Hugh Waterson
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a UKCP registered Gestalt psychotherapist offering a safe and confidential space for both short-term and long-term work to address a variety of personal and relational issues. I offer face to face sessions and work online using the platform of Zoom to work remotely.
People seeking professional help and support will have different reasons for accessing counselling and psychotherapy: to discover more about themselves, a recognition that life is good but have a sense that something is missing, experience an inability to relax with others or be fully themselves, experience boredom and emptiness whilst having a yearning for joy and a deeper connection with others, feeling out of control and struggling with anxiety and/or depression, experiencing intrusive thoughts and emotions such as panic, despair, rage, or shame and being so overwhelmed that normal daily life tasks and routines are a challenge.
I engage in a wide range of concerns from early attachment experiences and relational trauma (abuse and neglect) to adult relational conflict and breakdown, to anxiety, depression, loss and bereavement, stress at work, self-confidence, and self-esteem fears, to social isolation and loneliness, sexuality and gender issues and ongoing life transitions.
- If you are struggling with an aspect of your personal or interpersonal life causing considerable distress and pain,
- Or you are repeating familiar patterns leaving you feeling lost and stuck,
- Or you are finding it difficult to make decisions resulting in feelings of confusion and uncertainty.
The next step is to:
1. Contact me by phone or email and leave a brief message stating when I can contact you.
2. We will have a brief telephone conversation to discuss any questions you may have about starting therapy and how to proceed.
3. Discuss our availability and agree to a day and time convenient to both of us.
4. Meet either face to face or online for an initial assessment to clarify what you want from therapy and how best we can achieve it.
5. Email you confirmation of our first session.
How we would work:
Gestalt therapy encourages a creative attitude towards life and personal growth with a focus on present experience, contact and awareness by addressing the whole person both mind and body. Therapy requires a balance of safety and risk to heal and grow.
In working with you, I will encourage you to pay attention to your present thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations to increase awareness of self. This process enables you to achieve further clarity and understanding of your needs and future goals. Working collaboratively, we will explore your strengths and blocks to growth and how to live a more active life. We will consider what options and choices are open to you when considering future actions. Where appropriate, we will work experimentally and creatively to support and challenge you to explore new behaviours and try out novel situations.
In providing a confidential service, I follow the Metanoia Institute and UKCP code of ethics.
Training, qualifications & experience
Having undertaken comprehensive training in Gestalt psychotherapy and attended a wide range of short courses and workshops to update my knowledge and skills, below is a summary of my main qualifications and accredited courses:
- MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute, London: validated by Middlesex University)
- UKCP Registered Gestalt Psychotherapist
- Clinical Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute, London)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Supervision (Relational Change)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Sunderland University)
- Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling (Insearch, Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
- Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society (MBPsS)
- BA (Honours) Psychology (Cape Town University)
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 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
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
Fees
£55.00 per session
Additional information
I will discuss fees when we initially make contact. I currently charge £55.00 for a 60-minute session. My fees policy also includes reduced fees for students and trainee counsellors.
Fees are normally payable in advance by bank transfer.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
I offer face to face daytime and evening sessions from my home in Burnopfield and online sessions via Zoom.
Further information
Until October 2014, I worked full-time as a Counselling Lecturer in a local Further Education college where I gained considerable experience in the development and delivery of a range of Higher Education counselling degree programmes. I have trained many students in the North-East of England who now work as qualified practitioners.
