Nicola (Niki) Lewarne


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Registered MBACP (accredited)
Psychotherapeutic Counsellor
Play therapy, Thrive & Protective Behaviours practitioner, Coach & Supervisor
“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.” ― Brené Brown
At some point in our lives most of us will experience difficulties or events affecting our emotional wellness and there are times when it is more appropriate to find help outside of our usual support networks of loved ones, friends or collegues. Counselling provides a confidential, supportive space to use at such times.
I am an experienced professional committed to working with my clients to find the most appropriate way to support them; building a relationship of trust and safety they can use to explore their issues, resolve the past, deal with the present, consider the future - their needs and process are met with acceptance and warmth.
I have experience in a variety of other professional roles at all levels of business and in the voluntary sector and in many personal roles including a carer, partner and parent.
Essentially I am simply another human being with a range of life experiences and some specific expertise.
I work with adults and young people, with issues including:- anxiety; depression; all types of abuse; addiction; phobias; trauma; self harm; major life changes; bereavement, grief, loss and attachment issues. I also have experience with agoraphobia and hoarding.
In addition, I work with schools and social enterprise groups, offering counselling, psycho educational group work, training and emotional wellness support to the entire school community - pupils, parents and staff. I offer inset training for staff and supervision to support staff and Headteachers with the mental and emotional health issues they increasingly manage in their work with young people. I support business leaders and professionals to manage stress and interpersonal relationships at work and home.
As a Thrive and Protective Behaviours Practitioner I am able to provide guidance and strategies to support children at home and at school and often work with parents and carers in this way.
I am a qualified therapeutic supervisor, Coach, Trainer and Mindfulness Teacher.
Training, qualifications & experience
- CPCAB Certificate in Initial Counselling Skills (2004)
- CPCAB Certificate in Counselling Skills (2005)
- CPCAB Certificate in Counselling Studies (2006)
- CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (2006-2008)
- Rape Crisis Sexual Violence Training Course (2007)
- Peace Hospice Bereavement Training (2007)
- Solution Focused Brief Therapy (2008)
- Creative Arts in Therapy (2009)
- Counselling Children and Young People (2009)
- nocn Children Matter: Training for Professionals working with Children and Young People L3 (2010)
- Attachment Theory and it’s applications (2011)
- Ascentis Award in Clinical Supervision (2013)
- Safeguarding - Child Protection trained (annual)
- Protective Behaviours Facilitator (2015-18)
- Mindfulness Teacher Training (2018)
- Youth Mindfulness Teacher Training (2019)
- Mindfulness in Schools .b Training (2019)
- Thrive Approach Licensed Practitioner Training (2019-20)
- Protective Behaviours Trainer (2020)
- Certificate in Coaching (2022)
Examples of other relevant CPD - Substance Misuse Training - Working with the suicidal client - Anger Therapy - Working with the grieving adolescent - Attachment Theory in relation to separation, loss and grief - Essential brief therapy strategies - Guided imagery and visualisation for therapeutic change - Working with clients who self harm - Understanding Cannabis – Death and Dying - Introduction to Sand Tray Studies - Sand Play Therapy – E-Safety - Loss & Love - Working with awareness and with the impact of the Practitioner’s own attachment narrative – Self-care - Further Sand Tray studies – Understanding Dreams – Spontaneous Drawing for Client work and Supervision - Further Guided Visualisation training – Traumatic Bereavement workshop – Using knowledge of Neuroscience and Mindfulness – Awakening attachment needs in troubled children and teenagers – Child Protection - Creative Arts/play skills training – Working with Adolescents - Therapeutic Story Writing - Running groups - Cruse Bereavement for children and young people - Protective Behaviours trainer - mindfulness teacher for parents, adults and children.
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.

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
Protective Behaviours, Parenting, Attachment, Sibling issues, Agoraphobia, Creative therapy
Adults, Young People, Parents/carers
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 - £75.00
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Therapy rates are £60-£75 for individuals and £90-£150 for couples per session on a sliding scale.
Some concession rate sessions are available, including for counselling trainees. These are based on client need and availability.
Fees are payable at the start of each session by direct transfer, cash or cheque only.
Coaching and training fees are based on the work agreed.
When I work
Please contact me for availability.
Further information
Sessions are delivered in my discrete, dedicated counselling room. I can offer home visits where appropriate. Video calls are available and Telephone sessions can be discussed.