Lesley Downs


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Lesley Downs, award winning Couples Counsellor and Relationship Coach
- GHP Mental Health Awards 2024 - Best Couples and Marriage Counsellor 24 - West Sussex
- GHP Mental Health Awards 2023 - Lesley Downs Most Considerate Couples Counsellor (UK)
- Corporate Live Wire Innovation Excellence Awards 2022 - Lesley Downs Couples Therapy Practice of the Year (UK)
- GHP Mental Health Awards 2022 - Lesley Downs Most Considerate Couples Counsellor (UK)
Available for face to face appointments at my comfortable consulting room in Christchurch Dorset, also for Zoom video sessions with clients anywhere in the UK/World if preferred by the client.
I am passionate about helping couples and individuals to have the relationships that they want and dream of. I help my clients to strengthen their relationships, to develop the skills and ability to work together in a more conscious and effective way. I help them to gain awareness and understanding of why relationships don't always go as planned and give them the tools to smooth out the problems, so that they can move forward to create a brighter future together.
I specialise in helping couples to re-build, re-structure and re-vitalise their relationship, helping them to put the magic back into their marriage or partnership. There are many reasons why couples find themselves struggling with their relationship, perhaps for you it's a lack of communication, you feel unable to talk to each other because you feel that you won't be listened to. Maybe there are constant arguments that are a bit like a runaway train that starts in the station and you both know that it will end up in the crash barrier at the end of the track. Perhaps the intimacy has gone and you want to get the feeling of closeness back.
I have a myriad of tools and resources to help you to find a way through these problems. I love working with couples and individuals, helping them to become the partnership or person that they want to become, maybe that will be you, I hope so.
I am available to see clients on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays throughout the day from 9am, with a late/last appointment at 6pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays only. My sessions are generally 90 minutes in duration, though I do also offer intensive 3 hour sessions.
I offer a quiet, comfortable, accepting and confidential space, where there are no judgements or assumptions. I will listen with empathy to what you are saying, I will ask questions and be curious with you about your world. Together we will explore the issues that are on your mind and enable you to make the changes that you want to make. I have what I like to think of as my metaphorical tool bag, with my couples counselling, relationship coaching experience, tools and resources; plus my counselling, CBT and personal development coaching knowledge and experience, all just waiting to be used to help my clients achieve what they want to achieve.
To get you and your relationship back on track give me a call on 07958216533, drop me an email lesley@lesleydowns.co.uk, or check out my website www.lesleydowns.co.uk and then complete the contact form to get in touch with me.
Training, qualifications & experience
Member of the BACP and work within the BACP code of ethics
Enhanced CRB checked
Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
NCFE level 2 in Counselling Skills
Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling
Certificate in Clean Language Facilitation
Certificate in Power Group Facilitation
CBT with Heart
ILM level 5 Coaching in the Workplace
Resolution Family Consultant trained
Advanced Certificate in Relationship Therapy (CORST accredited)
CORST recognised trainings: Couples in Conflict, Dealing with Affairs, Meeting Partners Needs, Sex, arousal and ageing, Communication and Difference, The Fundamentals of Working with Couples.
Certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice in Couple Therapy
Whilst enjoying a career in adult education, I decided to diversify and embark on a period of personal development, which included training as a Counsellor, then subsequently as a Personal Development Coach, Clean Language Facilitator, CBT therapist, Couples Counsellor and Family Consultant. As part of my personal journey I decided to relocate by the sea in West Sussex and set up Seabreeze Counselling Plus. In addition to my private practice I worked with a prominent Chichester counselling agency from 2008 - 2013 and have worked within the NHS as a Primary Care Counsellor providing time limited counselling in GP's surgeries from March 2012 - December 13.
In addition to my qualifications in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, I am an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) qualified Personal Development coach, a certified 'Clean Language' coach/group facilitator. 'Clean Language' is a powerful psychotherapeutic tool that was developed by David Groves in the 1980s.
From 2007 - 2009 I was a Family Group Conference Coordinator for Daybreak a Hampshire/Sussex based charity supporting young people and their families to work together in order to enhance their own family relationships and keep all members safe.
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
£180.00 per session
Additional information
£180 per 90 minute individual Coaching/Counselling session.
£180 per 90 minute Couples Relationship Coaching/Counselling.
£360 per 3 hour intensive Coaching/Counselling session
Bespoke family and group sessions are individually priced
When I work
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Weekdays: daytime and evenings
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am throughout the day, with a last/late appointment 6pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays only.
Further information
Recent testimonials:
"I now completely understand the reasons for the relationship becoming so fragile.
"I would like to thank you for the work you did in getting us back on a stable platform. This has enabled us, (with the tools provided) to view our relationship in an entirely new way."
"I now understand so deeply the reasons for the deterioration in our marriage over the years."
I first went to see Lesley as I felt my life was in chaos. My parents had both recently passed away and the walls had completely closed in on me. Despite having a wonderful partner and a lovely place to live, happiness eluded me. I had seen a couple of counsellors over the years but still felt I had not dealt with many of my issues; I felt I was carrying a knapsack on my back full of rocks. I determined to find a counsellor and to commit to the process until there was no stone left unturned. Lesley is an amazing listener, a highly skilled counsellor and immediately put me completely at ease. Lesley helped me to identify those rocks, to understand them and to finally deal with them all. Sometimes we talked about nice things, sometimes about more difficult things; and at each and every session I learned and developed new awareness and perspective. I have learned so much from the experience and I would encourage anyone who is finding any aspect of their life a challenge to see Lesley. I cannot thank Lesley enough for here amazing insights, care and understanding; I feel happier now than I have ever felt in my entire life.
"Lesley created an environment that allowed members of our family to feel comfortable enough to share their personal opinions for the first time in decades; and with her help and guidance, we were able to identify deep-rooted issues clearly for the first time and focus on repairing them. Our time with her was a real eye-opener, and the experience has helped us no end."
- Couples Relationship Coaching/Counselling sessions are 90 minutes in duration.
- Individual Relationship Coaching/Counselling sessions are 90 minutes in duration.
- Bespoke family and group sessions are flexible in duration and individually priced.
If you would like more details or a friendly informal chat, please call me on 0795 8216 533 (If you leave a message I will aim to get back to you within a few hours).
Alternatively email lesley@lesleydowns.co.uk