Holly Ricioppo
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Events and experiences, either from the past or happening now, can cause intense anxieties and difficulties for many of us, negatively impacting our sense of connection, hope and purpose. Sometimes we need deeper attentive support - from an unbiased professional - to help us understand ourselves and our responses to life’s challenges.
My approach is grounded, through many years of practice, in psychodynamic/psychoanalytic and Jungian principles. These invite deeper enquiry and exploration of both the presenting problems and their underlying roots in your inner world, to develop more profound and enduring understanding and insight.
I work with adults who might be seeking support with issues such as:
- Life changes, uncertainty, grief and loss
- Symptoms of psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, obsessions, repetitive behaviour and thoughts
- Trauma and chronic anxiety
- bereavement and break-ups
- Social anxiety and work-based anxieties
- Burn-out, overwhelm, chronic 'high functioning' stress
- Sexuality and Gender - identity, choices and integration
- Relationship and relational complications
- Toxic/coercive relationships
- Austisic, ADHD, AuDHD masking, grief, acceptance
- Personal development, creativity & purpose
- Exploring and understanding dreams (including nightmares and recurring themes)
- Spirituality and/or political and cultural experiences and concerns
It can be challenging, sometimes frightening or painful to confront wounds, disturbing experiences or look deeply into who we really are. I offer a confidential welcoming space, in which to explore whatever is important to you, safely and at your own pace.
Within this consistent, reliable therapeutic alliance, we collaborate, explore how you respond to life's complexities, negotiate your needs and manage the unknown. We might talk about what has happened through your life, how you experience relationships, your motivations and boundaries and how your imagination serves you. Discovering a richer sense of self, and a greater capacity to live as you intend, then becomes more tangible and realistic.
I am experienced in supporting a wide range of different people from many backgrounds, particularly including people with lived experience of Diversity, Neurodivergence, LGBTQIA+, intersectionality and marginalization. I believe in the value of exploring philosophies, beliefs, and the impact of political and cultural influences and social inequality on and in peoples lives and identities, should that be something they wish to do.
I personally prefer not to use AI in any aspect of my work or writing - however I do regularly engage with studies which investigate the impact of AI on our lives, minds and imagination, and am confident in discussing AI with clients, openly and without bias.
Practicalities:
I offer counselling and psychotherapy to individual independent adults from age 21 onwards
Sessions are 50 minutes, once weekly minimum, usually in person. Online or phone sessions are offered where appropriate.
My accessible rooms are in a beautiful setting near Radstock and within very close reach of Wells, Frome, Bath, Keynsham, Shepton and surrounding areas. There is free private parking for clients. My room is on the ground floor.
I mostly work long term (open ended), as this has proved to give more enduring, effective and satisfying outcomes. However, I will consider shorter term/time limited in some cases and ask for a minimum commitment of 12 sessions. In all cases your hopes and circumstances, together with what is realistic for you, are an important part of the discussion.
Please note: The therapy service I provide is not suited for children, young people under 21 years of age, or dependent adults (those who need daily support and are classed as vulnerable).
Training, qualifications & experience
- Master of Arts (MA) with Distinction in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice
- BA Hons (Combined Studies, Humanities - incl. Psychology)
- British Psychoanalytic Council and BACP accredited Qualification/Post Grad. Diploma Psychodynamic Counselling (duration of training course minimum 4 years, in person)
- Post Qualification Advanced Certificate of Completion: Clinical Practice from a Jungian Perspective (Society of Analytical Psychology)
- Tavistock Post-Graduate Certificate in the Study of the Couple Relationship
- Foundation Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Skills and Attitutes
- Registered professional member of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP).
- Training Faculty Seminar leader (Jung module) and Diploma Tutor at Wessex Counselling and Psychotherapy (current)
- Over 28 years professional experience in therapeutic, Arts and educational settings holding teaching, leadership and management roles
- 3 years professional in NHS (in clincial setting and primary care with a patient caseload)
- Formerly a Teacher & Teacher-Trainer of Eastern Philosophies including Yoga, Zen arts, Tibetan Buddhist Meditation and Buddhist Mindfulness
- Additionally, over 10 years in psychodynamic counselling & therapy practice (charitable agency and private practice)
- SCopED Qualification and experience level alignment, Column C
- I am committed to the rigorous ethical and professional standards set out by the British Psychoanalytic Council
Member organisations
school 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.
The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
The organisation is itself made up of fourteen member organisations and BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC's register.
BPC registrants are governed by a code of ethics, a policy of continuing professional development, a statement on confidentiality and a complaints procedure. The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP). Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
- relationship issues
- sleep, exercise and eating issues or disorders
- anxiety and panic attacks
- burn-out
- alienation/belonging/resettlement (eg. relocation, immigration)
- grief and bereavement
- workplace issues (bullying and grievances)
- Career changes
- Stage of life or mid-life crisis
- chronic fatigue/ME
- Gender identity
- Sexuality, religion and culture differences, conflicts/disharmony
- Spirituality, faith, philosophy and belief
- Family issues
- Immigration experience
- Intercultural relationships
- Intercultural upbringing
- Minority identity experiences
- Post-Cult recovery
I have additional experience in working with people who wish to explore and develop their creative processes and motivation or are curious about how psychodynamic support could deepen/expand or free up their initiative and energy for projects.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£75.00 - £90.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Standard fee for adults is £80
I reserve a portion of lower-fee weekly session spaces for those in financial hardship. Please feel welcome to ask.
When I work
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Further information
How to proceed:
Please take a look at my website in the first instance. This ensures you have some further information about the way I work.
When you get in touch, if I have a potential space to offer you I will arrange a short (free) phone consultation to introduce each other and consider the next steps.
If we decide to proceed you will be offered two (but sometimes more) assessment sessions to give us both the opportunity to find out whether working together feels right.
