James Agar
About me
PLEASE NOTE THAT MY PRACTICE IS CURRENTLY FULL.
Also, due to Covid-19 restrictions I am currently working with clients and supervisees in person who have received both vaccinations only and by video online or by telephone with all others.
I have practiced as a counsellor, psychotherapist and supervisor since 1988 with organisations (higher education, social services, addiction rehab,trauma services, eating disorders, bereavement) and in private practice. I have been in full time private practice since 2003.
The chief goal of the second half of life, and that of therapy
by the way, is to make one's life as interesting as possible.
That seems a modest claim, especially for a person in deep
pain, yet our lives are an unfolding mystery, only partly in
our control, in which we are not only the protagonist, but
often the most amazed of witnesses...
The more consciously we address the questions of our lives,
the more we will experience our lives as meaningful...
James Hollis 2003
In my practice of both psychotherapy and supervision I am interested in offering different ways of reflecting on human experience. I understand that 'nature needs nurture,' and that a person's identity can be shaped by decisions made in response to significant relationships throughout life.
Depending on the quality of these influential relationships, particularly in early life, a person's decisions and shaping of identity can become embedded in suffering and negativity. A person can define his or herself by suffering and so might come to get what she unconsciously and negatively expects, no matter how she might consciously wish otherwise.
I value the analysis, or the "loosening of the bonds" of such personal suffering that can occur in with the help of meaningful relationships such as those created with counsellors or psychotherapists.
This loosening of bonds through the psychotherapy relationship can help the client to resource his or herself more effectively in daily life. Engaging in a psychotherapy relationship can also enhance the capacity for intimacy, facilitate congruence and openness to learning, and, ultimately, serve to make life more interesting.
Training, qualifications & experience
MBACP Senior Accred. Psychotherapist, (first accredited)1996;
UKCP Reg. Psychotherapist, 1996;
MSc Psychotherapy, 1996 (Metanoia Institute)
Certified Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist 1996;
Dip Alcohol Couns & Consultation, 1987;
Supervising Transactional Analyst (Psychotherapy), 2003;
MBACP Senior Accred. Supervisor (Individuals), 2002
Diploma in Casework Supervision 2002
Experience as a counsellor and psychotherapist 1988-present:
20,000+ client hours (approx.)
Experience as a supervisor (Includes both supervision of supervision and clinical supervision) 1997- present: 17,000+ hours (approx.)
Employment History:
Private Practice: Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer full time 2003-present
Psychotherapist (part time) 1996-2003
Counsellor (part time) 1989-1996
Clinical Supervisor (part time) 1997-2003
Senior psychotherapist (part time) Survivors of Child Abuse 1996-2003
Gloucester
Psychotherapist (part time) London Borough of Hounslow 1993-1996
Social Services Department
Student Counsellor (part time) St. Mary’s University College 1995-1996
University of Surrey
Counsellor Turning Point Ltd. 1990-1993
Bedford Centre Alcohol Project
Ealing, London
Counsellor Turning Point Ltd. 1988-1990
Davies Centre Alcohol Project
Battersea, London
Counsellor (unpaid) City and Hackney Alcohol 1986-1987
Counselling Service, London
Residential Support Worker United Kingdom Housing Trust 1984-1988
Arlington House, Camden Town London
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.
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£70.00 per session
Additional information
Individuals £70.00 per 50 minute session
Couples £100.00 per 75 minute session or £120 per 90 minute session (I recommend longer sessions with couples where possible.)
Availability
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I offer appointments between 8am and 5pm Monday-Thursday. PLEASE NOTE that I currently have limited availability for weekly appointments for either supervision or therapy.
Further information
In my terms and conditions I ask for 7 days' notice to cancel or change an appointment.
If you decide to end therapy with me I ask that you meet for at least one or two further sessions to discuss your decision.