Michael Harris MBACP
About me
Coming to counselling is an important decision and often the first brave step towards getting help and making changes for the better. I myself have been in counselling as part of my professional and personal development and I am therefore familiar with the experience of being a client. In my experience, the most important thing to consider and understand when choosing the right person to work with as your counsellor, is the quality of the therapeutic relationship, and feeling both safe to talk about anything that is on your mind, and really heard and understood.
I will work with you in a collaborative way. I believe that effective counselling requires a true partnership between client and counsellor as well as mutual respect, open-mindedness, honesty, trust, curiosity and a desire for real growth. You will be given the space to gain new insights into your difficulties and how you manage them, enabling you to consider what changes you wish to make towards achieving a more empowered and fulfilling life.
I provide both longer term, open ended counselling and also short term, solution focused counselling, depending on the issues you’d like to explore. I see individuals of any gender, culture, race, religion or sexual orientation.
The initial assessment will help us identify whether counselling is the best way forward for you and whether I am the right counsellor for you. My commitment to you is to provide regular counselling in a respectful, non-judgmental, safe and confidential environment.
My core training is in person-centred counselling but I also offer more integrative approach and draw on skills linked to mindfulness and life coaching. I am mindful that certain counselling styles suit some people more than others and I adapt to each individual client’s needs.
Training, qualifications & experience
BACP approved
I have experience working with adults, young people and groups in various therapeutic settings and from diverse cultural backgrounds. As well as working in private practice, I also have experience in working in prisons and mentoring young people.
I am committed to ongoing Continuing Professional Development.
As a Registered member of the BACP, I am bound by their Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Member Organisations
BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy)
Member organisations
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50 per session (50 minutes).
Some concessionary spaces may be available.
Further information
My private practice is few minutes drive from Harpenden town Centre. It provides a comfortable and confidential space to talk. Parking is available on the site.
I have professional insurance and supervision for my work.
