Lucy Furniss
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello I'm Lucy and as an experienced Psychotherapist, I will be alongside you, helping you to manage the difficulties in your life related to yourself or your relationships with others. My warm, calm, non judgemental and welcoming nature helps to create a space where you can speak safely and confidentially about your issues.
As a Gestalt Psychotherapist healthy connection with others and our world is my focus to achieving full satisfaction in our lives and I believe that everyone has this capability; offering my clients hope. As a Wild Therapist, we will also work outdoors to foster a stronger connection and mutual respect with the natural world which will support your healing journey and psychological development.
I work intuitively and creatively with you to help you discover more about yourself, your triggers and patterns. I believe that we lose and gain parts of ourselves through the constraints and pressures of life and discovering more about yourself and your Inner Wild can help you to feel freer to be who you want to be.
Helping you to understand more of your sensations and body responses to situations/people allows you to know what you want and need and to make good choices for yourself, rather than staying in the confusion of your mind. I can help you to process and manage traumatic experiences (without necessarily speaking about them) which may get in the way of this.
From my years of experience I can help you with issues around:
- feeling depressed
- struggling with anxiety
- problems with stress and work issues
- family and relationship difficulties
- low self esteem and lack of confidence
- coping with loss and bereavement
- long term impacts of trauma and abuse
- exploring your gender and sexuality
- life changing events such as divorce, separation and redundancy
- negative body image
- worries over self harm
- living with ill health
- parenting problems or caring for elderly parents
- considering unresolved past or recent conflicts
I work from The Retreat New Forest, Christchurch which has relaxing therapy rooms on the second floor and access for us to work outside in their beautiful grounds including woodland and a lake. Additionally, I use The Coastal Practice in Southbourne which has a range of comfortable therapy rooms, with disabled access and free street parking outside the premises.
I know it's hard to take the first step, however please do call or email to ask questions or arrange an initial appointment. Our first meeting will be a chance to see if we are compatible and to answer your questions. Any initial meeting is of course without obligation. if I am unable to answer your call immediately, feel free to leave a message and I will call back.
Training, qualifications & experience
My private practice has been in place since 2015. I have wide experience of many issues working both short and long term with adults and young people, across a variety of settings.
After completing my Level 5 Counselling Diploma in Humanistic and Gestalt Counselling at Eastleigh College with Distinction in 2015, I wanted to develop my practice further. I qualified as a Gestalt Psychotherapist in 2018 after completing a 3 year MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy at Metanoia Institute in London.
In 2023, I finished a year long training and am now registered as a Wild Therapist. As a wild therapist, I am working with our connection to nature and supporting you to review your relationship with nature and to take access the resources available to help your psychological development and healing.
I am completing my supervision training in 2024 and will shortly be offering supervision.
Alongside my private practice, I went on to lecture for Eastleigh College and taught on their Diploma in Humanistic and Gestalt Counselling in 2018.
Previously, I worked, for over 3 years, as a dedicated counsellor for Dorset Action on Abuse/Hurting 2 Healing; supporting adults with a history of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
As a counsellor for It's Your Choice, a charity working with 12-25 years old, I also gained experience over 3 years of working with young people as well as working with students at Southampton University for 6 months. Common issues were stress, anxiety, depression, personal/family issues and loss/bereavement.
Completing continuous professional development is an essential part for me to remain up to date and here are some of the areas in which I have completed additional training:
- Body oriented and somatic therapy
- Trauma and emotional neglect
- Mental health issues including OCD, Eating Disorders, Dissociative, Schizoid, Narcissistic and Borderline processes
- Group facilitation
- Working with trans issues for the person and their family
- Boarding School syndrome
- Sexual issues and addiction
Before becoming a psychotherapist, my main career has been in business and finance working for public, private and charitable sectors and more latterly supporting those with financial difficulties and less easy access to finance. I have also run my own Bed and Breakfast business.
I am a Professional Membership of UKCP (UK Council of Psychotherapists) and abide by their ethics.
Member organisations
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.
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.
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
£75.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sessions are for an hour and cost £75.
The initial appointment gives you a chance to come and meet me and for us to see if I am suitable to meet your needs.
Our time together may be short or long, and we will consider what you're looking for and agree on time and priorities together. This, alongside regular reviews will help you to check your needs are being met.
I accept payment by cash or bank transfer.
When I work
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Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday daytime and early evening and Thursday morning.
Further information
My availability:
I am available for appointments during the day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well as Thursday morning and am happy to have an informal chat about whether there is a mutually convenient time that suits you. Generally once we start, it works best when we can continue to meet weekly, on the same day and time each week.
Venue information
I work from the comfortable therapy rooms at The Retreat New Forest, Christchurch, BH23 7EF and The Coastal Practice in Southbourne, BH6 4EH. Working outdoors is possible at both these venues and we can also agree to work in the New Forest or at Hengistbury Head. The Coastal Practice is wheelchair accessible.
My contact details:
You are welcome to contact me by phone on 07776046376 or email at lucyfurnisscounselling@outlook.com. If I am unable to answer, feel free to leave a message and I will return your call at a time that suits you. I look forward to hearing from you.
