Judith Ridley
About me
About me
Hello and welcome, my name is Judith and I have been working as a therapeutic counsellor for over 20 years.
I have a background in the physical, neurological and emotional development of people. With a particular focus on the difficulties brought about through attachment and relational traumas.
About you
Perhaps you are having relationship difficulties or struggling to cope with the current changes in your circumstances?
Perhaps you are in pain, anxious or depressed. Feeling stuck or scared and concerned more generally about your life.
Benefits of counselling
Life can be really lonely, especially now. This in itself can be extremely painful, never mind if we are anxious and have other worrying and difficult things going on in our lives.
Sometimes you just need another person to listen and to really hear you. Someone who is not involved in your life and so can support you in an unbiased and non judgemental way.
Counsellors are trained to do this and have many years training and learning about human psychology and the difficulties we can have in just being alive.
Speaking with a counsellor on a regular basis and building up a relationship of trust can be an incredibly healing process. For some, it is the only time in their life that they have experienced feeling listened to, cared about and valued.
Only when we are listened to by another can we begin to listen to ourselves
What do I offer?
I offer you the time and space for us to talk together about what concerns you, and I will listen to you in a caring, non judgemental and confidential way.
My psychotherapeutic training is 'Gestalt', which simply means that you and I will look together for patterns in the way you think and behave. These patterns were learned long ago for very good reasons but may be causing problems for you today.
Online counselling - what if we can't meet in person?
Due to the current pandemic we are not able to meet in person just now.
However, online therapy via zoom or what's app or face time, is very effective and so easy to access. I will continue to work from my private therapy room ensuring your privacy and confidentiality and you just need a place where you can access the internet and have some space and privacy for yourself.
We would have weekly, hour long meetings, just like face to face work, but from the comfort of your own home at a time that suits you.
Benefits of online
Due to the success and ease of online therapy, you can choose to continue this way after the pandemic or you may choose to switch to face to face work or alternate between.
This also means that you and I can work together wherever you live and your choice of therapists is much greater than ever before.
How to get started
If you decide to phone or email me, we can arrange an initial appointment over the phone or via zoom, where we can meet and decide if we would like to begin working together.
I am very happy to guide you through any technical concerns you may have. Once you get the hang of it, online therapy is very straightforward and easy.
I look forward to meeting you.
Training, qualifications & experience
- BSc Psychology and Health Science
- Cert Couple Counselling (3 year training with Relate)
- Foundation in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling/Psychotherapy (1 year training with Bath Centre Psychotherapy Counselling)
- Diploma in Gestalt Therapy (4 year training with Edinburgh Gestalt Institute)
- Diploma in Relational mindfulness (Karuna Institute)
- Trauma training (Janina Fisher)
- Residential trainings with Lynne Jacobs and Gary Yontef
- Child development and play therapy (Playing Matters)
- Healing task training (James Kepner)
- Member of GPTI (Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute)
- Member of BACP (British Association Counselling & Psychotherapy)
My initial training was in relationship counselling (Relate) an area I worked in from 1999 to 2005.
After that I worked with adults, couples and adolescents, in both voluntary and employed capacities.
Subsequent training in Psychotherapy, with the Edinburgh Gestalt Institute led me into private practice which is my main work now.
I work to the code of ethical practice laid down by GPTI http://www.gpti.org.uk/pdf/codeofethics2010.pdf.
I have full professional indemnity insurance.
Member organisations
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Availability
- Due to covid 19, I am currently working by phone and online through zoom which makes it really easy for us to meet.
- More about how this works below.
Further information
I work from home in the beautiful and tranquil setting of Glenalmond.
Due to current Covid restrictions I am currently working via phone, zoom, or Whats App video call.
Glenalmond is located approximately 25 minutes driving from the amenities of Perth, 15 minutes from Crieff and 35 minutes from the centre of Aberfeldy.
Please look at my website for much more information about the therapy I offer and why and how this might be what you are looking for just now. www.judithridley.co.uk
Choosing the right therapist is an important step and I include a link to a website which may offer you some guidance at this point.