Melanie Harris

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she/her
MA, BSc (Hons), MBACP
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Godalming GU7 & Guildford GU1
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

*Please note that my email address sometimes goes to people’s spam folders. If you have contacted me and not heard back within 48hrs, please check your spam folder. Apologies for the inconvenience of this*

I am an experienced psychotherapist and counsellor, holding a Masters degree in Integrative Psychotherapy and Counselling. I am an active participant in therapy sessions, and will help to guide us through the process with a semi-structured approach to therapy. This means that as well as holding a reflective space for my clients, I will also sometimes suggest specific exercises, explain elements of our evolved biology and psychology (and how this impacts us today) and work to build new skillsets for managing challenging emotions and experiences. A big piece of this is also working to build a strong and trusting relationship between us, in which you feel safe to talk about whatever is troubling you.

I aim to offer a warm and supportive space and have been told by clients that I help to put them at ease when discussing challenging topics. I work to help my clients understand and make sense of their difficulties, even if they may feel very overwhelming or complex. All of my work is underpinned by the belief that there is nothing “wrong” with my clients, and that the difficulties we find arising in our lives are often very understandable and normal human responses to certain experiences.

As well as private practice, I have previously worked within the NHS and in charity settings. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and am a fully insured private practitioner.

Working Together

I understand that life can present us with many struggles, ranging from those arising from specific circumstances or existential concerns, through to more complex and long-standing difficulties. Whatever brings you to therapy, I work collaboratively with my clients to deeply understand their struggles, and work together as a team to explore ways of moving forwards.

I have experience of working with many different concerns, including anxiety, depression, ADHD (especially in women), complex trauma, high levels of shame and self-criticism, difficulties in relationships, low self-esteem, self-harm and/or suicidal thoughts, sexual abuse, and difficult family dynamics/early experiences (including growing up with parents who may have been very loving but struggled to recognise and attune to your emotional needs).

I have a special interest in working with women who are struggling with anxiety and/or high levels of self-criticism, as well as working with the challenges that arise in our relationships both with others and ourselves, and considering how some of these patterns may have arisen from earlier experiences.

I work with adults aged 18 years and over.

Training, qualifications & experience

  • MA in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, University of Roehampton (Distinction)
  • Levels 1,2 and 3 in Counselling Skills and Theory, Guildford College
  • BSc (Hons) Natural Sciences, Durham University
  • Advanced Clinical Skills in Compassion Focused Therapy - Professor Paul Gilbert and Dr Andrew Rayner, The Compassionate Mind Foundation
  • The Compassionate Mind Approach to Recovering from Complex PTSD – Professor Deborah Lee, The Compassionate Mind Foundation
  • An Introduction to CFT for Eating Disorders – Dr Ken Goss, The Compassionate Mind Foundation
  • An Introduction to Theory and Practice of Compassion Focused Therapy – Dr Chris Irons and Dr Shelley Kerr, The Compassionate Mind Foundation
  • Foundation Certificate in the Application of Polyvagal Theory in Counselling and Psychotherapy – Temenos Education

Research/Publications

  • “Compassion and Complexity: An Exploration of Therapists’ Experiences of using a CFT approach to working with Complex Trauma. An IPA Study.” This research was completed in 2022 and is currently in the editing phase to be submitted for publication

Speaking

  • I was honoured to be asked to speak at the Compassionate Mind Foundation’s 11th International CFT Conference in Edinburgh in October 2022, to present my research on therapists’ experiences of using CFT to work with complex trauma.

Member organisations

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.

Accredited register membership

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

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

£75.00 per session
Free initial telephone session

Additional information

It's important that you feel there is a good fit with your therapist, and that you feel comfortable working with them. I therefore offer an initial free telephone call, which lasts up to 30 minutes. This gives us a chance to briefly discuss what is bringing you to therapy at this time, any questions you may have, and gives you a feel of how I work.

If you'd like to work together, we would then book in an initial assessment session, which lasts 60 minutes. This gives us time to understand some of your struggles in more depth and consider how best we might work together. All further sessions are 50 minutes in duration, and I normally work with clients on a weekly basis.

I offer therapy both in-person and online.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I work with clients 9am - 6pm Tuesday - Thursday, and 9am - 2pm on Fridays. I am unable to offer any later evening or weekend appointments at this time. 

Bridge Street, Godalming, Surrey, GU7

210 High Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU1

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)

Online platforms

Zoom