Ian Leigh
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Connection is important: It is through our relationships with other people that we uncover who we are. My work and personal experience has shown me that people grow through supportive and caring relationships and that the healing of deep wounds is possible. I pay close attention to the quality our relationship in the present moment. I look to find a balance between providing a supportive and warm environment, as well as challenging when needed. In this way I seek to develop a deep and honest relationship, whilst adhering to professional boundaries. This gives us the chance to explore your feelings and emotions, repeating patterns of behaviour, the choices you make and how to start living a more rewarding life.
Finding hope and acceptance: There are few places where our emotions and experiences can be spoken about with dignity and honour and heard with respect and understanding. I offer a safe and supportive environment to help you explore and understand the difficulties of your life and find healing. As you begin to appreciate more clearly who you are and how the past has shaped you, you can begin to uncover a sense of self that is imbued with hope and acceptance.
What matters most: Our work together will help you to become clearer about what matters most to you, uncover a truer sense of who you are and what gives real meaning and satisfaction to your life. Together we can explore the challenges you experience, the choices you make and the recurring patterns you would like to change. Your distress will ease as underlying causes are addressed or you may begin to feel more accepting of persistent issues.
A more satisfying life: My aim is to help you explore how you can best be yourself and live your life amidst the confusion and challenges of the modern world. In time old wounds begin healing, a sense of clarity emerges and you feel freer to move towards a more satisfying life with a greater sense of hope, peace, confidence and love.
Call me to discuss your needs and how I can help you. If I'm not available please leave a brief message and I'll get back to you. Alternatively, email me to make an enquiry or arrange an initial assessment.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a Registered Member of the British Association For Counselling and Psychotherapy - the professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists.
My aim is to support you in finding a more authentic sense of self. This involves helping you listen to the quiet voices in you and reclaim parts of you that that have been silenced or excluded because of family, education and social expectations. We all experience pressure to fit in but those parts of us, that are uniquely ’us’, need space and to be listened to also.
My approach is trauma informed. I've have trained with Peter Levine and Babette Rothschild - two of the leading experts in the field. I have experience of working with people with a wide range of trauma related issues, such as, violent sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse (including incest) and physical violence. My previous work history also includes two years working as a 'complex case manager' and 15 years as a nurse managing a brain and spinal trauma unit in a busy London hospital. I therefore have a very good understanding of patient and relatives experiences (good and bad) and their journey through the health system.
I have been practising Buddhism and meditation for 30 years. I integrate mindfulness into our work to help you connect more fully with yourself and so develop greater awareness of who you are and what’s calling for your attention.
I have worked with people experiencing a wide range of issues including, depression, bullying, workplace conflict, low self-esteem, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, anger, substance misuse, bereavement, relationship difficulties, boundary difficulties, shame, midlife crisis and spiritual crisis.
Special areas of interest and expertise include, anxiety, depression, family issues, trauma, substance misuse, masculinity & men's issuers, midlife crisis, spirituality, sexuality, gender identity and developing resilience.
Member organisations
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£65.00 - £80.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My fee is £65-80 per 50 minute session, including the initial assessment, depending on the time of day we meet
I have a limited number of concessions for people facing genuine financial hardship. If you don't feel you can afford the above fees please contact me to discuss options.
The initial assessment (the first session) and subsequent sessions are 50 minutes.
When I work
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Shoreditch
Tuesday 9.00 - 21.00
Thursday 9.00 - 21.00
Bow
Wednesday 9.30 - 17.00
Zoom
Monday 19.00 - 21.00
Tuesdays 8.00 - 21.00
Wednesday 8.30 - 20.30
Thursdays 8.00 - 21.00