Keith Whiteford
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an experienced, accredited, counsellor. I offer various therapeutic approaches dependent on clients needs and can help with a wide range of issues. My private practice is based in St Albans so is easily accessible to all with ample parking. I also offer online sessions for clients who live out of the area or prefer that medium.
What can counselling help with?
Depression, Anxiety, Relationship Issues, Addiction, Sexual Abuse, Anger Management, Bipolar, Family Issues……the list is endless.
Life brings all of us challenging events that can lead to distress, anxiety or depression. In addition we all experience bereavement and other losses which we may require support to overcome.
Perhaps you have developed an unhelpful habit or dependency such as over- working, drug and alcohol misuse or difficulties with food.
I can work with you to explore these issues in a safe and supportive environment and if relevant explore with you how the past is influencing the present.
I work principally from a psychodynamic perspective, however having trained in both psychodynamic and CBT approaches, I value and do incorporate aspects of CBT in my work. My primary aim is in building a therapeutic relationship based on openness and honesty which leads to trust and understanding. For me the relational aspect of the work is pivotal and research has shown that this appears to be the most important factor in the therapeutic process.
I also offer hypnotherapy and Life Coaching. For more details about me and my approach to counselling and other therapies please see below or check out my website at:
http://www.therapy-hertfordshire.co.uk/
Therapeutic Approaches
The therapeutic approaches I use are dependent on the client's needs and views. The approach to be used is always discussed and agreed with the client prior to the start of therapy. These approaches are Cognitive Behavioural Techniques , Psychodynamic Therapy and Hypnotherapy.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy is the kind of talk therapy many people imagine when they think of psychological treatment. It is designed to help patients explore the full range of their emotions, including feelings they may not be aware of. By making the unconscious elements of their life a part of their present experience, psychodynamic therapy helps people understand how their behaviour and mood are affected by unresolved issues and unconscious feelings.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
At the heart of CBT is an assumption that a person's mood is directly related to his or her patterns of thought. Negative, dysfunctional thinking affects a person's mood, sense of self, behaviour, and even physical state. The goal of cognitive behavioural therapy is to help a person learn to recognise negative patterns of thought, evaluate their validity, and replace them with healthier ways of thinking.
Training, qualifications & experience
- CPCAB Certificate in Counselling Skills
- HBCF Advanced Certificate in Counselling Skills
- WPF Graduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling
- Accredited Registered Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Professional member of The National Hypnotherapy Society
- Diploma in Hypnotherapy & Counselling Skills
- HBCF Post qualifying certificate in CBT
- NLP practitioner
- Diploma in Grief & Bereavement counselling
- Diploma in Child & Adolescent counselling
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health Problems
- Certificate in Forensic Psychology
I am a BACP Accredited counsellor working with men and women over 17 years of age in my private practice which is in the centre of St Albans. I have worked in both a charitable agency setting and private practice. I am registered with The National Hypnotherapy Society as well as the BACP.
My previous involvement in the retail banking sector provided the experience of working with diversity and gave me insight into those psychological stresses, specific and non-specific to those working in a fast moving commercial environment. I was also involved in a senior position with the student’s union in a major educational establishment giving me an insight into current student issues.
Member organisations
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Additional information
|
First Assessment Session |
£20 |
|
Counselling 50 minute session |
£50 |
Cancellations are sometimes unavoidable and provided clients give a minimum 48hrs notice no fee is charged, otherwise the full fee will be charged.
When I work
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 12 noon till 7.30.
