Katherine Whitaker
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
People seek therapy for many different reasons. It may be a new situation which is causing difficulties or more deep-rooted anxieties / past experiences which you are ready to explore. It might be that you simply want the opportunity to share personal thoughts and feelings in a safe environment with someone separate from your day-to day relationships. Sometimes clients feel that there are hidden parts of themselves which want to be heard and understood without the fear of unwanted judgement or criticism.
I am an integrative relational psychotherapist. This means that I use ideas from different psychological theories to guide me in the way I work with each individual and centre this around a belief that a good therapeutic relationship can help a client cope with their responsibilities and move forward in a way which feels right for them.
I understand that embarking on counselling/therapy might be daunting especially if this is new for you. Please be assured that you can call me during normal business hours and we can chat briefly over the phone. If it seems right for you I can then arrange an introductory session at a reduced fee of £25 where we meet in person, chat further and decide whether to work together. There is absolutely no obligation or pressure to 'sign up'. I shall also assess in this session whether I have the right skills for your situation and if I believe that I don't, will do my best to refer you to a suitable therapist.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Leeds Beckett University and completed this qualification in 2019.
I am currently completing an MA in Interdisciplinary Psychology.
In addition to my private practice, I have worked at several other organisations:
- Together Women - a women's charity based in Leeds City
- NHS IAPT service in Doncaster
- Wellspring Therapy and Training in Harrogate
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and work within their Ethical Framework for Counselling Professions.
In line with BACP guidelines, I commit to continuous professional development and have attended numerous short courses and workshops on areas including suicide prevention, eating disorders, anxiety and attachment issues.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
As part of my recent Masters course, I became interested in the subject of near-death experiences and other 'unusual' experiences. These can often, but not always, occur when there is an imminent and significant threat to life and can involve perceptions of being 'out of body' in addition to experiences which might best be described as spiritual in nature . Someone who has had an experience of this sort often feels very alone with it as by its very nature it is not usual and not necessarily discussed in general society. This is a very small part of my work but one which I feel is important to mention as I'm aware of the difficulties for this small number of individuals in finding a suitable therapist.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£25.00 - £55.00
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
- Price per 60 min regular session £55
- Price for 60 min no obligation, introductory session £25
When I work
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Further information
I'm located in central Harrogate close to the stray and Waitrose supermarket. Parking (disc or paid) is available close by. My office is on the second floor of an old building which contains other business offices. There are toilet facilities in the building.
I'd describe the way I work as 'organic' and collaborative. My personal belief is that longer-term therapy is more likely to lead to deep and lasting psychological change. However, I appreciate that, for many reasons, some clients are looking for short-term help and so I am happy to work this way too.
If you would like to ask anything further or would like to make an appointment for an introductory session then please don't hesitate to contact me by phone or email.
