About me
Perhaps you know exactly what has brought you to counselling. Or perhaps you just know that something doesn't feel right.
You might be struggling with anxiety or self-doubt, experiencing difficulties in your relationships, going through a period of change, or finding yourself repeating patterns that you don't quite understand. You may also simply want somewhere to make sense of how you're feeling.
You don't need to have it all worked out before coming to counselling.
I'm Nicola Preece, a BACP-registered relational and integrative counsellor. I aim to offer a warm and respectful space where we can be curious about your experience together, rather than assuming there is one explanation for what you're feeling or one particular way you should be.
How I work
For me, therapy isn't only about what we talk about; the relationship we build together matters too.
Having a space where you can be heard, where we can be curious about what happens between us, and where difficulties don't have to be ignored or quickly fixed can offer an opportunity to experience relationship differently. Over time, that can open up new ways of understanding yourself and relating to others.
I work relationally and integratively, drawing particularly on person-centred values and Transactional Analysis (TA). I don't follow a one-size-fits-all approach.
I'll bring my therapeutic knowledge, curiosity and perspective, but I won't position myself as the expert on your life. For me, counselling is something we do together.
Who I work with
I welcome adults with a wide range of experiences and reasons for coming to counselling. These might include anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, stress, loss, life changes, questions around identity, or feeling stuck in patterns that are difficult to understand or change.
I also have an interest in working with students in higher education and with people whose experiences of disability or chronic illness form part of what they would like to explore.
My own lived experience of disability has contributed to my awareness of accessibility, difference and the ways our environments can affect us. At the same time, my experience is my own. I won't assume that sharing an aspect of identity or experience means that I understand what it means for you.
Every part of who you are can have a place in therapy.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a BACP Registered Member and hold a First Class BSc (Hons) in Counselling Skills and Therapeutic Communication.
Since qualifying, I have developed my counselling experience through work with charitable organisations and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), supporting adults bringing a wide range of experiences and concerns.
I am also continuing my professional development through advanced psychotherapy training with ECPT, further developing my relational and integrative practice.
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
£40.00 per session
Additional information
Sessions
I currently offer online counselling for adults aged 18+.
Sessions are 50 minutes and £40.
I also offer a free 15-minute introductory call, giving us an opportunity to briefly meet, talk about what you're looking for and get a sense of whether we might work well together.
If you have an access requirement, you're very welcome to discuss this with me. I won't assume what you need.
When I work
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Further information
Finding the right counsellor matters, and you don't need to decide straight away whether I'm the right person for you. I offer a free 15-minute introductory call, giving us an opportunity to briefly meet, talk about what you're looking for and get a sense of how it feels to speak together.
I currently work online with adults aged 18+ across the UK. Sessions are 50 minutes and cost £40.
You don't need to tell me your whole story when you first get in touch. A few words about what has brought you to counselling are enough to begin. If you have an access requirement, you're also very welcome to let me know I won't assume what you need.
