.
