Niki Ridgley

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FDA Integrative Counselling; Registered MBACP (Accredited).
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Dorking, Surrey, RH4
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am an experienced BACP accredited counsellor and psychotherapist, and I work with adults and young people, both face to face and online. My personal style is warm and empathic and I offer a safe, confidential and non judgemental environment in which you can explore any issues that are causing you concern or preventing you from living life in the way you want to. My private practice is located in Dorking, within easy reach of Leatherhead, Reigate and Crawley and has free off road parking. 

I am able to work with you at your own pace, on an open ended basis, or for a shorter time period which we can agree together. My aim is to enable you to find ways to manage any issues or concerns you may be experiencing, no matter how big or small.

As each of us is different and unique, I will work with your individual needs by offering an "integrative" approach, using a range of different therapeutic tools to suit you. My therapeutic approach is based on Person Centred, Psychodynamic and Transpersonal theory. I also have training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and may use CBT tools and techniques when I feel it will be helpful.

HOW COUNSELLING CAN HELP
From time to time we all have difficulties which affect our mental health and wellbeing, whether due to relationship or family issues, loss of a loved one, or work/employment related stress for example. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed with anxious feelings or unhelpful thoughts; or become stuck in unhealthy relationships, or patterns of beliefs and behaviour which can affect our emotional and physical health. Difficult childhood experiences can also profoundly affect us as we go through different stages of our adult life. Talking to a trained counsellor will offer you a confidential and safe environment to explore any issues which are causing concern or distress,  helping you to develop your own inner strength and resources, and find more helpful coping strategies and ways of viewing things. Counselling can also help you develop fresh insights into aspects of your life, enabling you to process your emotions and feelings, and find new ways of thinking abut things. I believe we all have the capacity to fulfil our own unique potential, and for me it is a privilege work with people and support them to find their own answers, and discover ways forward that work best for them as individuals.


Training, qualifications & experience

Qualifications:
Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling (Greenwich University)
NCFE Certificates in Counselling Skills and Theory (Guildford College)
BA Hons Degree in English (Leeds University)
Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources (Leeds Metropolitan University)

I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist (Registered MBACP (Accred)).

I am experienced in helping adults and young people who are experiencing a wide range of difficulties, including:

Relationship issues; anxiety; abuse; depression; trauma, PTSD, bereavement, stress/burnout; anger; alcohol/drug issues; family issues; self esteem; bullying; childhood issues; domestic abuse; identity issues.

Training

I trained as an Integrative Therapist at Guildford College between 2010 and 2012. This covered Psychodynamic theory which looks at how our childhood experience may contribute to unhelpful patterns of behaviour and attachment styles in the present; Humanistic (person centred) theory which is about building a safe and secure therapeutic relationship between therapist and client; and Transpersonal theories, looking at subconscious thoughts, feelings and beliefs which may be underlying present day behaviours. 

Prior to this I spent 2 years studying Counselling Skills also at Guildford College. 

Additionally, I have training and several years experience as an Addictions Counsellor for Catalyst, which included drug, alcohol and gambling addictions as well as working with family members affected by the addiction. 

In 2018 I trained in Domestic Abuse with East Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (ESDAS), and now volunteer as a counsellor, trained in Trauma and PTSD, and working with clients who are experiencing, or recovering from Domestic Abuse.

I have some training in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), which is particularly helpful for depression, anxiety, phobias and OCD (obsessive compulsive behaviour). CBT gives tools and coping strategies to help you manage "unhelpful" thinking patterns and beliefs, which may be keeping you stuck in negative cycles of behaviour.

I have volunteered as a counsellor for The Youth Counselling Service and have training and experience of working with adolescents and young people from 12 to 25 years of age.

I receive regular supervision with an experienced professional, in line with BACP requirements, which helps me to develop and reflect upon my counselling practice so that I am able to deliver the best service I can to my clients.

I have also had training in Transactional Analysis which looks at how patterns of relating to others may become distorted by us taking on a childlike or parental rather than adult role.

In addition to my counselling experience I have had other valuable work and life experience. For example,  I worked for a number of years at the Citizen's Advice Bureau in Dorking as an Adviser, helping people with issues such as relationship breakdown, employment, debt, benefits and housing.
I have also worked for Familyline, a telephone listening service for people with family and relationship problems, including divorce/separation, teenagers and young people's issues, parenting, step-parenting etc.
In my previous career, I worked in HR and training for several years. This means I am able to work effectively with clients who are going through difficulties at work such as stress, burn out, bullying, or career change, etc.

Member organisations

Registered / Accredited

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
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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Photos & videos

Fees

£60.00 per session
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session

Additional information

I offer a free 30 minute introductory session either face to face, online or by telephone. This will help you to get an idea of how I work before you commit to having counselling and I will also get a sense of what is bringing you to counselling and how I can help. 

I am currently offering face to face sessions and can also offer online counselling on Zoom or What's App video, depending on your individual needs.

Cost of face to face and online sessions is £60.00 per 50 minute session.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I work on weekdays, latest appointment 5.30pm.

Further information

When I receive your phone or email contact, we can arrange an initial "taster" session, which would last for up to 60 minutes. Here, we can discuss what has brought you to counselling, and how best we can work together. At this session I will be able to answer any questions you may have about counselling. I am happy to discuss things informally, free of charge over the phone if you wish, before arranging an initial appointment.


If you decide to go ahead with counselling sessions, we will decide together a suitable time slot which will be available for you on a weekly basis for as long as appropriate for you. Initially it is helpful to have 6 sessions, in order to establish the therapeutic relationship, and then review how you feel about continuing.  From this basis, the number of weeks counselling will depend on your individual needs. We will agree this between ourselves and keep it under review as our work progresses.
Counselling sessions last for 50 minutes and are held weekly.  If possible appointments will be at the same time each week, however, this can be flexible depending on clients' needs to fit in with lifestyle demands.

Please feel free to contact me by:

email: niki.ridgley@btinternet.com
Telephone: 07980 354495

Dorking, Surrey, RH4

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Young people
Adults
Older adults
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

There is parking on the driveway outside my premises

Online platforms

Whatsapp
Zoom

Social

Niki Ridgley
Niki Ridgley