Nicol Thomas
Verified Professional
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verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
MBACP BA Hons
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
About me
Hi, I am a professionally qualified, experienced counsellor, offering you a compassionate, safe, non-judgemental and confidential space to share whatever is troubling you. By choosing to take this courageous first step you begin your journey towards overcoming difficulties, changing, healing and moving forward. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, low self esteem, bereavement, trauma, eating issues, abuse or other difficulties I believe that through our work together you will be enabled to explore and understand your life experience and yourself, empowering you to overcome difficulties and move forward to a more positive place.
My Approach
A degree in Person-Centred counselling provides the foundation for the way I work, I aim to create an open therapeutic relationship where you feel safe, heard, understood, valued and warmly accepted. My way of working is further informed and enriched through my life experience; a varied teaching career, a psychology degree, additional professional training and working as a therapist at MIND and independently. I am able to draw ideas and strategies form other therapeutic theories and approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Inner Child Therapy, Mindfulness, Creative approaches, Transactional Analysis and Attachment Theory. I believe everyone is unique and endeavour to tailor my practice to offer each individual a therapeutic experience that best fits their unique self and circumstances, enabling them to become more self aware and find a more positive way forward.
How Counselling works
There are many different talking therapies but research evidence consistently finds that a trusting relationship, built on acceptance, understanding and openness between you and your counsellor, is the most important ingredient in assisting you to explore and make sense of yourself and your life.
You will come to recognise how life experiences have shaped your thoughts, feelings, responses and behaviours. This process of sharing, exploration and understanding reveals solutions, increases your resilience, self worth and self esteem enabling you to grow and change.
Our first session.
This session lasts for approximately 50 minutes during which we will explore what has brought you into counselling. It is an opportunity for me to get to know you and for you to find out if I am the right person for you to work with. How counselling works will be further explained so that you are able to make an informed choice as to whether you wish to continue the journey. It is also a time to consider your expectations, hopes and goals.
Training, qualifications & experience
- BA (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy
- BA (Hons) Psychology
Further training;
- Dipoloma; Working with Children and Young People
- CBT with heart
- Transactional Analysis 101
- Certificate in Eating disorders
- Inner Child Therapy
- Mental Health Issues
- Creative and Artistic Approaches,
- Addiction
- Sexual Abuse
Member organisations
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
Therapies offered
Fees
Additional information
Initial session £25, thereafter £40 per individual session
(Reduction of £20 if 6 sessions booked and paid in advance.)
When I work
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Further information
I offer brief or longer term therapy.
I offer morning, afternoon and evening appointments. Town location with easy access to M20.
I am a member of BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and on the BACP Register. I work within the BACP Ethical Framework.
I hold full Professional Indemnity insurance and have regular monthly supervision as per the requirements of BACP.
