Jean Thirkettle
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I have worked in private practice and also a volunteer at Cruise Bereavement Care for over 12 years.
I work as an Integrative counsellor enabling me to explore and sit alongside you in an empathic way.
My experience is that all losses (whether devastating or pure relief from an abuser) is destabilizing, bringing up many memories which have been buried deep and can cause physical or psychological stress unless managed gently with empathy but never rushed.
Experience of any of these may release cause a myriad of emotions which are often painful to bear. The result is that these may become locked away, too difficult to share with our loved ones. Sometimes causing us to consider suicide as a way out.
The experience of loss often raises fundamental questions about our safety and mortality. Big questions which involve painful memories, sometimes guilt. Questions resulting from choices we have made, leading us to ask, what if we had made different decisions, or why did we do what we did?
We have our own individual process to work through. I can help you to explore such thoughts and feelings in a way that feels safe and contained, allowing you to tell your story over time and more deeply understand issues that trouble you so that you can go forward with greater confidence.
In working with you, I will aim to be reflective in our conversations and empathic to your needs . This, I find, can help the process of self-discovery, and can be really fulfilling to experience.
I have experience working with:
- bereavement
- bereavement by suicide
- trauma
- baby loss
- anxiety
- panic disorder
- work related stress
- low self esteem
- low confidence
- relationship issues
- abuse
- separation and divorce
- loss of hope
- suicidal feelings
- road deaths
- family issues
London Road, Stroud room is on the first floor with easy parking at the rear of the building.
Montpelier Parade, Cheltenham room is reached via side entrance down a few shallow steps. Parking on the street.
Training, qualifications & experience
Extensive experience working with traumatic bereavement and those struggling to come to terms with the loss of someone due to suicide. Working people who have felt the pain of miscarriage and baby loss.
Over 10 years working with Cruse Bereavement Care, and more recently, Victim Support. 8 years in private practice.
FdSc Distinction in Integrative Counselling from City of Bristol University
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I can also offer the possibility of using creative writing or art as a means of self exploration and discovery if emotions are too intense to verbalise.
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
£60 for a 50 minute session
Initial assessment is £30 although I’m happy to have an initial chat on the phone to help you decide if you would like to see me.
I also offer some reduced rate sessions where appropriate as I believe counselling should be accessible to everyone.
When I work
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Daytime and evening availability.
I use rooms in Montpellier, CHELTENHAM on Thursdays and London Road, STROUD on Tuesdays. Parking available close by.
I also work on-line and by phone
Further information
I decided to train as a counsellor following a series of difficult events in my life. I found that support through talking to others was crucial to my health and well being and that it was often easier to talk to a complete stranger.
It can be very liberating when we find the courage to tell our story and share our thoughts with another person who accepts what we say without judgement.
If you are unsure whether counselling is for you, please call me for an informal chat.
