Nicky Bates
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Hello and thank you for landing on my profile page. Are you currently suffering from anxiety or overwhelm, or feel that you are not getting the most out of life and what it has to offer?
I appreciate that there are a lot of counsellors on here to choose from, so therefore it has to be absolutely the right fit for you!
Before entering the counselling world…
I was a qualified nurse for over 20 years. Unfortunately, the higher up the nursing ladder I climbed the move removed from patients I became.
I decided to branch out into counselling as I felt this was where my fundamental skill set lies. I believed that by giving patients a few minutes of my time each day, was better than any medication that was prescribed for them. People need to feel valued, people need to feel accepted and they certainly need to feel heard.
Based in central Andover, I offer a non-judgemental approach built on the pillars of Gestalt and Humanistic theory. What this means is that we work creatively with what is happening for you right now. Working in the here and now I offer a calm relaxing environment. It is your time and space, it is about you and for you to discuss whatever is concerning you at this moment in time.
My main areas of expertise are anxiety, overwhelm, loss, bereavement, neurodiversity and trauma work. I have recently been working with teenagers with anxiety, self-harm tendencies, OCD and intrusive thoughts.
I have also been fortunate to be working closely with the local council, army, police and teaching authorities.
Student Counsellors
I have over the last few months been approved by local colleges/university to work with level 4 student counsellors. I am really enjoying this newer aspect of my role.
So how do I work!
By using creative tools such as worksheets, metaphors, mini whiteboards, mood cards in the sessions it can unlock issues from the past in a safe contained and often an illuminating way!
I am back doing face to face sessions, however I will continue to offer online counselling via Skype, Face-Time, WhatsApp or Zoom
So How Can Counselling Help Me?
Sometimes life events can become too much and with the 24 - 7 lives we now lead it can start to impact in all areas of our lives. Counselling can help identify, clarify, and often even simplify problematic thoughts and feelings.
In life and in therapeutic encounters we can find ourselves going around in circles, being unproductive or procrastinating about the things, which we should be doing or those that we want to do. The process of therapy allows us to not simply note these patterns and habits, but offers us the space to creatively think about them, find new more flexible ways of adapting.
Creativity is everywhere in life, it is within our minds and our souls and developing it adds to our sense of self, our placement within the world and gives us purpose and meaning. By working creatively it can also help us unlock our true potential and bring about an awareness of self.
Awareness = Choice = Change
Counselling offered to all!
I take pride in making my services accessible to all sectors of the community and I work with teenagers 15+, I also hugely welcome clients from the LGBTQ+ community. I also welcome and work very well with Neurodiverse clients, and have had some amazing break throughs. These individuals had been written off by a society that just didn’t understand them!
My proudest moment to date is getting three young adults back into education 2 in college and 1 in uni! They are now excelling in courses that are right for them.
I believe diversity and equality should be embraced and encouraged and not seen with disparity. Never write any one off!
Training, qualifications & experience
Counselling Qualifications
- Level 5 Diploma of Higher Education in Humanistic Gestalt Counselling 2019
- Level 4 Diploma of Higher Education in Humanistic Gestalt Counselling 2018
- ABC Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills 2014
- Level 2 Basics of Counselling 2012
- Part of the Olive Branch Training Team March 2020- current
Nursing Qualifications
- DIP HE Nursing Studies (Adult) 1997-2000
- City & Guilds in Family & Community Care 1985-1987
- City & Guilds in Health Promotion 2001
- 998 Assessor & Trainer Critical Care 2006-7
- Qualified First Aid Trainer/Mindfulness/Stress in the Workplace Provider 2013-current
Volunteer Work
I have just returned from Djibouti in Africa where I volunteered at a school and supported the local community. It was a life changing experience. I hope to return in 2023!
I volunteered for 6 years as a student counsellor, then as part of the training team for The Olive Branch Winchester.
Professional Standards
- I work within and uphold to the key ethical principles and values as stipulated by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists (BACP).
- I have fortnightly Supervision with a qualified Psychotherapist/Counselling Supervisor who is also Gestalt qualified.
- I hold a recent Uk Disclosure Certificate
- I can also travel to your workplace to teach a variety of first aid and other courses
- I am also on the Committee of the Jamie G Sporting Trust
Workshops and Professional CPD Training Attended
- 1 Day Creative Workshop January 2019
- Domestic Violence workshop March 2019
- 1 Day Workshop Let's Talk About Sex June 2019
- 1 Day Workshop Attachment Theory July 2019
- Dual-Diagnosis Workshop September 2019
- DISC profiling Workshop October 2019
- Facilitated Creative Day Workshop February 2020
- 1 Day Workshop Attachment Theory February 2020
- Loss in Lockdown Series April-ongoing
- 1 Day Workshop on The Counsellors Attachment Style October 2020
- Evening Workshop on Addiction May 2021
- Facilitated Creative Workshop May 2022
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I have worked very closely with clients who have suffered from
- Abuse- sexual-mental-physical
- Addiction-drugs-alcohol
- Anxiety & Panic Attacks- GAD
- Bereavement-grief-loss-sudden death child/adult
- Bullying
- Cancer
- disability
- discrimination
- Low self worth-self esteem
- Self Harm
- OCD
- Bipolar
- Split Personality Disorder
- PTSD
- Suicidal Tendencies
- Exam Anxiety
- Intrusive Thoughts
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£45.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session
I offer an initial face to face or telephone/Zoom consultation for half an hour at the cost of £20. This is to explore what is concerning you at this moment in time, and whether you think my style of counselling is the right fit for you. I call this a meet and greet.
If you do decide counselling is for you then, I offer regular sessions 50 minutes in length at a cost of £45.00 per session. I Currently have availability Monday-Thursday with some evening appointments available.
I now offer online counselling either via WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom or Face-Time. This is to enable more accessible counselling.
Ample parking space provided.
Concessions for low income earners/elderly, young people and a discount for students with valid NUS are available.
When I work
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Monday-Thursday 10am-6pm
Further information
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I hold full professional indemnity insurance and a current enhanced DBS.
The TLC Counselling Hub is registered with Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and protects all client data in line with the current General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines. For more information and to read my privacy policy please visit my website www.tlccounsellinghub.co.uk
Finally it is all about you!
I love working creatively with my clients. To watch them grow and transform is what counselling is all about for me.
