Helen Ogg - Experienced Individual and Couples Therapist
About me
'Calm seas do not make skilful sailors.' I am an experienced therapist working with individuals and couples. Online/telephone sessions available.
My approach
I am passionate about the transformative potential of therapy. It is a privilege to be able to help people at a time in their lives when they feel especially vulnerable. My role is to help you to explore questions like: 'why do I always feel anxious?' 'why do I keep finding myself in damaging relationships?' 'why am I such a people pleaser?' 'how can I ever come to terms with my loss?' or any number of issues that may bring you to therapy.
Therapy is about gaining better self-understanding in order to facilitate change. Feeling more at ease with your self, and becoming better equipped to face life's challenges, are the goals.
A trusting, collaborative and confidential relationship between therapist and client is an important part of this process. I encourage my clients to challenge themselves, the better to shed entrenched and unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Helping clients to recognise and utilise their strengths is also an important aspect of my approach.
My training background
I am trained in an integrative approach to psychotherapy. This means my approach is flexible and adaptable, and recognises that people are complex and their lives complicated. My academic background is in developmental psychology. Allied to that, an understanding of attachment theory and its evidence base informs my practice. It is a helpful way to understand our relationships - whether we feel secure, anxious, ambivalent or avoidant in our attachments, for example. However, at heart, I want to understand my clients from their unique perspective, rather than through the filter of theories and models.
Couples counselling
Couples counselling allows for exploration of relationship difficulties and space to make decisions about how to move forward into the future. It is an opportunity to explore different ways of communicating with and being with each other.
Couples or relationship counselling is also suitable for other relationships (parent-child; siblings, for example) – indeed, wherever two individuals seek better understanding and resolution of painful issues.
I have experience of working with couples where high-functioning Asperger Syndrome (AS) has been diagnosed, or may be a factor.
Online therapy
With over 400 hours of experience of working remotely, video call or telephone sessions has proved an effective and convenient way for people to engage in counselling. If you are feeling apprehensive about using internet or telephone to access counselling, please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss this further.
EAP/Organisations
I have experience of working successfully with referrals from EAP/Organisations and charities. Enquiries welcome. Current DBS Certificate.
Confidentiality
It is in the nature of the counselling process that clients often disclose deeply personal details of their lives. To safeguard client confidentiality I do not add your name or other identifying details to my notes. In addition, I do not store sensitive client information on my computer.
Training, qualifications & experience
Always curious about how we think, feel and behave, I earned a 1st Class psychology degree at the University of London in 1996. I went on to research children’s early language and cognitive development for which I was awarded a doctoral degree in 2002.
Other qualifications include:
Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.
Advanced Post Diploma Certificate in Couples Counselling. The training also covered the particular relationship difficulties encountered when Asperger Syndrome has been diagnosed, or may be a factor.
Diploma in Anatomy and Physiology reflecting an interest in the link between mind and body.
Additional/recent training includes:
Neuro-diverse relationships - neurotypicals (NTs) and Asperger (ASs): recognising the unique challenges of neuro-diverse relationships. How to thrive rather than merely to survive.
Working with Survivors of Sexualised Trauma
Psychopharmacology and Therapy - to aid an understanding of the pros and cons of anti-depressant/anti-anxiety and other psychotropic medication.
Trauma - The Body keeps the Score -understanding how trauma memories are stored in the body as well as the mind.
Remote therapy - CPD/training in working via Zoom/Skype/Telephone
I have worked in a wide variety of environments, from secretarial roles in both the public and private sectors, to teaching psychology to post-graduate students. I have also run my own successful small business.
In addition to my professional and academic qualifications, my 'university of life' experiences also inform my therapy practice.
I am an accredited member of the National Counselling Society (NCS) and adhere to their Code of Ethics and Practice.
Member organisations
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.
National Counselling Society
The National Counselling Society
This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations.
In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Couples counselling
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Adult Children of Narcissistic Parents
Trauma
Recognising and understanding abusive relationships
Couples counselling - High functioning Asperger's / ASD
Women - High functioning Asperger's / ASD
Fees
Regular sessions are of 55 minutes duration.
Fees for individual counselling per session: £45
Couples counselling: £60
Concessions: some availability with proof of low income.
Further information
Neurodiverse Relationship and Individual Counselling
I have experience of working with couples where high-functioning Asperger Syndrome (AS) has been diagnosed, or may be a factor. I have undertaken advanced couples counselling training that covered AS-NT relationships.
There are unique challenges in these relationships where one partner is neurotypical (NT)/non-AS and the other is AS. Understanding the dynamics of the relationship from two very different perspectives is something I aim to help with - sort of a translator between two brains that essentially perceive the social world in different ways. Over the course of the relationship, the NT may find that her world shrinks as she gradually adapts to the AS's needs. If each of you are to thrive, rather than merely to survive in the relationship, it may be especially important that the NT partner learns to prioritise self-care and to develop interests and a social life outside of the relationship.
In addition, I have experience of working 1-2-1 with both men and women where AS is a factor.
