Michelle Pritchard
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Perhaps you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or are struggling with painful emotions you find hard to share with others? I am a fully qualified, experienced, BACP- registered counsellor providing a safe, supportive space to help you feel heard and understood.
Together, we’ll build a trusting relationship to explore your challenges, no matter where you are in life, and work toward greater insight and improved wellbeing. You are welcome whatever your age, gender, sexuality or background.
I've worked with people from all walks of life; students grappling with the complexities of life away from home, women struggling with the pressures of various life stages; motherhood, relationship breakdown, career change or menopause and those facing the dilemmas of bereavement, exploring sexuality or in the grip of depression. You'll find me an attentive and patient listener, who'll work at your pace and help you to find your way through.
How can counselling help?
As a psychodynamic counsellor, I offer a warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental environment to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Sometimes, we'll be talking about the difficulties you are facing right now, other times we might look at your earlier life. Often the challenges you are dealing with now are linked to unconscious patterns rooted in your past. Making these links together can help you to better understand and navigate your life today.
What to expect in a first session?
I understand it can be difficult to reach out for counselling. I offer a free 15 minute phone chat where we can discuss what's troubling you and consider cost and timings. After this if you'd like to meet I will offer you an initial 50 minute session. We can explore your issues further and what you hope to get out of counselling. If my style of counselling suits you and we can then continue with regular sessions.
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold a Certificate and Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling from the Counselling Foundation, Hertfordshire. I am now advancing my expertise working towards a Master's level psychotherapy qualification. As well as my private practice, I work as a counsellor for a charity, supporting a breadth of clients in St Albans and Luton.
Previously, I spent 17 years as a BANT-registered Nutritional Therapist working with individuals to help them improve their health and overall well-being. During this time I learnt the value of active listening for supporting people's mental health and chose to specialise in this area by becoming a counsellor.
Member organisations
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer a free, initial 15 minute telephone consultation. Please contact me my via email to arrange a convenient time-slot.
I offer weekly, 50 minutes sessions.
When I work
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Further information
I have some availability on Thursday morning for on-line/in person counselling. My therapy room is located just outside St Albans with free parking available.
The room is access via a flight of stairs.
