Louise King

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Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

London W2 & Northampton NN1
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I first became interested in working in this area when I met someone on a bridge who was contemplating jumping into the Thames. I realised the value of being with another person and listening. Following this, I joined the Samaritans and worked for 12 years as a volunteer, listening to the suicidal and depressed and supporting them. 

Many years later, I now offer counselling and psychotherapy online, by email and in person. Face-to-face, my practice is in Warwick Avenue, NW London and close to Paddington station. It is easily accessible from areas including Camden, Belsize Park, Kilburn, West Hampstead, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead, St Johns Wood, Maida Vale, Warwick Avenue & Paddington. I also offer in person appointments in Northampton.

It is very important to me that you can explore your difficulties in a trusting environment, and so our relationship is at the heart of everything I offer as a therapist. I am a warm person and want you to experience therapy as a safe, confidential and non-judgemental place to explore life’s difficulties and challenges. Mine is an experienced listening ear and I offer you a supportive approach.

Life has it's ups and downs and I believe that there is no shame in saying that you need help with emotional difficulties. I've had to overcome life crises of my own and these experiences help me to empathise with other people’s struggles.

I work with individuals on an open-ended basis as a psychotherapist or for an agreed time period as a counsellor, with the aim of enabling you to enhance your life and to live it more fully. By looking at our unconscious thoughts, dreams and behaviour, we can gradually develop insight and stop repeating the things that hold us back from being all we can be.

I have worked in private business and management for over twenty years. I understand the pressures and stresses that juggling work and home life can bring.

Having worked for over a decade in a voluntary capacity with people suffering from depression and mental health problems, I will not judge how you are feeling.

You do not have to have mental health issues to enter counselling and psychotherapy. My own experience is that we can all benefit from understanding ourselves better.

Although not a Buddhist, I practice meditation, breathing exercises and mindfulness.

I can help you explore:

  • Stress - life can often create stressful situations we need help with
  • Relationships - either at home or work, relationships are often hard to manage
  • Panic Attacks - having a panic attack can be frightening, but together we can manage them
  • Anxiety - experiencing anxiety makes everything else in life hard to cope with, sometimes it is because you need to talk something through
  • Bereavement - loss is something that everyone overcomes in their own time and way and having confidential support helps with the process
  • Redundancy - being made redundant is another form of loss that other people sometimes don't understand
  • Depression - it is common to experience depression at some stage in your life, I offer a space to understand why you feel depressed and being able to explore it
  • Addiction - there are ways that you can start to look at triggers to addiction and I can show and support you in starting to change behaviour patterns
  • Mental health issues - nothing to be ashamed about - at least 25% of the population will suffer at some time in their lives - let's talk about it

Training, qualifications & experience

I have a range of professional qualifications and affiliations within this field:

- Qualified clinical member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

- Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

- Certificate in Fundamentals of Counselling and Psychotherapy 2007

- Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy 2011

- PhD Psychology (University of Northampton, 2022)

- M.A. (Middlesex University, Essex, 1992)

- B.A. (Hons., 2.1, King's College, University of London, 1991)

- PhD, University of Northampton, 2022

- Ongoing continuing professional development in related areas e.g. working with dreams, drama therapy, working with dementia

I have had over a decade of experience working in a voluntary context with people experiencing feelings of anxiety, depression and mental health problems.

I have worked in the following places and with the following areas of specialisation:

- Hillingdon Action Group for Addiction Management (Hagam) - drug and alcohol counselling

- Samaritans - supporting the depressed and suicidal in society, including HMP Holloway

- Women & Health - offering low-cost long-term therapy to women in North London

- Maytree Respite Home - providing residential support to the suicidal

- Kingston Women's Centre - supporting women with low-cost long-term therapy

- St Pancras Hospital, Acute and Recovery Units.

Member organisations

Registered / Accredited

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.

UKCP
UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.

As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.

UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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.

ACTO
The Association for Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO)

The Association for Counselling and Therapy Online

Accredited register membership

UK Council for Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

UK Council for Psychotherapy
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Fees

£100.00 per session

Health Insurance/EAP

  • Aviva

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Mon-Thurs 5pm - 10pm

Further information

Frequently Asked Questions

Contacting a therapist for the first time can daunting and sometimes it can be hard to do. It takes courage. It can feel like a big step into the unknown.

Here is a guide which will hopefully reassure you in this process.

1. Initial contact

I am the only person who accesses this ‘phone and email address. This means that you can be assured of total confidentiality.

When you first get in touch, please leave the following details:

•Your name
•Your contact email / telephone number
•Any special instructions e.g. convenient times to call, whether it is ok to leave a message when calling etc

I tend to just say I am responding to your enquiry when I leave messages – just in case you don’t want others sharing your number / email address to know you have been in touch.

2. Telephone conversation

This conversation can be brief, and confirm:
•Appointment time and date
•Location
•Fees

It is natural to want to chat briefly and to see if you feel comfortable talking to me.

3. Our first meeting

When we first meet, we will explore what you want to achieve in counselling or psychotherapy. If you’re still not sure which is appropriate, that can be discussed too, as well as any questions you have.

Don’t worry if you are early for your appointment – the locations that I work from have receptions where you can wait. During this first meeting, a decision can be made whether we can work together. You can then arrange the time and day of your regular weekly session.

Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Adults

Key details

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Online platforms

VSee
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

I am offering low cost individual and group supervision whilst I complete my supervisory training. Sessions are available during weekday evenings.

View supervision profile

Louise King
Louise King