Jane O'Brien

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MA (Psych), MBACP (Snr Accred), UKCP
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

London, SE1 2TH
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am trained as a Psychosynthesis Counsellor and Psychotherapist.

What is Psychosynthesis?

Psychosynthesis is based on the work of Dr Roberto Assagioli, who was originally a student of Freud. Psychosynthesis emerges out of Freudian thinking and develops a view of the human psyche that looks at human potential as well as human suffering.

Psychosynthesis is a way of looking at our behaviour, our personality, our psyche and our inner life, that leads us to better understand ourselves and to develop an art of living. It helps us to become more true to ourselves by its insight into the dynamics of the personality and of how we act in the world. Its effect on human development is well described below:

“When it is balanced and healthy, human growth proceeds in all directions: it looks like an expanding sphere rather than a straight line. It is for precisely this reason that Psychosynthesis endeavours to take into consideration all the dimensions of human life which truly matter and which, if left unacknowledged, lead to a fragmented, even absurd existence:

  • The emergence of will and self-determination
  • The sharpening of the mind
  • The enjoyment of beauty
  • The enrichment of the imagination
  • The awakening of the intuition
  • The realisation of love
  • The discovery of the Self and its purpose.”

(Piero Ferrucci, 1982, What We May Be, Turnstone Press)

It is sometimes very hard to recognise a problem and ask for help. It is hard to know where to get the help that we need. A relationship with a psychotherapist is a unique and very special thing. I choose someone whom I like and respect, with whom I feel comfortable, safe and protected. I really value the weekly therapy session because it feels as if I can be myself, say what I am feeling, no matter how I judge it as wrong, bad or just stupid. I sit with someone who values and supports me, who will commit time and energy, thought and good will to me. It is like having a best friend but better because it is like having a best friend who has an enormous amount of training and life’s experience to help me to come to understand and value myself.

How Do I Work?

The work is completely confidential. We meet first to see what you want in your life and what changes you would like to see as a result of therapy. In the first phase of the work, we will be inquiring into the nature of the issues that you wish to address. After the initial phase, I seek to tailor a way of working to meet each individual's needs.

Please know that this work is exciting, frightening, exhilarating, demanding, encouraging, painful and full of joy as well.

The results may be increased psychological freedom, a greater ease within yourself, a stronger ability to make choices and engage your will, a clearer idea of your goals and what is really important to you. You can learn how to change long-standing and sometimes destructive habits that stand in the way of living the fulfilled life you envision.

Training, qualifications & experience

I am Irish American and I have been living in London for over 25 years. I qualified first as a Counsellor in 1988 at the Institute of Psychosynthesis and later earned a Masters Degree in Psychotherapy from the University of East London in association with the Psychosynthesis and Education Trust.  I am a senior accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and was first accredited in 1990. I am a founder member of the United Kingdom Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (UKRCP) and I am also registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psyhcotherapy (UKCP).

I have many years of experience working as a therapist in private practice with individuals and couples. I also work with trainee counsellors and clients through employee assistance and with privately insured clients.

Member organisations

Registered / Accredited

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.

UKCP
UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

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.

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

UK Council for Psychotherapy
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.

UK Council for Psychotherapy
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Fees

£75.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • Trainee counsellors

Additional information

Individuals:  £75 per 50 minute session

I consider concessions when I can.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Psychosynthesis Trust, 92-94 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2TH

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Adults
Older adults
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Online platforms

Skype
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online

I have been in practice as a Psychosynthesis Counsellor and Psychotherapist for over 25 years with a diverse range of clients.

View supervision profile

Jane O'Brien
Jane O'Brien