Michelle Harrison
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Are you putting on a brave face? Keeping calm, carrying on? Maybe that’s how you get through the day at the moment. That’s a tough act to keep up - and perhaps you’re at a point where you’re struggling to keep saying “I’m fine” or “It’s okay”.
If you feel like you want someone to understand what you’re really going through, a counsellor can be that person. I offer a space where you can talk about how you honestly feel, or maybe start to get a sense of that. I won’t judge you or make assumptions about what it’s like to be you. I’ll listen and do my best to support you.
I specialise in helping people to carry on going, or to get going again when they get stuck - because life can be really hard sometimes, can't it? Sometimes there’s tricky stuff that happened in the past, or there’s stuff we’re going through now. Family issues? Life changes? Loneliness? Anxiety? Feeling sad? These are all areas where I have supported people like you to feel better.
If you're worrying about reaching out, I understand. Maybe you've been struggling alone for a long time, and that seems the only way to manage. If self-help hasn't made a big impact for you so far, professional support now could make a big difference.
Training, qualifications & experience
I’m a clinical psychotherapist and counsellor, a parent, a former teacher - and a unique human being! I have experience volunteering with the NHS and for a local mental health charity. My practice is called Senses Psychotherapy and Counselling, and I work from a friendly clinic in Mansfield Woodhouse and online.
I'm an accredited member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling Practitioners (BACP). These organisations set a high standard for ethical practice, insisting that members offer safe and non-judgemental support. I hold an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy from the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute in Nottingham, affiliated to Staffordshire University. This rigorous training process included 4 years of my own personal therapy and regular consultation with senior therapists.
My research interest in chronic pain and the impact of supportive relationships means that I am constantly updating my knowledge in this area, collaborating with other health professionals and deeply curious about my clients' experience of pain or illness. I work with all sorts of other issues too!
I have worked with clients at different life stages, from early adulthood to elders, and I know that life changes can be particularly difficult and isolating times. I am always adding to my experience and have recently updated my training in body-aware approaches, mindfulness, intergenerational trauma and therapeutic parenting.
Before training in counselling and psychotherapy, I taught languages and supported children with learning differences. I hold a PGCE and BA (Hons) from the University of Nottingham. As well as English, I speak German, some French and a little Spanish. Ever-curious about our world and our diversity of beliefs, cultures and experience, I commit to respecting you for the unique human-being you are. I look forward to meeting you.
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.
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.
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
I have an active interest in working with adults who experienced a boarding school education.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
I offer a free, 20 minute telephone consultation to help you to decide whether I'm the right person to support you.
My current fee is £55 per full session (50 minutes), in-person or online. Concessionary rates may occasionally be offered, please ask.
When I work
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I currently have face-to-face availability on Thursday lunchtimes only. Other times will be available within several weeks so please contact me to discuss what might work for you.
Further information
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, by email or phone. I aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours, often sooner. When getting in touch, let me know the best way and time to contact you.
