Francisco Santos
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
Take the first step towards understanding the emotional distress that is affecting your life and find ways to cope with that struggle.
Are you feeling that things around you are too much or that suddenly you cannot cope with life as you used to? Do you find yourself stuck or in the same situation over and over? I know the feeling of being paralized. I personally find it very difficult to ask for help when I'm in a bad place, and to show my vulnerability to others... I don't want to feel judged and I'd like to be encouraged to try and be myself and to talk freely about everything and anything. For me it's vital that my counsellor is really invested in helping me. I invite you to take that difficult first step and let me be part of your journey to get there
I offer a safe space where you can truly be yourself and explore any fears, anxieties or false beliefs that may be stopping you from enjoying life. Also help you to find what excites you or motivates you. I am not here to judge you or the life you have, but to listen and to understand what is important to you and what your difficulties are.
You are unique and so are your live experiences. Because of that I come to our sessions without an agenda. For me it is very important to listen to what you have to say and to those experiences. Sometimes you may be confused or find it difficult to express what is happening to you or the way that you are feeling, and it is my role to help you make sense of those feelings or the way that you are acting.
About me
I firmly believe in personal development and I see life as a non-stop journey of learning about ourselves for the duration. It is a journey that can be very exciting when all is going well but that can also become really hard when we find ourselves caught up in a routine or a situation that we didn’t expect, for whatever reason.
I have a background in Finance and have experience working in a corporate environment for many years.
I trained at the Gestalt Centre in London and am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Since 2015 I have worked with young adults (18 to 25 y.o.) at Step Forward, East London charity that supports local young people who are facing disadvantages and enables them to thrive, develop, grow and reach their full potential in life.
I have lived in London for 20 years and am bilingual, working with clients in private practice in English and Spanish. Since I arrived what I love most about London is the sheer amount of people with different cultures, backgrounds and heritage that I meet.
How I work
I work experientially, observing and paying attention to your experiences during our sessions. I believe this way of working can give you very insightful information on your everyday life: on why you may make the choices that you make or why you may behave in a certain way.
I honestly feel that for therapy to work there must be a connection and trust established between us, week after week, and through the relationship that develops as a result. That is why I would recommend that you arrange an initial session with more than one therapist, so you can then decide with whom you feel more comfortable and more able to work.
Training, qualifications & experience
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited Diploma in Humanistic Counselling at the Gestalt Centre (London)
Registered MBACP
Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
BA (Hons) in Economics, University of Salamanca (Spain)
In recent months I have also attended courses on unconscious relational patterns, cumulative neglect and trauma and therapeutic involvement.
What I can help you with
Starting counselling can be a bit daunting at first and speaking to a stranger about what is distressing you in your life may not be easy. This is why it is important that you select a therapist who you can work with and who understands what you are trying to achieve in therapy.
I have worked with people who have experienced difficulties such as:
- Anxiety and panic attacks.
- Low self esteem.
- Mood swings.
- Depression.
- Feeling of being stuck.
- Relationships breakdown.
- Personal development.
- Sexual identity.
- Asperger syndrome.
- Compulsive behaviour.
- Eating disorders.
- Body Image issues.
- Sexuality.
- Loss.
- Bereavement.
- Work related issues.
I offer brief counselling (6 to 12 sessions) to help you through a particular difficulty that you may be experiencing at this moment.
I also offer open-ended counselling, where you can explore your life more broadly by looking at how you usually to cope with everyday challenges and relationships with others. Open-ended counselling can help you develop new ways to deal with the changes that life brings and on how you relate to others.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
An initial session is free of charge.
The initial session is an opportunity to find out more about each other: for me to hear from you what your expectations and hopes are and what brings you to counselling, and for you to see my working style. Ultimately, for both of us to explore the possibility of working together.
On-going sessions cost in the range of £60-£70 - Please note that concessionary rates are also available for students and those on lower income, and reduced rates for online sessions
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
Currently some limited slots available on Tuesday evening/night and Thursday night
Further information
I subscribe to the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Our work is confidential, and we can discuss the limits of the confidentiality.
