About me
Hi I’m Kirsty and I am passionate about acknowledging that YOU matter! Your thoughts, feelings and experiences are valid, all of them! I offer a space where you can be you, where you can be seen and heard without judgement no matter what you share.
As a Person-Centred Counsellor, I work with you, offering respect, empathy and endeavouring to understand you and your experiences as our relationship develops. I aim to build your trust by respecting your voice, as we explore the things that may have caused you to feel uncomfortable, confused or discouraged.
I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, overwhelm, relationship issues, loss and times of change. I have a particular interest in helping people understand patterns that keep them from moving forward and supporting them as they find new ways to do this.
I have in-depth training and experience in working with young people aged 11–18. With over twenty years’ experience in education, I understand the pressures young people face and the many ways they may struggle to express what is going on internally.
I work creatively and flexibly, offering alternative ways to communicate when words are difficult. I also work supportively with parents and carers, while holding firm to a young person’s right to a confidential space.
Alongside this, I am passionate about men’s mental health. I have worked with many men who feel isolated in their experiences or unsure how to express what they are going through. I support clients around identity, emotional overwhelm, role changes such as becoming a father, communication challenges, imposter syndrome and navigating expectations placed on men. My approach offers a grounded, accepting space where men can explore their emotional world without pressure or judgement.
At the centre of my work is a deep belief in each person’s capacity to grow, heal and begin to value themselves with the support of a genuine, empathic therapeutic relationship.
I offer confidential 50-minute online sessions across the UK or sessions in person in York for short or long term support.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Level 5 Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People (cpcab)
- Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (MBACP)
- Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (cpcab)
- Level 3 Credit ‘Peer Support Training’ The Cellar Trust
- Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (cpcab)
- Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health NCFE CACHE
- PGCE Graduate Certificate in Education
- Level 1 Award in Safeguarding
- An advanced DBS
I have experience working with people of all different ages through general counselling work. I have also worked as a Mental Health Peer support group facilitator, where I have gained a vast amount of Psychoeducational knowledge and delivery experience around Mental Health.
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
£55.00 - £60.00
Additional information
My work with young people aged 11-17 costs £60 per session.
