Laura West
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I offer in-person, online and walk & talk counselling sessions.
Counselling can be a useful way of exploring difficult and often confusing feelings and emotions. I work by creating a safe, confidential space for clients to explore their worries, concerns or past traumas in a non judgmental, relaxed and comfortable way. By addressing and reflecting on past experiences individuals are often able to move forward positively and with a greater understanding of self and patterns of behaviour.
During the counselling sessions, I provide emotional support to my clients, helping to improve their overall mental health and well-being. I have extensive experience supporting individuals who are feeling sad, self harming, suicidal, or suffering from anxiety or depression. My experience includes working with clients who are neurodiverse (ADHD, & autism), are struggling with family issues, anxiety, depression, abuse, anger management, low self-esteem, low mood, low self confidence, rape, sexual abuse, child sexual exploration (CSE), panic attacks, bullying and trauma.
How do I practice?
I am a qualified person centred counsellor and work by using both solution focused and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) skills.
I strongly believe that all individuals are capable of growth and positive change. I create a supportive and non-judgemental space for clients to discuss whatever they want to. I aim to support clients to work through their feelings and struggles, whilst enabling them to remain in control. Sessions can be held over various online platforms, outside (walk and talk therapy) or in my office space in Wakefield city centre.
Counselling sessions are 50 minutes in length.
What does the initial session look like?
The initial 20 minute enquiry session is free, via telephone or video call, to enable clients to decide whether or not my services are suitable for them. Once a client has decided to go ahead with counselling, the first session is used to gain an insight into what they are struggling with, and what they hope to gain from counselling. Together we also complete a client information sheet and discuss the counselling agreement in this session.
What can I help with?
- Addictions
- ADHD and Autism
- Anger management and aggression
- Anxiety
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Career support
- Child sexual exploration (CSE)
- Depression and feelings of emptiness
- Eating Disorders
- Family conflict and issues
- Feeling sad, low mood
- Grief, bereavement and loss
- Loneliness
- Low self confidence and low self esteem
- Menopause
- Miscarriage
- Obsessive thoughts and compulsions (OCD)
- Panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Physical/sexual/emotional abuse
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Rape and sexual assault
- Recovery from physical illness
- Relationship issues/affairs/separation/divorce
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Sexuality, LGBTQ+ 🏳️🌈
- Stress
- Sleep problems
- Suicidal thoughts and ideations
- Trauma
- Workplace/college bullying
Training, qualifications & experience
- ABC Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- Level 3 Counselling skills
- level 3 Safeguard children
- IARTT Rewind Trauma Therapy
- Level 2 Counselling skills
- Level 2 Certificate in Self-harm and Suicide Prevention
- Level 2 Certificate in Self-harm awareness & prevention for Children and Young People
- Level 2 APT Accreditation Trauma Focused CBT for Children and Families
- Level 2 APT Accreditation CBT for eating disorders
- Level 2 & 1 Safeguarding Children
- Understanding childhood sexual exploitation, the grooming process and how to recognise the signs workshop.
- Mental Health Act Training
- Level 1 CPR
- Clinical Risk, Formulation and Management training
- Level 1 Health, Safety & Welfare
- Introduction to Counselling
- Level 3 Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer
- Level 2 Adapting Fitness Instruction for Adolescence
- Counselling Tutor Certificate Online and Telephone counselling
- Breathwork for Anxiety and Trauma Recovery
- Working with Bereaved children, theory and Practice
- Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs)
- Working with Children in Therapy Certified
- Clients Who Self-Harm Certified
- The Impact of Sleep on Emotional Wellbeing
- Autism Education Trust - Schools making sense of Autism
- Place2B Prevent Training
- CBT Skills: Exposure Therapy
Experience
- Running a private counselling business, offering one to one sessions to adults and teenagers
- Extensive experience working for a mental health service (CAMHS Wakefield) in their crisis team. Supporting individuals who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and wellbeing.
- 2 years volunteering as a school counsellor in a local Wakefield high school
- 1 year volunteering with UK Counselling Network CIC LTD as a person centred counsellor
- Over 10 years experience supporting individuals by improving their health and wellbeing
- Ongoing Continuing Professional Development (in accordance with BACP requirements)
- CRB checked (enhanced disclosure)
- Full Indemnity Insurance
- Working towards my BACP Accreditation. Ongoing.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone session
When I work
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Further information
A qualified counsellor with over ten years experience supporting the mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing of individuals. Specialising in areas such as family issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement, self harm/suicidal ideation, coercive and unhealthy relationships. Empowering people to improve their self agency by working with them therapeutically to develop coping strategies, return to main stream education or work, and to manage day-to-day stress.
Extensive experience working for a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) working in their crisis team. During my training I worked for 2 years in a local high school as a school counsellor running group and one to one sessions. I also volunteered for UK counselling group where I provided counselling session via Teams and Zoom to adults of all ages.
