Lois Hipkiss Rumsey
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Thank you for considering my profile as part of your process towards finding a therapist, which can be quite a task! I offer individual counselling, couples counselling and counselling supervision; either online or in person at the Southwell Wellbeing Centre in Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
I work integratively, which means I use a core approach of client-centred therapy, along with tools and techniques from other approaches if my client and I think they might be helpful. I offer a congruent therapeutic relationship based on respect and accurate understanding, considering it a privilege to be invited to work confidentially with a client’s unique situation and experience.
I have experience in working with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression and adjustment reactions to the various difficult and traumatic events and situations life can present us with. I have worked extensively with interpersonal issues which are causing stress and distress, including difficulties in couple relationships, family relationships, and blended / stepfamily relationships.
Individual Counselling
Counselling is not about giving advice or attempting to fix situations; it’s more a process of walking alongside a client, providing a safe and confidential therapeutic relationship in which it feels comfortable to explore your concerns. I offer time and space to think through your options, come to terms with your past and consider different ways of coping. Therapy can be an opportunity to pause and take stock of the psychological bags and boxes we carry. It is a pit stop where we can unpack the bags together and consider whether they could be repacked in a way that makes them easier to carry; or maybe some items aren’t needed any more and can be left behind.
Couples Counselling
Of all the myths surrounding adult relationships, the fantasy of the ‘happy ever after’ must be one of the most unhelpful. It goes something like this: we meet ‘the one’, fall in love, get married and then live happily ever after (with no reference to tough times, disappointment or the day-to-day maintenance required to sustain the relationship). When we think about the effort, energy and resources we put into maintaining other aspects of our lives, it seems strange that we typically do not attend proactively to our most important relationships.
Couples counselling can be an opportunity for you and your partner to commit to making your relationship as good as it can possibly be.
I usually start couples therapy with a joint assessment where we discuss the main presenting issues and identify what you would each like to gain from therapy. I will then see each partner individually for one session to work towards understanding their perspective and story. Often, difficulties are caused by individual ways of coping which make perfect sense given each partner’s unique background, but which might mesh together in a partnership in a way which is unhelpful. These three sessions provide an opportunity to explore some ideas about your underlying relationship dynamic, unconscious processes, mutual traps and patterns of polarization that you may be experiencing.
We will then go on to work together, typically around learning new ways to communicate, resolve conflict and (sometimes) accept differences. The presenting issues and difficulties I tend to work with include division of labour, parenting, extended and in-law family issues, step/blended family issues, sex and intimacy, external stresses and recovering from infidelity.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have been working as a counsellor since qualifying in 2012, mainly in NHS commissioned services, but also in private practice and the charitable sector.
I am an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and abide by the BACP Ethical Code of Practice. I am fully insured and hold up-to-date Enhanced DBS clearance.
I am also a qualified counselling supervisor and offer monthly supervision to practising counsellors to comply with BACP requirements.
Over the years, I have completed an extensive range of additional professional development. My core qualifications include:
- Higher Professional Diploma in Counselling
- Certificate of Practice in Couples and Relationship Counselling
- Certificate in Clinical Supervision
- Certificate in Interpersonal Therapy
- Certificate in Couples Therapy for Depression
- BSc Hons Degree in Applied Psychology
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
I have experience in working with a range of emotional and psychological issues including extensive experience in all things relational including difficult relationships of any type - couple relationships, family relationships, friendships, blended and step-family relationships.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 - £60.00
Additional information
Individual Counselling: £50 for a 60 minute session.
Couples Counselling: £60 for a 60 minute session.
Counselling Supervision: £75 for a 90 minute session.
When I work
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Further information
I offer sessions throughout the day and evening Monday - Thursday, both online and in person at the Southwell Wellbeing Centre.
Testimonials
“ Lois was compassionate, caring, empathetic and professional at all times. I felt at ease and able to tell her everything and anything.”
“Lois has made a huge positive impact on our marriage. From the very first session, I felt instantly safe to be able to open up and be heard. I will never be able to thank her enough for what she has done for us. I was so close to walking away from my marriage and thanks to her we have worked through it and have a future.”
“Lois made me feel validated. I have met many therapists and Lois was by far the most professional.”
“This was my second set of sessions with Lois and I found every hour to be very helpful and always felt that I was being listened to and was allowed the time to express my difficulties and received responses and suggestions that were easy to understand. I would recommend anyone having similar difficulties to myself to seek help from Lois.”
“Lois was always respectful and helpful. She helped me to explore how I feel about things and what I can do to update my responses to the problems I was feeling. I now feel equipped to move forward with my life.”
