Jon Firth

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Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Robertsbridge, E Sussex, TN32
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

First Session

Firstly a short phone call _

(This may be after initial email contact, and may be by appointment)  

This call will be a free telephone 'consultation' or in depth 'chat' of approximately 20 minutes, no obligation / cost.

Online or In Person OK - Initial sessions only are 90 minutes (no extra charge) for my 'best practice' thorough intake process. New clients start online initially for first session/s.

Through Covid the efficacy of online Therapy has been unequivocally proven and remains first choice for many clients. Other clients choose 'some and some' all OK with me. 

I am double vaccinated and boosted re Covid -19

I offer Psychotherapy, Counselling, Supervision.

Individual sessions last approximately an hour ( around 60 minutes) ending when a natural stopping point is reached - there is always a decent time gap between clients so there will be no risk of bumping into other clients to protect your privacy and anonymity if attending in person. 

Couples - 90 minutes

My Story

I retrained as a therapist mid life having found therapy incredibly useful and life changing myself during my late twenties, which led to my successful first Professional career and and better Relationships with all those in my Personal and Professional life, and an internal sense of ease and relief - Feeling and Being OK with myself and others.

I am an Accredited Professional with NCPS (their terminology, SCoPEd Band B) I offer Psychotherapy and Counselling.

I am Certificated as meeting New Haven Competencies as a recognised Trauma Focused Therapist.

I hold a post Grad cross modality Certificate in Supervision for talking Therapists and offer Supervision.

I completed 5 years of core training in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy (under UKCP criteria, level 7 / Masters) and will take my UKCP Integrative, and EATA exams in due course leading to  UKCP full membership ( This will mean Band C SCoPEd)

I engage with ongoing CPD on a regular basis, and supervision with supervisors with different ways of understanding people which adds to my own wide and diverse understanding, supporting my compassionate view of people.

Sometimes it's clear why (?) Therapy - An accident, a Bereavement, a Break Up, Work Stress ...........sometimes 'the' unease / muddy thinking / pain / repeated behaviour is more opaque / ambiguous, or things have simply started to go wrong .............

There is no right point in life or age to 'sort yourself out' or see a therapist, no problem that doesn't warrant you getting some help, - the right time, is the right time for YOU - ideally don't leave it until you can't cope or things are on crisis point / gotten really bad. 

I spent years investing in Individual personal therapy, Group therapy, and many therapy Marathons as I trained under the very thorough UKCP regulations, it's very important to choose a therapist who has really done their own work first, and who is as much as possible not going to get mixed up or confused (caught in transferences) with your problems. This does not mean I won't be   'in it with you'   I am empathic and will connect with what is going on for you internally and meet you in that difficult place. This can take a while if working at a deep level for lasting change.

Important Stuff

I believe that some understanding of early childhood experiences - how we got to be the person we are now - is useful / helpful, and that early experiences may be more of an influence than consciously known at the start of therapy, or if not having had any therapy previously. Bringing into awareness past experiences, is important. The past can affect the present, but this doesn't mean therapy will be like an 'archeological dig' - mostly it will be about what is going on for you right now, though sometimes related to formative experiences. I don't believe our character or personality is only dictated by childhood either, it's usually some and some, and that balance is different for each person. 

I also now operate comprehensive Trauma Screening for all new clients.

I am a Humanistic therapist - a talking therapist - though may also use other techniques if helpful for you, such as using stones or other objects to represent family systems, and other creative ways of working due to my Systemic training. I've also done some basic CBT training (but am not a CBT Practitioner)

I'm happy to work outdoors in the kinder weather months if this suits you, contact with the natural environment may be re enlivening for you.

Everyone has the capacity to think, and ,therefore, make new decisions about how to be in the world. Balancing out Feelings with what we Think and what we Do could be described as 'Therapy' until these three realms of being human work together well enough to 'Be OK' with yourself and others. What is happening internally for you will be similar to what happens between you and others, and vice versa. As one improves, so will the other.

I recommend starting with 6 sessions of therapy (I expect you to identify some change for yourself by then) If not maybe another therapist would work better for you, though I do not engage with new clients if I don't initially think we'll work well together _

I mostly work Medium and Long Term, and some Short Term too. 

By short term I mean up to 20 weekly sessions, Medium term 9-12 months, and Long term (Year + / years) with clients.

If you have been one way all your life it may take longer to 'shift' into 'Being' different, so that problems do not return.

It is OK to take breaks between 'blocks' of therapy and return to work on other stuff or revisit at a deeper level. It can take time to digest therapeutic work and fully internalise the 'new you'

Once I make a commitment to work with a client after an initial six sessions, I will not 'give up' on you, though naturally you will have to stick to our agreements on appointments and payments, and genuinely seek change for yourself with effort.

