This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello,
I am Nicola-Patricia, I am a qualified BACP registered psychodynamic counsellor who works in line with the BACP code of ethics.
My interest in counselling and psychotherapy was sparked by going through my own personal therapy in my mid-twenties which has changed my course in life in many ways. It encouraged me to do a degree in psychology and to train as a counsellor after working for several years for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities. In the last 14 years, I’ve worked in a range of mental health settings and counselling & psychotherapy services, such as Secondary NHS Mental Health Services, Counselling in Employee Assistant Services, as well as Specialist Eating Disorder and Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Services.
At the moment, I offer individual psychodynamic counselling. It is a type of open talking therapy which is based on ideas and techniques from psychoanalysis. I offer a confidential and containing space where we can understand in more depth sometimes quite complex emotional and relational problems. These can be based on both conscious and unconscious patterns of thinking, feeling and relating which we aim to understand in more depth in our sessions. This allows to offer some relief.
What is psychodynamic counselling?
People come to counselling because they feel distressed, sometimes by quite complex emotional and relational problems, including loss and bereavement. These problems can be based on both conscious and unconscious patterns of thinking, feeling and relating - sometimes noticeable by repeating unhelpful patterns of relationships or behaviours/actions.
I can work in a problem-centred way, but I will use the presenting problem as a way to become more aware and understand in more depth the underlying emotional problems. I might explore with you your childhood/early experiences and how they may have also influenced your later life experiences. I aim to help you to gain some insights by exploring those experiences: for example, what you’ve learned about yourself and the world around you at that time, as well as what impact it had on how you relate to yourself and others today.
Talking about your experiences can give a sense of being understood which may allow for better emotional coping and more deep-seated changes in time. Conversations about your past and present may perhaps encourage you to live in line with a sense of ‘true’ self – this might show itself by an increasing ability to make choices in line with your felt experiences, needs or wishes. It may help to break complex relationship patterns which you somehow repeated in the past despite finding them unhelpful and better connections.
How do I deliver therapy?
I offer Long term sessions, Long-term face-to-face work, Online therapy, Short term sessions, Short-term face-to-face work, Time-limited counselling.
Continuing Professional Development?
I attend regularly additional trainings/CPDs on a range of themes – e.g. Safeguarding Adults and Children, Trauma, Narcissism, Fertility issues (e.g. I've done a BICA training), Pregnancy and Infant Loss (I am a Certified Rainbow Baby Specialist by the Infant Loss Foundation).
Training, qualifications & experience
Training
- Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling (Wessex Counselling & Psychotherapy, accredited by the BACP and BPC)
- Diploma in Relationship Counselling (Relate, accredited by CPCAB)
- BSc (Hons) Psychology (GMBPsS) & MSc in Psychological Counselling
- Certificate in HE in Psychodynamic Counselling and Organisational Dynamics (Birkbeck College, University of London)
- I commit myself to ongoing CPDs – e.g. Safeguarding Adults and Children, Narcissism, Fertility issues (BICA training), Pregnancy and Infant Loss training (I am a Certified Rainbow Baby Specialist by the Infant Loss Foundation).
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
Fees
£55.00 per session
Additional information
I can offer counselling in German and English
Further information
My first session
I’d be so pleased to hear from you if you are interested in a first (trial) session for 50 minutes. It gives you a chance to meet me and to discuss what your current difficulties and reasons are to seek counselling. It involves an assessment, in order to get a chance to hear more details of your current situation and your history, for example of your problem.
You can get a sense of how psychodynamic sessions might work and if there is a good therapeutic fit, especially since a therapeutic relationship is vital in psychodynamic counselling.
If you wish to continue, our sessions will be 50 minutes long on a weekly basis at the same day and time, either short-term (between 6 - 20 sessions) or open ended. Missed or cancelled sessions are chargeable.
I work face-to-face in Bude or online via Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp App or Skype.