About me
Nick O’Brien Counselling
Alongside my professional training, I bring a wealth of varied life experience to the counselling room.
I am a Trauma-informed EMDR-trained Integrative Counsellor, and I specialise in supporting individuals from diverse, complex and hidden backgrounds - often those who feel “unseen” in society or are reluctant to engage with Health/Wellbeing services.
Individuals who perhaps feel that therapy isn’t for them, or that no one “professional” would care or be able to help.
Many of the people I work with have experiences of PTSD, self-harm, suicide ideation/experience; child and/or adult sexual abuse, addiction to alcohol/substances/gambling – as well as those navigating issues with financial/business distress; homelessness, phobias, unpaid carers, domestic abuse, boarding school syndrome, care leavers, Military veterans and those who have served prison sentences.
With each client, I tailor my communication style and therapeutic approach to meet their individual needs and complexities. As such, I have worked alongside individuals with brain injuries, diagnosed and suspected neurodiversity issues such as Autism/ADHD/AuDHD, as well as those with early-onset dementia/Alzheimer’s.
Within the counselling sessions, the client and I work together to explore past relationships and early attachment influences; identify unhelpful/negative patterns of thinking and behaviours, from a “Here and Now” lens. I aim to help the client address issues such as low mood, anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression.
I work in the South Devon area, providing face-to-face, in-person counselling in a calm and peaceful setting. I can also offer UK-wide online or telephone therapy. With either setting, clients can expect to be supported in a professional, empathetic and dignified way, so they feel held, seen and heard.
Training, qualifications & experience
I completed my counselling training placements in both community settings (GP surgeries) as well as in a custodial setting as part of the in-house HMP substance misuse service. I supported serving adult male prisoners with issues surrounding addiction, childhood trauma, sexual abuse, PTSD, and Care Leavers, as well as preparing individuals for release back into the community.
Since qualification, apart from maintaining ongoing CPD training, I have developed my professional skills to include EMDR, and I am now a trained member of EMDR UK.
As part of an external consultancy, I have worked alongside Devon & Cornwall Police in delivering awareness & cultural change training to police staff, which involved exploring attitudes/beliefs towards themes such as racism and misogyny within the workplace.
Within local corporate and business settings, I have provided a set number of counselling sessions to referred employees, supporting them in either getting back to work or navigating personal life issues, which enabled them to continue to maintain positive working routines and structure.
Prior to becoming a registered counsellor, I served in the Infantry for 10 years in conflict, frontline, and pressured environments. Post-Military, I have spent the past 25+ years as an active volunteer member of my local RNLI Lifeboat crew, saving lives at sea.
I became a Samaritans Listening volunteer for 4+ years, responding to callers who were in extreme distress - including those who were actively self-harming and/or suicidal on the telephones.
External to the above, I have also spent the past 30 years running successful independent pharmaceutical and retail businesses, navigating various unforeseen financial pressures such as recessions and economic crashes. As a family man, I felt it important to get involved with my local Primary school as the Special Education Needs Governor.
Key Qualifications:
- Level 3 & Level 4 Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling
- EMDR (UK) Parts 1, 2, 3
- Safeguarding Children & Adults Level 2
- Cert. Mental Health, Dementia & Learning Disabilities
- FCIE Mental Health First Aid Level 2
- NHS England The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disabilities & Autism Parts 1 & 2
- NHS England Data Security Awareness
- BA (Hons) Communications
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.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Men's Mental Health
- Veteran Support
- Emergency Services Support
- Prison Leavers
- Education Community
Therapies offered
Fees
£65.00 - £70.00
Additional information
£65.00 a session
For EMDR sessions, I charge £70
If you would like to work with me, I offer a free, no-obligation 20-minute Introductory session. This can either be conducted face-to-face, online, or via telephone call.
I can offer a limited number of discounted places for the following individuals:
- Low income
- Students 18+ in Higher Education
- Counselling Trainees
- Ex-military veterans / Active-serving military personnel
Please mention if you fit any of the above criteria when getting in touch for the first time. I operate a waiting list system, but I will try to accommodate any discounted places wherever I can.
Further information
Professional Memberships:
- MBACP – Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists
- MNCPS (Accred) – Accredited Registrant of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society
- EMDR UK membership no. 175860 – Eye-movement Desensitisation Reprocessing
Current Enhanced DBS certificate - 001858967493
ICO Registration number - ZB50749
