Judith Velarde
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Life can seem difficult, even impossible, at times resulting in intense, confusing and overwhelming feelings, thoughts and body sensations. Therapy provides a valuable opportunity for you to understand and work through your issues, to gain insight, direction and personal growth. Although it may feel scary at first, therapy can be incredibly enlightening and inspirational in helping you feel better, more connected and to make changes in your life.
Central to my work is the development of a supportive, confidential therapeutic relationship providing a safe space for you to open-up and communicate on a personal and often deeper level. I have been described as warm, accepting and approachable.
My approach is integrative which allows me to tailor my therapy according to your needs. I also specialise in EMDR which is a trauma focused therapy which helps process intense emotions, physiological symptoms and behaviours stemming from relational or life-events from the past.
I enjoy working with clients from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Prior to studying therapy I attended an international school and worked as an International Welfare Officer at the University of Bath, where I felt privileged to meet and learn about people from so many different countries and cultures.
How does it work?
Our initial session is an opportunity for you to talk about the issues you are experiencing and for me to understand your situation. It is also an opportunity for you to find out more about the counselling process and the way I work.
If we decide to work together, we may agree on the focus of our work and on your desired outcomes.
It may be that you wish to share your feelings and gain a better understanding of what you are experiencing, to improve how you relate to others, to reduce anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks or to manage depression. You may be looking for personal growth, improved confidence and long-term change. Whatever you bring, my aim is to help you to feel better.
I offer brief counselling to focus on a specific issue and goal or more in-depth longer-term therapy to explore past events, issues and relationships that may be affecting your present day functioning. Longer-term therapy
I work from a comfortable private therapy room in my home just outside Canterbury. I offer face to face, telephone and video sessions via zoom.
Training, qualifications & experience
Experience
I have experience of working in private practice, with charitable organisations (with victims of serious crimes, sexual abuse, eating disorders), with GP surgeries and Primary Care. I worked as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist for patients preparing to undergo bariatric surgery and have worked with primary aged children for 2 years at Place2be. In addition to my private practice, I have worked for the last 5 years for a local University.
I am also an experienced practitioner of Eye Movement, Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and am a member of the EMDR Association UK. EMDR is a powerful therapy designed to help people recover from traumatic events. It is effectively used to treat clients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and is now widely used to treat anxiety, phobias, panic, performance anxiety, depression, sexual abuse, chronic pain, low self-esteem and low confidence.
Training and Qualifications
Fully qualified counsellor and an accredited and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), working within the professional and ethical standards set by the BACP.
Fully qualified EMDR Practitioner (2015 Richman) and member of EMDR Association UK and Ireland and member of Kent Regional EMDR Committee.
I am committed to ongoing professional development and research and frequently attend specialist courses to enhance my work, including training in Motivational Interviewing, solution focused therapy, trauma, dissociation and EMDR, personality disorders, CBT and mindfulness.
BSc (Hons) International History
MA Marketing Services
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.
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
Concessions offered for
Additional information
£50 per 1 hour session.
EMDR therapy sessions are £60 for a 75 minute session or £70 for a 90 minute session.
Some concessionary rates are available for students and low-income.
When I work
Monday-Thursday evenings, Fridays, Weekends