Karen Macmillan Counsellor (MBACP, Dip. TA Practice)
About me
Is it time for change? You don't have to do it on your own. I can support you to understand yourself better and live a more grounded and fulfilling life. I see clients in-person in Hove and Hurstpierpoint, where we have protocols in place for your safety.
If would like to access counselling but prefer not to meet in person (under pandemic rules, or perhaps you are house-bound or travel), online sessions may be a good option for you. I am used to working in this way and, while it is different from meeting in person, it can be a very effective way of working.
I offer both short and long term counselling. My style is gentle, empathic and holding.
I counsel adults around a wide range of issues. These include: anxiety, family & relationship issues, depression, and low self-esteem.
My core training is in Transactional Analysis counselling and psychotherapy; I have additional training and experience in working with boarding school survivors* and substance misuse.
Inner change can happen at any point in our lives, when we are willing to take that first step. "Start close in, don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you don’t want to take." (David Whyte, River Flow: New and Selected Poems).
I am a member of BACP, NCS and UKATA, abide by their codes of ethics and am fully insured.
*For many ex-boarders the experience of being sent away to boarding school has a long lasting impact. Some of the ways you adapted as a child to the school environment may have become problematic in your adult life now. The privilege attached to private schools can make this difficult to acknowledge and talk about. I have specialist training in working with ex-boarders and can help you address issues arising from your boarding experience.
Training, qualifications & experience
My core training is in Transactional Analysis (TA) counselling and psychotherapy; I have additional training and experience in working with adult ex-boarders, substance misuse and young people.
I have worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor and as a college counsellor.
Member organisations
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.

National Counselling Society
The National Counselling 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.

UK Association for Transactional Analysis
UKATA (formally the Institute of Transactional Analysis) is the national UK Transactional Analysis organisation representing all fields of TA theory and practice. TA can be used as an effective tool in a wide range of contexts such as: personal development, management, coaching, counselling, psychotherapy, teaching, education, parenting and more.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Boarding School Survivors
Therapies offered
Fees
£50 per 50 minute session. The initial assessment session is free.