Kate Booker
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an experienced counsellor specialising in anxiety issues working in Reading. Originally trained and qualified in counselling to work with adults I also have over 14 years’ experience in counselling young people aged 11 to 18. I work with young people in schools both public and private and I also work with a charity that offers counselling.
The most important part of what I do is listening and I strongly believe in the power and benefit of being actively listened to by someone in a safe, confidential and non – judgemental space.
I am a trained psychodynamic counsellor and this approach involves making a link between past events and relationships and those in the present to help form an insight into what might be making life difficult now and how to change that.
How Counselling can Help
We all develop patterns of behaviour over time that can sometimes begin to work against us, counselling can help to identify these patterns and go on to think about ways of changing them.
I strongly believe that you are the expert on yourself therefore I don’t give advice or tell you what to do, counselling is non – directive, you decide the direction you want to take and I am alongside you to listen and reflect with you on what is being spoken about. Counselling young people focuses slightly less on past events but I am guided by the young person on what they would like to talk about and help them identify patterns of behaviour that might no longer be working for them and how to move forward and change things. This can understandably be a very daunting prospect but by looking at this website you have already made the first step towards making some positive changes.
Being listened to can really go a long way to improving well being and clearing the clouds that can gather to be able to see more clearly. It is also extremely important that you feel safe with whoever you are sharing your world with, so it is very important to feel comfortable and ready to begin talking.
What to expect in your first session:
If you think that you would like to start the process of counselling, then the next step would be to arrange an appointment.
There will be an initial consultation that will last up to 60 minutes. This is when we can discuss what has brought you to counselling, how I may be able to help and how we would work together. At this session we will decide on future sessions and when these would be.
If you are bringing a young person to see me, we will all meet together for a short while first.
Most of my work is on an open ended basis which means that we continue to meet until coming to a decision that it is time to end. You may feel that you would like to begin with 6 sessions and decide whether to continue after a few weeks.
Where do I practice?
My practice is conveniently located in Tilehurst Village near to Jct 12 of the M4 with free parking. It is accessible from the No 15, 16 and 33 Bus Routes.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have a post graduate diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling and a certificate in counselling young people endorsed by the BACP. I am an Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and follow their ethical framework for good practice.
I have experience in working with the following;
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Relationships
- Bereavement
- Identity
- Low self esteem
- Bullying
- Self-harm
- Anger
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
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
When I work
I am currently available for online and Telephone counselling both daytimes and evenings.