About me
It’s not always easy being a person. Sometimes things can feel difficult to make sense of - life can feel challenging, painful, complex or stressful.
Perhaps you're trying to understand yourself more, your patterns of behaviour or make sense of past experiences, so you can move towards living more of the life you choose for yourself. You might be experiencing changes or simply want to talk to someone unconnected to your everyday life, with the reassurance of confidentiality.
You don’t have to be struggling to come to counselling - sometimes it’s simply about having space to think, take a breath and pause.
I’m a warm, calm and down-to-earth counsellor, offering a respectful, confidential and safe environment where you can talk things through at a pace that feels manageable. A space where you can feel at ease, where you'll be welcomed and supported.
A safe place to start
The thought of talking to a counsellor can feel anxiety provoking - I genuinely understand those feelings. There can be shame and guilt around the thoughts and feelings we have or also around the decision to seek support. I'd like you to know, you are in control of what you choose to share with me and talk about.
I am dedicated to providing you with a supportive, compassionate and empathic therapeutic relationship - one where you can feel understood, supported and able to explore what’s going on for you, perhaps for the first time.
Compassionate counselling for you - how I work
We are all uniquely different, shaped by our life experiences. As your counsellor, I will take time to understand what matters to you and work in a way that fits with you, opening opportunity for meaningful and sustainable change.
Together we can explore your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and the experiences that have influenced them, while understanding you as a person. This can help you understand yourself more clearly and feel more able to respond to life in a way that feels right for you. We can begin to consider whether what you're experiencing connects to past experiences, current stressors or worries about the future.
Together we can explore what led you to now and what you hope life to look like moving forward.
If the time feels right for you
Reaching out can feel like a big step, especially if you’ve been holding things together for a long time. If you have any questions or would like to explore working together, please get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation initial call.
(If you don't hear back from me, please check your spam / junk folder as my reply may go there. Thank you!)
Training, qualifications & experience
- Level 5 Psychotherapeutic Counselling Diploma
- Level 4 Diploma in Counselling Practice
- Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
- Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- Level 2 Introduction to Counselling Skills
- Counsellor in an NHS staff counselling service within a local hospital.
- Counsellor within a local charitable counselling service - experienced working therapeutically with a wide and diverse range of psychological issues and life experiences
- Wellbeing Supporter within an NHS ambulance trust - providing confidential 1 to 1 wellbeing support to ambulance staff. This role has given me valuable insight into the pressures and emotional demands faced by frontline emergency service professionals.
- Inclusion Coach within third sector community mental health services, supporting adults 16+ experiencing feelings of isolation and living with a wide range of mental health conditions.
- Volunteer Support Buddy for a domestic abuse charity.
- Enhanced DBS
Before all of the above and many moons ago, I have a design background, specifically ceramics and surface pattern design.
Other relevant professional development includes:
- Trauma, the Brain & Recovery
- ADHD Informed
- TRiM Practitioner (Trauma Risk Management)
- PTSD Trauma & Beyond: The Essentials
- CYP Mental Health - Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families
- Sexual Violence Support Training
- Suicide Awareness
- The R.E.S.T Programme CBTi Training Course
- Bereavement & Loss Training
- Neurodiversity Awareness Training
- Pregnancy & Infant Loss
- FIL Rainbow Baby Specialist
- FIL Infertility Specialist
Member organisations
school 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.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
£50.00 per session
Additional information
FREE initial telephone appointment (20 minutes):
- This is an opportunity for me to briefly understand what brings you to counselling and for us to see if I am the right counsellor for you.
- Please be assured there is no obligation to commit to counselling sessions if you do not feel drawn to working with me.
- Each 50 minute counselling session costs £50.00.
- I offer in-person, online via Teams or telephone sessions.
Payment:
- In order to confirm each counselling appointment, payment is due a minimum of 24 hours in advance of each session.
Cancellations:
- I kindly request a minimum of 24 hours’ notice of cancellation. For sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, the full session fee will be charged.
When I work
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Fortnightly sessions available.
Shift workers - I offer flexible scheduling where possible and am happy to work around changing shift patterns.
Further information
If you are feeling curious about counselling with myself you can find out more about me and how I work by visiting my website: www.ivyhousecounselling.co.uk
There's a chance it might not feel like it right now, but life isn’t all about challenges and trauma, there is hope.
