About me
About me
My name's Jonathan Eddie and I'm counsellor working with individuals and couples. I offer in-person sessions at my central St Albans office and also see individual clients online.
At the heart of my approach is the safe, trusting relationship I develop with my clients. It's very important to me that they feel heard, understood, and accepted.
While I support my clients in directing the course of their therapy, I’m not afraid to gently challenge, if I believe it's helpful to do so.
Specialisms:
Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (Sex/Porn Addiction)
I work with adults and young people from all kinds of backgrounds and with numerous presentations, including anxiety, depression, bereavement, loneliness, a sense of being 'stuck', relationship issues, anger, low self esteem, and so much more.
Couples Therapy
Counselling couples is a long-standing interest of mine. It can be challenging work at times, but is incredibly rewarding when real, positive change occurs.
My approach to working with couples begins with building a non-judgemental relationship with each partner, no matter what their history might be. It’s not unusual that one partner will be more resistant to the idea of couples therapy than the other. I appreciate the reasons for this, and I make every effort to ensure that both parties feel comfortable expressing themselves freely. In my experience, the reticent party very quickly settles in and becomes as open to the process as their partner.
Often, couples first come to see me with a sense that their relationship has become ‘stuck’ – that they’re no longer able to express themselves or feel heard. I help my clients to communicate better, to be more open and honest with each other without fear of confrontation. I encourage them to really listen to one another with a greater level of understanding and compassion.
I support my couples in navigating the bumps in the road that most relationships encounter, yet so often can be a struggle to negotiate smoothly. These include infidelity, extended family issues, addiction, financial concerns, diminished intimacy, historic abuse, clash of parenting styles, jealousy, work stress, bereavement, and so on.
Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (Sex/Porn Addiction)
I'm currently deep into training for a postgraduate diploma in working with Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (Sex/Porn Addiction) at the renowned Laurel Centre, and, while I'm still in training, I'm offering counselling for this specific issue at the reduced rate of £50 per session.
Why a male therapist?
The simple answer is, there’s no reason. A trained counsellor can work with any client from almost any background, no matter what the therapist’s gender or identity. That said, I'm aware that, as a man, I’m something of a rarity in the world of counselling, and that perhaps gives me a niche perspective. I regularly see male clients who feel I might be better able to empathise with the nuances of what it is to be a man. I work with some men who express feeling more comfortable discussing intimate, sensitive, and sometimes shame-filled concerns with a male therapist.
Similarly, many of my female clients deliberately choose to work with me in order to help confront their experiences of the significant male figures in their lives.
It’s not uncommon for me to hear about the real hurt many of my clients (both female and male) have suffered at the hands of men, and I strongly believe that, as a male therapist, it’s my duty to model the openness, kindness, nurturing and security that was missing for so many.
How the process begins
It starts with a phone call or an email. I can then offer a free chat of up to 20 minutes, which can be taken by phone, online or in person at my central St Albans room. If you’d then like to book in for a first session we can look at our schedules and take it from there.
Training, qualifications & experience
Level 4 Diploma in Integrative Counselling (qualified level)
Level 5 Diploma in Integrative Counselling (post qualification level)
Certificate in working with couples (RELATE approved)
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
Fees
£70.00 per session
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My couples therapy rate is £90 per session
I have a small amount of discounted sessions available for students and clients facing financial issues.
When I work
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Further information
I work in-person and online with individuals and in-person only with couples..