Training, qualifications & experience

  • Accredited Professional NCPS (Band B SCoPEd) 
  • Qualified Trauma Focused Therapist  (New Haven Competencies / Relevant Psychotherapeutic Skills) Manchester Psychotherapy foundation
  • Certificate Post Grad Supervision - Manchester Institute Psychotherapy (MIP)
  • Diploma Transactional Analysis Counselling - Berne Institute
  • Certificate in Family / Systemic Therapy - Berne Institute
  • Trained in Nice (protocol) recognised treatment for Depression
  • CBT Introduction Cert - TA Training Organisation Leeds

I have and do work with a wide range of clients privately, with various challenges such as: Relationship Issues (Couples Welcome) , Abuse Survivors (all types), Anger (and all other emotional regulation), Anxiety, Depression, Self Worth (Confidence, Self Image) Addiction, Trauma Related Symptoms, and have worked previously in a number of coastal community settings for those frequently most disadvantaged - often with both dual therapeutic and mental health issues including complex clients, and those with severe addiction issues too.

I have a lot of experience of working with people in need having also worked in a Mental Health role, and with Young People (residential, challenging and complex needs), Autistic young people and Adults  as well as spending some time working in psychiatric wards / secure environments  (non therapy role) so have a good experiential knowledge of Mental Health and Care Services, and of the impact on others - partners, carers and families of those labelled / diagnosed as above, as well those who are in these life positions themselves. Working compassionately with people on a practical level as well as psychologically has given me a well rounded perspective on deepest 'Human Needs' and difficulties.

Member organisations

school 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.

NCPS
National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)

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.

Accredited register membership

National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society
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.

National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society

Areas of counselling I deal with

Other areas of counselling I deal with

My specialist areas are Relationship (Self and Other) Couples Welcome, Abuse Survivors, Anxiety and Depression (often linked to) - 'Trauma' (including PTSD CPTSD) Addiction, 'Self Worth'

Photos & videos

Fees

£50.00 per session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle Low income
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors

Additional information

£50.00 per 1 hour session - Individual

£80.00 per 1.5 hour session - Couples

Concessions for Trainee Therapists - limited spaces please ask 

I hold three concession places (Illness / Low Income / Cannot Work) in my practice as an ethical practitioner. 

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Scheduled appointments available from 08.00 to 21.00 (end time) Monday to Thursday (subject to availability)  Wed am Fri / Sat sometimes available by prior one off special arrangements only.

Further information

Therapy And 'Magic Wand' Wishes

You may be coming to therapy after something specific has happened, especially a specific Traumatic event, or Bereavement, or Beytrayal (which may or may not in themselves be Trauma / Traumatic )

If you are coming because of ingrained repeated patterns that keep happening the below may be helpful :

If you want 'things to be different' the main change that will be required, Will Be You - and you Can Do It !

I am happy to encourage clients to do some reading, watch u tube videos if helpful, start taking exercise or visit a physical therapist or GP if need be as well as attend therapy.

I invite you to Invest in  Yourself, Be Important and Valuable, practice Self Care.

I welcome all clients equally and respectfully - and treat everyone with great compassion. I favour an approach of gentle clear honesty. I will attune to you and offer nurture and support, and will also challenge as required to work effectively. You won't leave therapy shakey, but nor should the work be a complete breeze of an experience, that would be not working effectively, being honest. We will work together to find the right amount of 'stretch' for you,at your pace, gently does it - with compassion.

Couples

Couples come to therapy usually for one of two reasons, to get on better or to break up. It may not be clear which reason (to self or to other) and it is possible each person has a different motivation (whether in full conscious awareness or not)

I invite you to give this consideration, and whether you are seeking couples therapy, or whether clarifying your own feelings and thoughts in individual therapy first will serve you (both) more effectively. There are several ways to start Couples Therapy and I will go through those with you, 'client by client' as everyone, and each couple are of course very different. 

Bodiam, Robertsbridge, E Sussex, TN32

Type of session

In person
Online
Home visits

Types of client

Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Couples
Groups
Organisations

Key details

DBS check info

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

Free on road or driveway parking in quiet rurally located cul de sac I will undertake domiciliary visits - as well as online working - to ensure no one is unable to access my services.

Additional languages

English Only

Online platforms

Skype
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online

Happy to work with Qualified Therapists or Counsellors. Trainees also welcome. Some TA understanding great - or those wanting input from this lens.

View supervision profile