Julie Mitchell
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
What to expect from a counselling session
I am a private practice counsellor and provide a flexible service to meet the needs of each individual client. Counselling appointments are 1 hour long, normally weekly, and the number of sessions can be adjusted as appropriate. Some clients feel that 3 to 6 sessions are enough, whilst others require longer-term counselling support. I offer sessions online, and also face to face in my COVID-secure counselling room at home.
My way of working
I adapt the type of counselling support according to the needs of the client. For those wishing to address 'symptoms' of common issues such as anxiety or panic, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach may be suitable. However, for those wishing to address the underlying issues behind their physical or emotional reactions, a person-centred approach may help. This entails listening to the client and truly understanding their experience, without judgment.
I am also trained as an EMDR practitioner. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a technique developed to help clients who have suffered trauma. Originally used with people diagnosed with PTSD, its application more recently has successfully treated clients suffering from anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, sleep issues and changing unwanted behaviours. I incorporate EMDR alongside talking therapy, where appropriate.
Sharing personal information with a relative stranger can be a daunting prospect. I seek to develop a strong therapeutic relationship with clients, to help them to feel comfortable to speak with trust and confidence, and relinquish the burden of troubles that have been holding them back from living a positive and enriching life.
Contact me
I believe that the success of counselling outcomes for the client is more reliant on the quality of the relationship between counsellor and client, rather than the type of counselling approach. Before you decide to undertake counselling sessions with me, I offer a telephone consultation, free of charge, for you to explore what I can offer to address your needs. Feel free to give me a call to see if I may be the right person to help you.
Training, qualifications & experience
My relevant formal qualifications are:
- BSc(Hons) Psychology
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- Certificate in EMDR for Therapy and Coaching
My first career was as a police officer of 27 years of service. Throughout this time, I encountered people in all walks of life whose lives had been affected by mental ill-health. This ranged from common issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and self-harm, to complex problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
I undertook additional roles to provide support to colleagues who were experiencing problems and those subject to disciplinary processes. I found the help I provided to be particularly rewarding and therefore decided, in preparation for retirement from the police service, that I would build on my BSc Psychology degree and train to be a therapeutic counsellor.
During my training, and subsequently, I provided many hours of voluntary work to a local bereavement support service. I found that clients who were struggling to cope with their bereavement were often struggling with other aspects of their life, including relationship difficulties, physical or emotional abuse, or other traumatic events. I found that given the opportunity to talk through their difficulties and be heard without judgment, clients felt more able to accept what had happened and be able to more forward in a positive way.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
My fees are £50 per 1 hour session
When I work
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I generally work between 10am and 7pm Monday to Thursday, however I can be flexible if needed outside these times.
Sessions are 1 hour.
Further information
I have extensive experience of working with emergency service and local authority personnel, both in terms of the impact of traumatic incidents and the longer-term effects of prolonged exposure to stressful workloads.
