Helen Hines
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Experienced counsellor. I can help you to overcome challenges you may have with your thoughts or feelings and support you to get through difficult times. I can also work with you to make radical changes. Whatever struggles or hardship you face I can support you by providing a warm space where you can feel understood and accepted in your experience of life.
Typically what might bring people to therapy is stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, anger, family issues, trauma. Or maybe a crisis such as bereavement, or relationship or work problems. Some people identify a low self-confidence or a sense of isolation. Or have other challenges such as feelings of guilt or shame, maybe being affected by past abuse.
How counselling can help
My therapeutic approach is integrative with an emphasis on humanistic and CBT. I aim to work with your way of thinking and to progress towards your chosen goals. I hope to enable you to develop your ability to cope with difficulties by having the opportunity to express your thoughts and feelings and to build your own skills so that you are able to improve your quality of life and feel a freedom to be yourself.
My intention is that you will experience a level of authenticity and insight that helps you to heal or feel empowered, and additionally learn strategies for altering your responses to life. Some of these will be practical day to day mood changing techniques (CBT) others will involve confidence and relationship building skills. Overall I hope that our time together will enable you to feel more in tune with how you want to be in your life.
How it works
I work on a number of different levels and move between these. I recognize the influence of thoughts, feelings, behaviour, the here and now, the past including looking back at childhood. I also respect the importance of your own values and spiritual beliefs and will explore these with you.
As well as a particular focus on our working relationship I also offer a number of techniques as and when they become relevant and working with what best suits you and checking what might feel right for you. I take an experimental approach and provide the opportunity for trying things out both within and outside the session. Sometimes this involves using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) which is a practical opportunity to notice and change ways of thinking and behaving. At other times I might suggest image making or writing.
Creativity is an important aspect of my counselling. This comes about in many ways, partly through our conversation. I also work with pictures and objects, sometimes using an art therapy approach to enable you to make images which help to develop understanding. Alternatively we may use photographs or found natural objects such as stones. Working with your inner child and inner parent might also be a part of this, helping you to build your sense of self and to overcome stresses in your attachments.
Learning new strategies for coping with life and changing ways of thinking can also involve Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), this is a positive approach to change which is particularly goal focussed. As part of this I might teach relaxation techniques or ways of changing your thinking patterns that can help you to be successful, peaceful and happy.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have been a counsellor for 20 years, a life coach for 22 years, a counselling supervisor for 15 years. I have also been a group facilitator and trainer on personal development courses.
My training
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and my core training is a BACP accredited post grad diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from University of East London. I also work according to the BACP code of ethics. I have trained to be a superviser for other counsellors on a person centred supervisers training run by Temenos. I have also trained additionally in Art Therapy, Working with the Inner Child, Group Therapy, Mindfulness, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Babette Rothchild’s approach to Working with Trauma, and Christine Padesky’s Cognitive Behaviour Therapy training.
My background
My experience in counselling has included working in university and college services providing counselling for students. I have also been a counsellor in a bereavement service, an alcohol service, a GP referral service and a school. I have worked with a wide range of people; of all ages, students, people working in corporate settings, artists, teachers, unemployed people, people from different ethnic backgrounds and from other countries, gay men and lesbians and people with disabilities.
Additionally I have a wide knowledge of mental illness. Until 2016 I worked at SANE where I trained and supervised volunteers who provided emotional support and information to people affected by mental illness; an important part of this role was to understand the impact of mental illness and the ways it is responded to in the health service and within society.
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
Loss
Education
Creativity
Writer's block
Confidence
Suicidal thoughts
Culture
Menopause
Lesbian and gay issues
Women's issues
Men's issues
Feeling lost
Isolation
Feeling abandoned
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
The cost is £55 per session with a few concessionary places available for students and people on a low income. I ask for 24 hour’s notice of cancellation of a session or the full fee is payable. Sessions are usually on a weekly basis, though they can be fortnightly.
When I work
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I am currently offering face to face, telephone/Whatsapp and Zoom sessions.
Further information
I am based in Ladywell near to Ladywell station, Lewisham Station and the 484 bus route. I am walking distance from Brockley.
My other base on a Wednesday is New Cross, 2 minutes from New Cross Station.
