Michelle Higgins
Verified Professional
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verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
young people's counsellor
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
About me
I am a registered and accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I am passionate about working with children and young people, as well as those who teach, support and care for them. I am inspired by young people's resilience and their ability to over-come difficult experiences. To be invited into their lives and to be a part of their growth and development is a privilege.
I am a humanistic person centred counsellor. This means that I follow the lead of my client and seek to really understand their experience. I aim to create a warm and welcoming space so that children, young people and adults feel safe and can begin to build a relationship of trust with me. I believe that when people feel accepted, valued and understood by a counsellor, they are able to explore difficult issues and can begin to make sense of their experiences and feelings. When this happens, the intensity of difficult feelings may lessen and become more manageable, options of ways forward might begin to emerge, and views or beliefs can change bringing about a new perspective and a new way of being.
I have an arts background and use creativity as a route to expression with those clients who find making and creating a helpful and meaningful process.
I am committed to continuing professional development. I attend regular training to update my knowledge and skills.
I have strong ethical values and personal integrity.
(Qualification certificates available to view on request)
Training, qualifications & experience
I have a Master of Arts in counselling and psychotherapy
In addition to my private practice work, I currently work as an associate lecturer with the Open University. Previously I have worked as a counsellor in further and secondary education, child and adolescent mental health practitioner, parent and family support practitioner, youth project worker and drama teacher in further education.
I am experienced in working with children, young people and adults who present with a range of issues including: bereavement and loss, anxiety, stress, low mood, family issues, eating difficulties, gender issues, illness, sexuality issues, substance misuse, cultural issues, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and feelings.
Member organisations
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.
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
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Photos & videos
Fees
From £45.00
Free initial telephone session
When I work
Day and evening appointments
