Christopher Hope
About me
I am a UKCP registered psychotherapist with over 30 years experience working with clients of different ages who maybe experiencing unhappiness or distress and wish to find ways to live a more fulfilling life. These include the following:
- Depression and anxiety,
- Separation and loss,
- Childhood and Adult trauma,
- Stress within family relationships (including divorce and separation)
- Relationships with ourselves and others
- Managing the pressures of school college or university
- Work-related difficulties
What I do:
- I provide psychotherapy for adults, children, teenagers
- Mediation and couples counselling/therapy.
- Family Therapy when families are struggling or resolving separation
- Individual trauma-based work with adults children and adolescents, alone or with their carers or parents.
- Group Psychotherapy.
My approach to working with children and young people.
I have thirty years experience working with trauma and family problems. I also understand that each client is unique. Sometimes you or sometimes your child maybe struggling to cope with emotional problems or experiencing more serious mental health difficulties. Sometimes therapy helps when you are experiencing difficult a time in your life, for whatever reason. I also believe I can help you to find different approaches to managing relationship difficulties and stress. This can reduce the severity and duration of a problem and give you valuable coping skills for the future.
How I usually achieve this will be through individual therapy with either adults or children, and teenagers; with parents and their families, or a blend that meets your particular needs.
My approach to working with adults
Adults and young people often prefer a more one to one therapeutic relationship, which they can trust and which is safe. I understand that younger adults experience many pressures related to recent events such as COVID, from social media, peer and family relationships and high expectations demanded by Schools and Universities. The future can be experienced as very uncertain and overwhelming at times. I have helped my older adult clients overcome a range of life challenging events. Commonly these include the impact of separation, loss, unresolved childhood experiences, family conflict, divorce, separation, bereavement and work related stress. Alongside this I have worked with Adults experiencing anxiety and depression.
These factors may combine to make life feel very stressful and anxious, and can lead to mental Illness if untreated.
My promise
I will try to provide individual consultations to suit your personal circumstances. I will always be honest with you, and explain to you clearly how I can help. I will treat you with respect and will always try to work with you at your pace. I always make sure we have a clear contract in place which we will review as our work together progresses.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications & Professional Memberships
- MA. B.Sc. Hons, Dip SW, MBPsS,
- Psychotherapist and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
- Diploma in Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychotherapy and Counselling Supervision
- UKCP Clinical Psychotherapist membership number 2011167188
- Social Work Registration SW27151
About Me
I began my career after my first degree in Psychology at North East London Polytechnic in 1978. After a period living and working in South America I then returned to the UK with my family and settled in Bury St Edmunds.
For ten years I worked in therapeutic communities as a psychodynamic practitioner, director and consultant and also trained as a counsellor at Metanoia.
In 1997 I then undertook further training after qualifying as a social worker . I am specialised working with children and families with over thirty years experience. This has shaped my generic skills and helped me to understand the unique nature of every individual, family and relationship. I understand how difficulties can arise and sometimes escalate and the impact that early life experiences and childhood trauma can have upon all those seeking Psychotherapy or counselling.
I am both a qualified as a practice teacher and supervisor and have trained as an integrative psychotherapist through Terapia. I am experienced in systemic family work and working with both Adults and children who have experienced trauma. I have also worked for CAMHS as a clinical practitioner where I gained skills in clinical assessments and delivering treatment for children and adolescents experiencing more serious mental health problems.
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.
UK Council for Psychotherapy
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. 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
Although I am not registered with Ofsted I have over seven years experience providing support and therapy to children and young people who have been adopted. I am therefore experienced working with attachment difficulties and or early life trauma.
I continue to maintain my social work registration which I sometimes find useful when clients are referred to me through CAFCASS and or their solicitors or when private disputes through the courts require an independent perspective
Fees
Concessions offered for
Additional information
How to arrange an appointment
Consultations are always confidential from your first contact with me. I usually encourage clients to meet face to face where possible. I have a separate practice suite which ensures meetings are always confidential. I can arrange venues in other locations subject to availability, but this may include an additional charge to cover the distance I may need to travel.
My registered practice address is: Suffolk Psychotherapy, Hillcrest, 14 Northgate Avenue, Bury St Edmunds Suffolk, IP32 6BB. My standard fee is £60.00 per hour.
You can email an enquiry. I will normally respond within 24 hours. Or you can also leave me a text message or call me on my mobile phone 07760 190794. I will then arrange a convenient time to call you back for a brief confidential discussion. This service has no charge.
After you have spoken or contacted me and if you wish to book an appointment I will agree a time to meet with you. I will usually offer you an initial one-hour consultation. This way you can decide whether what I can offer meets your needs and will also help us to plan forward if you wish to continue..
For all appointments I will require twenty-four hours’ notice if a cancellation occurs otherwise a fee will be charged. An agreement as to how fees are paid will be agreed during the initial consultation
Availability
I am available daytime and evenings. I either use Zoom or face to face therapy.
Further information
My approach towards individuals experiencing stress and unease in their lives is that they require time and patience to unravel what can be experienced as overwhelming and distressful. Sometimes greater fulfilment and resolution can be achieved by discovering more about who we are and discovering ways of becoming more tolerant and kinder to ourselves. Being person centred means that I approach all my clients as unique individuals.
My role is to facilitate the exploration and resolution of problems experienced in a safe , confidential and non-judgemental way.