Michaela Slade
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Professional, considerate and confidential one to one room based somatic psychotherapeutic counselling or Equine assisted psychotherapy. Room based therapy is supported by my therapy dog and friend, Pluto.
To embark on therapy and find a suitable therapist can be very challenging, especially when you might already be in a difficult place and feeling vulnerable.
I aim to walk alongside you through your difficulties without judgement, within a safe space.
Carl Jung has been quoted 'know all the theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch a human soul, just be another human soul'
This quote is central to how I work with people, from a place of presence, connection and equality.
I am client centerd and led by the needs of my clients. My work with you is centerd around inclusion and acceptance. I know from my own experience how it can feel to be excluded and isolated due to differences.
I feel passionate about supporting people to have an authentic experience of feeling, safe, seen, heard and validated, this feels like my central mission in this work.
My work is trauma informed and client led, this helps to provide conditions of safety. I often have people comment on how safe they have felt and how good it has been to be really heard and accepted. This touches me deeply as I really understand the value of this.
I have a number of trainings behind me that support my work, most of them are somatic and trauma based with a focus on working with neurodiversity. I also offer opportunities to work somatically with psychotherapeutic yoga, which involves a choice based gentle practice that can include very gentle movement and breathwork to support the nervous system. I have found this to be very effective and supportive for clients as we are combining all parts of the person and creating a holistic approach to wellbeing and growth.
The equine assisted therapy is another modality which involves opportunities to connect with 5 beautiful equines from a place of authenicity and support. There is no horse experience or handling required to benefit from this. Please see my organisational listing 'The Heard Therapy CIC' for more information or go to the website listed here.
Together, within a safe relationship, we can explore the relationship between the body, the nervous system and your felt sense and how the experience interplays with the world around us. This can help bring understanding to what it is you are feeling and what it might mean to you.
Bringing more attention to the body can help us get to know ourselves in a more authentic way, connecting to our experience and helping us to process trauma and stress responses safely without a need to share difficult stories or painfully sensitive information.
I believe that people require more than a therapeutic approach or theory, and that the presence of a safe other, who is connected, supportive and non judgemental can provide optimum conditions to experience a different yet authentic way of being that is true and honourable to yourself.
The fundamental elements of presence, authenticity and safety are to me the most important part of the relationship, from this place we can begin to introduce different experiential ways of working that can include somatic therapies.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy works with what is happening in the body in the moment. Unprocessed trauma memory is stored in the body, and keeps showing up as it wants to complete its trauma process. By working with the here and now experience in the body we can safely help you complete stuck trauma responses, helping you, over time to reach a sense of safety and equilibrium which is the desired internal state. Working this way involves building resources and safe connections, either with myself, others or with the horses and nature if we are doing equine assisted therapy.
I offer a supportive and welcoming professional service based on 25 years of experience working with people in a helping role including:
Care of older people
Palliative care
Care in the community
Support work for young homeless people
Youth worker
Volunteering at the night shelter for the homeless.
and 13 years as a professional counsellor
I have worked with people of all ages and respect and value the individuality of each person I work with.
It's your journey and it would be an honour and a privilege to walk some of the way with you.
I have trained with:
- Bristol University and Sweet Track CPCAB level 5 in psychospiritual counselling
- LEAP Equine assisted psychotherapy,
- EQUUSOMA trauma informed equine interventions,
- Aspire Autism Consultancy training
- Understanding ADHD
- How to assess pre diagnostic assessments
- Mindfulness based stress reduction
- Mindfulness based Compassionate living,
- Working with complex trauma
- Polyvagal theory
- Working with gender identity
- The neurobiology of autism and ADHD
- Working with dissociation
- Attachment theory
- Trauma informed yoga
- NCFED Eating disorders therapy,
- level 3 Youth Work Diploma,
- Somatic Trauma Therapy Training with Babette Rothschild,
- Eco therapy training,
- Kundalini yoga teacher training
- Currently a Somatic Experiencing student
I work with clients aged 11 plus, including adults.
OTHER SERVICES:
Pre-diagnostic autism and ADHD assessments
Eating Disorder therapy program
Autism and ADHD focussed support, room based, equine or outdoor therapy
School avoidance support, room based or equine assisted psychotherapy
THERAPEUTIC RETREATS
These are held with the horses, within the beautiful Somerset countryside and can involve meditation and connection programmes, Kundalini yoga, Reiki, Mindfulness, Nature connection and Equine therapy. The retreats are designed to meet your individual needs and can be held for one, or two days. Please contact me for more information
Thank you for reading
Training, qualifications & experience
I am 45 years of age and have experience that has given me a passion for helping and supporting people who may be experiencing difficulties. I have supported older people and young people in a listening capacity for 25 years. I am qualified to Level 5 CPCAB Diploma level in Psycho-spiritual Counselling and psychotherapy and am an accredited member of the National Counselling Society, I am also a LEAP qualified Equine Assisted Psychotherapist and a qualified youth worker. I have also done extensive re-wilding and eco-psychology training. I have completed the National Centre for Eating Disorders Practitioner training, EQUUSOMA trauma informed equine interventions, Diploma in Trauma therapy, and Somatic trauma therapy training, Im also a Kundalini yoga teacher and Reiki practitioner.
I'm also currently completing my training as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
I have also completed a vast range of professional development training and activities including:
Mindfulness based stress reduction
Mindfulness based compassionate living
Autism and ADHD training
OCD training
Polyvagal theory training
Group therapy training
LGBTQ+ training
Dissociative Identity Disorder training
Alongside a variety of books including focus on social justice and the medicalisation of society.
Chakra psychology
Attachment trauma
IFS and Somatic therapy.
Member organisations
school 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.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. 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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Autism and neurodiversity and trauma, as seperate issues, or autistic/neurodiverse people who have been affected by trauma, or who have found their diagnosis and life experience traumatic as a result.
I also am very passionate about working with minority/diverse groups.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Limited concession spaces available.
Currently no concession spaces available.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
Online sessions also available various days and times, please contact to check availability.
Please enquire regarding appointments available
Further information
I honour and value people and am gifted in being able to empathise. I am honest and transparent and accept individuals with a nonjudgemental attitude.
I work creatively to adapt to each individual client; recognising potential, goals and aspiration even in the darkest corners of life, to reconnect people with life and themselves.
