About me
Professional Credentials
My name is Katy Acton (MBACP) and I am a warm professional Psychotherapist. I have a first class degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy and over 14 years experience in working with clients. I am an Accredited Registered member (number 98695) of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and adhere to their ‘Ethical framework for the counselling professions’.
Motivation
I decided to change from a corporate career and train as a Counsellor, after therapy helped me through a very difficult time in my life. So I have experience of being a counselling client and have experienced its positive affects on my own life. I understand that it can be difficult to take that first step and seek support; then meet a stranger to share your vulnerabilities. My understanding of this motivates me to create a safe accepting space and greet my clients with warmth and acceptance. I have received lots of client feedback over the years, to say that talking to a stranger can feel quite liberating. I don’t know anything about your life or relationships, so can be completely objective without emotional investment in any outcomes. This is where therapy massively differs from speaking to a friend or family member.
As an individual, I am committed to being trustworthy, sincere and acting with integrity. I have the best interests of my clients at heart.
My Approach
My client is always at the heart of my practice. I'm an integrative psychotherapist and counsellor, which means I use several approaches to therapy into one model of helping. I believe each individual benefits from an approach tailored to their personality and what they are experiencing in their life. Working in an integrative way gives me the freedom to achieve this.
I work with the psychodynamic approach to understand how my client’s past experiences may be shaping their present reality. The humanistic approach, through accepting my clients as they are, unconditionally and providing an accepting non-judgemental environment, in which I hope my clients will feel safe. And Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), to help my clients to move forward with coping strategies, goals and thought-pattern challenging. As well as theories and skills, my training included; neuroscience, psychopathology and multicultural counselling; all of which inform my knowledge and work.
I am also a trained children’s Yoga Teacher and my knowledge of mindfulness, gratitude and the power of the breath, also underpin and inform my approach.
I have completed training in creative interventions and working non-verbally; this may include drawing, working with toy animals or using pictures. I will always be client-led when deciding to work this way.
Above all else, I am here to listen and support without judging.
Specialisms
Although I can offer support for most problems (and will be honest with you and signpost to another therapist/support avenue if I can't). I am particularly experienced in working with: bereavement (humans and pets) and loss, relationships (romantic, work, friendship and parenting), anxiety, worry, imposter syndrome, stress management, depression, historical abuse, domestic violence, self-harm, trauma, disordered eating and disordered alcohol use.
Additional information
I sincerely believe in the power of journalling and have published wellbeing (The Whole of Me Wellbeing Journal by Katy Acton) and gratitude journals, both available for purchase on Amazon. I believe the processes of journalling and going to therapy alongside each other, is very beneficial to increasing self awareness and understanding. Key attributes in recognising and making the changes that you desire.
I have a diploma in Sydney Bank’s Three Principles Life Coaching method. This approach aims to recognise your inner purpose and explore ways in which you may be self-sabotaging your achievement of this. One of the key principles in this method is the relevance of thought in shaping our reality. This can be explored through new awareness of your thinking patterns and the influence of your inner voice. Hopefully, this process will help you to discover what is stopping you from reaching your full potential, improve your self-esteem and cultivate a growth mindset. As an integrative psychotherapist, my life coaching training informs and underpins my practice and interventions.
I am trained in Single Session Counselling (SSC) and offer this approach in my private practice, in person and online. This involves completing a pre-counselling questionnaire, followed by a one-off counselling session of up to an hour. Single Session Counselling helps people with a specific problem that we will focus on for the session. We will use the pre-session questionnaire to focus our work intention for the session.
I am qualified to use the Rewind technique for those struggling with PTSD and trauma flashbacks. This technique is sometimes referred to as 'closure without disclosure', as it doesn't involve you speaking about the traumatic memory. It's an approach used to 'file' the memory into your long-term memory, where it will not be forgotten but is less likely to be involuntary recalled.
If you have read about me and think that you would like to meet (online/by telephone or in person) and work together, please send me an email and we can arrange our first session.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
- BA (hons 1st) Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy - 3 years (2010-2013)
- Understanding Counselling Skills and Theories - Level 2 - 30 weeks (2008-2009)
- Understanding Counselling Skills and Theories - Level 3 - 30 weeks (2009-2010)
- Postnatal Depression Awareness Diploma - Distinction (2018)
- Three Principles Coaching Diploma - Distinction (2020)
- Cosmic Kid’s: Teaching kid’s yoga (2017)
- Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling 2020 (80 hour course)
- Rewind Technique Trauma Therapy Practitioner - IARTT
- BACP Accredited Registered Member
Further training (CPD)
- How to break the cycle of Depression - with Human Givens.
PTSD Rewind Technique Trauma Therapy - for trauma survivors/witnesses/responders - Narcissism and Echoism
- Imposter Syndrome
- Single Session Counselling
- Domestic Violence Awareness
- Disordered Drinking
- Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
- Suicide
- Self-harm
- Online exploitation of children
- Talking to teens about relationships in a digital age
- Creative skills in counselling (2 days)
- Childhood sexual abuse and its effects into adulthood
- Play therapy with 6-12 year olds (2 days)
- Basic child protection
- The essential toolkit for running groups
- Novel psychoactive substances
- Equality and diversity
- Bereavement and loss
- Disordered eating and attachment
- Pre and Perinatal trauma: Life in the womb
- Mindfulness Foundation Course (6 weeks)
- Emergency First Aid Level 3 (VTQ) and Basic Life Support training
- Infection control (covid)
- BACP Certificate of Proficiency
- Somatic healing your nervous system
Experience
I have over 14 years experience of working with clients of various ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and gender.
When I was training I completed my student placement with Basildon Women’s Aid (now Changing Pathways); working with women who had (or were currently) experiencing domestic violence and Open Door Interventions, working with 12-24 year olds. I stayed on to volunteer with both agencies long after completing my training hours; working at each for two years. By completion of my training I had 300 client session hours, my course requirement was 150 hours.
I then went on to volunteer as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist with Thurrock Mind for 1 year, working with clients who were suffering with various mental health problems.
I begun working privately and set up my private practice in 2017.
I have experience of working with clients on both a short-term (6-8 sessions) and long-term basis (over 2 years). I am also trained in single session therapy.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I am experienced in working with adults and teenagers and can work with: 15-19 year olds in person and 16-19 year olds online. I will need parental consent when working with under 18’s.
I have published blogs on my website, about bereavement (and pet), sadness, coping strategies and exam-related stress. Please see website, blog page for details.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
£55 per session for ongoing counselling via any medium.
Trainee counsellor concession available, email to discuss.
£65 for single session counselling (this involves completing a questionnaire before the session. Then focusing on one issue. It’s a brief solution-focused approach).
Free telephone introduction session lasts 15 minutes upon request. Please note this isn’t a therapy session - it’s a chance for you to see if you feel comfortable talking to me and ask any questions. Please email me to request this call.
I offer weekly, fortnightly and monthly sessions. Though I would recommend beginning weekly, then moving to fortnightly and monthly, once a good working relationship between us is established. Please email to inquire.
When I work
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I will be working on Fridays again from 17/4/26.
Further information
Session Information
I offer 50 minute sessions (other 10 minutes of the hour is for client notes). I also offer fortnightly sessions if this works better financially or to fit around other commitments - please email me to enquire.
I work in person in Leigh-on-Sea, Online and by Telephone.
Cancellation Policy
24 hour cancellation policy, otherwise full fee may be charged.
If cancellation is due to illness or emergency and it has not been possible to give 24 hours notice, 50% of the fee will be charged.
Client age group
Adults.
15-17 year olds with parental consent.
16-17 year olds online counselling with parental consent.
