Lesley Duce
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an experienced therapist offering both short and long-term work.
I work integratively, that is, with a number of evidence-based theoretical models. For example, I may incorporate cognitive behavioural techniques - looking at how your thoughts may affect your feelings and behaviour, or psychodynamic work, where we examine how past experiences may be influencing you in the present. It will all depend on what you're bringing to a session at any given time.
I have worked with a wide range of issues within the charitable sector, NHS IAPT-contracted services, secondary care NHS mental health services (psychodynamic psychotherapy), education (age 16+) and the private sector (this includes EAP work). Within my role, I am able to give you the time and objectivity that friends and family often can’t give, especially if these relationships are problematic. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further information or to arrange an appointment.
Training, qualifications & experience
What is counselling?
Counselling is a confidential and supportive service that gives you an opportunity to talk through your concerns with an objective listener. Someone who is able to put themselves ‘in your shoes’ whilst also considering the bigger picture in your life. A counsellor will listen attentively and respond in a way that facilitates your own ability to cope with life’s challenges, whether they are problems with work, relationships, family or deep-seated problems arising from traumatic experiences. It looks at how we communicate with each other, perhaps enabling us to be assertive without being aggressive for example, or helping us to feel less a victim of circumstance and more in control of our lives. By getting to know ourselves we can understand our feelings and motivations better, be more accepting of ourselves and this in turn can help reduce anxiety and ease depression. A counsellor will rarely give advice, since our aim is to help you develop your own resources (resources you often don’t realise you have) to enable you to approach your life and problems from a new perspective.
What to expect and is it right for me?
After making contact and establishing what has brought you to counselling, we can look at your options. If we agree to start working together, then I will take some details, complete an assessment and we agree on terms of working, e.g. confidentiality and cancellations. You might wish to set some goals or just see what emerges as we work together, but it can help to have some idea of what you want from it. Sessions are for 50 minutes and are usually at the same time each week for however many you may need. This could be anything from 1 or 2 sessions to a number of years. This is dependent on your particular needs, the depth of work you are hoping to achieve and so on. We can also contract for a specific number of sessions, I would suggest 6 if you’re unsure, then evaluate your progress as we go along.
Worth considering is that the single greatest predictor of positive outcomes is the quality of the relationship and rapport you develop with your therapist. Building trust and developing that relationship can take time, especially if you have experienced difficulties early in life but ultimately, you decide what’s working and when you want to stop.
Qualifications
Foundation Degree in Counselling, Middlesex University
Level 5 BACP Accredited Diploma in Counselling, College of North East London (BACP-accredited)
Registered Nurse Royal London Hospital
I am an accredited member of the BACP and work within their Ethical Framework. BACP accreditation is awarded to registered members of the BACP who, through further assessment, are able to demonstrate high standards of knowledge, experience and development in counselling and psychotherapy.
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
- Domestic abuse
- Health problems including Long Covid and post viral illness.
Fees
£55.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Individual counselling - £50 per 50 minute session.
Concessionary appointments available to counselling students. On occasion, I have concessionary appointments available by negotiation at limited times during the day.
Free, unlimited parking is available at the Harold Wood practice.
When I work
Appointment times include days and some evenings.