Marlene Leach
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
If you are feeling anxious, restless, overwhelmed and having a sense of helplessness during a difficult time, you may feel, as an individual or as a couple wanting to have a better relationship, to find peace and start a better life no matter how uncertain the future may look, it is now time to start having the ability to go through it with courage and assertiveness, towards a life well lived...
Thank you for visiting my profile - I welcome you to read a little about my counselling approach.
I trained as a person-centred counsellor, and I focus on an existential approach. It's about everyday living. We all go through difficulties at some point in our life. If you are experiencing some issues or crisis, coming to counselling may be your first experience of feeling heard - being truly listened to and understood. Counselling can help you become more aware of life’s limitations, how you can choose to live your life in a more meaningful way, and to embrace the freedom of your own choice.
I am a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and I abide by their ethical framework of good practice and code of conduct.
What to expect in your first counselling session:
As your counsellor, I will offer you a safe space to express your feelings in an empathic environment where you are not being judged - it is your space - your time to talk with a person who also knows how difficult life can be, and through a respectful and trusting relationship, you are warmly invited to join me in my counselling environment where you can freely express and explore yourself.
How my own experience can be helpful within counselling:
I also volunteered at a local hospice for 6 years where I experienced precious moments with end-of-life patients who have taught me the importance of accepting and how to help people face issues of existence head on when there is:
* a sense of helplessness
* no hope
* seeing life as meaningless.
Such situations are the primary aims of existential counselling, including all other everyday issues experienced by people from all walks of life:
*of different cultures
*from all countries
*diversity of personalities
*gender and spirituality - to whom I warmly welcome to listen to and help.
I am always humbled and filled with compassion to witness my clients becoming more self-accepting, truer to themselves and within their limitations, to cope and still able to start living a fulfilled life.
An other area of my experience is to help clients who are experiencing difficulties in learning, whether it is in a school, college or a work environment. This is due to my 40 years experience of teaching languages on one-to-one bases to learners of all abilities and all ages, always giving them my utmost attention and empathically helping each individual to move forward confidently towards achievement.
Training, qualifications & experience
BA(Hons) Degree in Counselling - University of Gloucestershire
Foundation Degree in Arts in Counselling - Edge Hill University
Level 3 - Counselling Studies - CPCAB
Level 2 - Counselling Skills - NCFE
I undertake regular CPD (continuous professional development) Recent training includes:
March 2014 - The Life-talk Centre - Developing Therapeutic Presence
May 2014 - Workshop with Manu Bazzano - Explore the nature of togetherness
November 2014 PCCS Workshop - Congruence, Authenticity and Transparency
May 2015 - World Congress for Existential Therapy - Existential Talks / workshops
December 2015 - New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling - Intro to Existential Therapy
October 2016 - The Society of Existential Association - Existential workshop experience
October 2016 - Practice with Dr L. Johnstone - Exploring the culture of diagnoses
November 2016 - Practice with C.L. Canonville - Understanding Narcissism
November 2016 - BACP Event - How to include Coaching Skills within Therapeutic Practice
Further professional developments from May 2017: Existential Couple's Counselling Summit in Vienna with Professor Alfried Laengle including May 2018 Finding Meaning Seminar in Israel, and April 2019 Existential Therapy on Trauma.
October 2019 Existential Therapy study course with Professor Ernesto Spinelli on Relatedness, incorporating the aspect of uncertainty within the relational world... an ongoing study.
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
£55.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Each counselling session of 60minutes for individuals: £55,-
For couple's counselling session of 60minutes: £70,-
When I work
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Further information
My private practice is detached from the house, offering a secure and confidential environment. This is based just a minute away from both bus stops on Springfield Road, via Birmingham or via Sutton Coldfield: bus no. X14.
I can offer appointments during the day; afternoons and evenings; From Monday to Friday. You are welcome to have your first meeting where you can talk in a confidential setting, and if you feel this is the right environment for you, and you feel comfortable to share your concerns with me, you are welcome to book an appointment and to start your counselling sessions, each lasting 60 minutes.
