Joanna Farmer

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Dip. Couns, Higher Dip Psychotherapeutic Couns
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Hello

Welcome to my page. I know how daunting looking for a counsellor can be, taking the first step towards talking to someone about what may be painful and private struggles in your life. I hope you find my profile helpful in making the decision whether I might be the right counsellor for you.

About me

I feel passionate about the potential for counselling to help a person who is struggling in their life. I am seriously committed to the work I do with my clients and hold a deep integrity towards myself and them. I am a qualified and accredited person-centred counsellor, with many years experience of working with a wide range of issues. These include low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, stress, bereavement, relationship and family problems, sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts and eating problems. Counselling with me has helped people struggling with feelings that range from sadness or worry through intense levels of distress and despair. At the heart of my practice is the belief that everyone is individual and even if your problems are similar to other people, the way you feel and what you want to change are unique to you. My main aim is to do my best to understand what life is like you for you and to accept that experience without judgement

How counselling may help

Talking to someone about what is happening in your life can feel unfamiliar, even scary, and I will be careful to work at your pace. You will have the opportunity to explore any issues or feelings you may want to address. I aim to create a relationship in which you feel valued and understood as the person you are. Being treated with respect and empathy will help you to understand what troubles you and why. You will likely gain better clarity and self understanding and greater self acceptance through this sort of counselling. Hopefully you will gain insight into the changes you might find helpful and your life and your relationships will become more satisfying. I trust my clients will make use of the counselling I offer in whatever way works for them.

My professional standards

My practice follows the ethical codes of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I am fully insured, I undertake regular supervision, and ensure I maintain professional standards with regular CPD.

Booking an initial 30 min appointment at no cost

If you think that counselling with me might be helpful to you, we could arrange an initial 30 minute phone call at no cost. The aim of an initial conversation is to find out a bit about what is going on for you, why you have come to counselling  at this time and what you hope to get out of it. I will tell you about the way I work so we can see if what I offer and what you would like fits.

The session will be directed by you, you choose what you talk about, I have no agenda and will not need to find out anything more than you want to share.

Having met me and experienced a bit the way I work you may decide to continue seeing me for ongoing counselling, however you are under no obligation, it is your choice.

Please contact me if you would like to find out more. I know it can feel like a big step to take, so I am really happy to respond to any questions by phone or email.

Week day and evening sessions are available.

If you have difficulty with paying the fees, please feel able to discuss this with me rather than ruling yourself out.

Where I am based

My counselling room is easy to find in central Stroud, close to the train and buses. There is ample parking in the town close by. There are stairs up to my room which I hope will not be a problem for you.

Telephone Counselling

I also offer telephone counselling

Training, qualifications & experience

Person-Centred counselling

I trained as a person-centred counsellor and the way I work is based on this approach. What this means is that I respect you, the client, as the expert on your life and will support you to discover your own resources to make the changes which are important to you. Even though I trust you will find your own way to resolve your problems, I will be actively engaged in the relationship with you.

Qualifications:

Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling

Higher Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling

Certificate in CBT skills

Experience:

I have a private counselling practice in central Stroud

I work for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) as a telephone counsellor

I am a lecturer at SGS College Stroud on the Level 4 Diploma course in Therapeutic Counselling

I have experience working at the Listening Post counselling agency

I co-founded Cedar Counselling Service which was based within Hill Valley and Vale Children Centres in the Stroud area

I have experience working for a charity supporting people in crisis and at risk of suicide

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.

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

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

£40.00 - £50.00
Free initial telephone session

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • OAPs
  • Students
  • Trainee counsellors
  • Unemployed
  • Refugees

Additional information

My fees are 50 pounds a session.

I may have spaces available at a reduced rate for students and people with limited income. Please feel free to discuss this with me rather than ruling yourself out.

When I work

Daytime and evening sessions available

Further information

I offer face to face sessions and also telephone sessions.

Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5

Type of session

In person
Phone

Types of client

Adults
Older Adults

Key details

There are two flights of stairs to my counselling room

Joanna Farmer
Joanna Farmer