Linda Quested
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This professional is currently not accepting new clients and may not respond to general enquiries at this time.
This professional is currently not accepting new clients and may not respond to general enquiries at this time.
About me
Hello and welcome to my profile page. If you are considering counselling then I hope I can help you.
I understand that deciding to try counselling is very private and personal, and that "having therapy" can often feel like a last resort. Not knowing how counselling works, and who to choose, can make the decision even more daunting.
Counselling offers you a safe, confidential space to talk - a place where you will not be judged or told what to do. It can be a huge relief to talk about what is happening to you, and how you really feel to someone who is professionally trained to listen. I can help you explore and understand your feelings, giving you a new perspective and confidence in your life and abilities.
Depending upon the issues you are facing, and what you would like to do, we can work together for a number of weeks or longer term. This flexibility allows you to go at your own pace to gain maximum benefit from the counselling process.
I am a fully qualified, BACP registered and insured integrative counsellor, trained in psychodynamic, existential and person centred counselling theories and practice. What this means is that I am able to work in a variety of ways according to your specific and individual needs.
I have many years of experience in health and social care having worked with the NHS, Samaritans and the Alzheimer's Society. As well as private practice, I am a counsellor at Mind, the leading mental health charity. I have also taught Therapeutic Counselling to trainee counsellors in Bedfordshire.
We are all unique individuals and your choice of counsellor is personal to you. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is fundamental to your counselling experience - so it is important that you choose a therapist who feels 'right'. I offer a reduced rate of £35 for a first assessment session of one hour. This gives us an opportunity to meet, explore what brings you to counselling and to see how we feel about working together. Should you wish to continue, subsequent 50 minute counselling sessions will be £50. I also offer discounted rates for student counsellors.
What happens next?
If you decide you would like to proceed, then please feel free to email, call or text me. If I am unable to take your call, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I will ask you what is troubling you in order to assess if I am suitably qualified to help you. If I feel confident that I can support you, I will arrange an appointment within one week for an initial assessment of one hour. This appointment gives you opportunity to tell me more about your concerns, ask any questions, discuss what you would like to achieve, look at how many sessions you may need and the general 'nuts and bolts' of counselling. If you are happy to continue, we will set up a second session and I will arrange to see you weekly from there.
Training, qualifications & experience
Registered Member of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Counsellor at Mind
NHS Volunteer Responder
Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills
Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
Writing for Wellbeing (Cardiff University)
A sample of additional training:
- Safeguarding vulnerable adults
- Alcohol and drug awareness
- Working with suicide
- Working with dissociative disorders
- Covid 19: Psychological First Aid
- Counselling those with diabetes
- Working with menopause
- Anxiety and depression in therapy
- Complex trauma
- Working with domestic abuse
Certificate in Mental Health Problems
Certificate in Children and Young People's Mental Health
Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling
Former Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB) tutor for The Bedfordshire Centre for Therapeutic Studies - teaching theory and practice to trainee counsellors at Diploma Level.
I hold an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate
I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
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
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
- Initial assessment £35 for one hour
- Subsequent sessions £50 for 50 minutes
- Student counsellors £40 for 50 minutes
Payment can be made by bank transfer.
When I work
Please contact for availability