Paula Coles BACP ACCREDITED BA Hons, MEd (Psych), PGCE,Dip.HE,PG.Cert.HE
About me
Paula is a highly experienced BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor with nearly 25 years experience, working in independent practice. She has Graduate Basis for Chartered membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and is a recognised Consultant provider of Clinical Psychotherapy for BUPA. She is also fully trained for Critical Incident Debriefing.
Paula always works to the highest standards, having an unusually high level of expertise, experience and qualifications. She offers a confidential service based on the importance of developing a secure and trusting therapeutic relationship.
Paula’s approach is one of warmth and support with the aim of helping clients achieve the change they desire to improve their life and wellbeing. She has tremendous faith in the therapeutic process from having helped so many people improve their lives.
Good therapy, with a skilled and experienced Psychotherapist, provides long-lasting benefits, giving people the tools to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome challenges. Paula has particular skill in creating a safe space for the client in the therapy room which will eventually make the world outside less overwhelming, scary or upsetting. The benefits obtained from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving communications and listening skills
- Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your relationships
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
Paula has excellent experience of working with individuals and groups around presenting issues such as; anxiety, stress, abuse, sex and relationship problems, depression, stress, eating disorders, mood disorders, PTSD, addiction and bereavement.
She has an outstanding history of working well with clients who have been previously frustrated in their search for change through therapy. Her research background involved the creation of innovative evidence based practice systems. She has developed excellent tools for clients to use in therapy which help ensure that they have a clear understanding of what their goals are and if they are being met by therapy, enabling them to feel positive and engaged in the process.
She is able to provide individual short and long term psychotherapy for adults and young people and Clinical Supervision for trainee and experienced Therapists.
As a fully BACP accredited Psychotherapist, Paula abides by the BACP Code of Ethics.
Paula has an up to date enhanced DBS check for both adults and children.
Training, qualifications & experience
Experience
Paula has almost 25 years of clinical experience. She spent ten years working as a Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor (managing the work of Counsellors) for the award winning Southampton Rape Crisis. She provided short and long term individual Psychotherapy and set up and ran therapeutic groups. In addition, she set up a groundbreaking Young People's Service, which provided a specialist place for young people to engage with creative therapy.
She has also worked for Hampshire County Council's Employee Support service providing short-term, solution-focused therapy and stress management, enabling clients to manage difficulties and return to work.
Her time with these services gave her a good working knowledge of referral to additional services and of NHS mental health services should they be required.
Paula is qualified to apply a range of psychological models including Humanistic, Integrative, EMDR for trauma, CBT, REBT and Solution-focused short term work. She is also able to offer creative and art based therapy, Mindfulness Meditation and Stress management.
Her specialist training in EMDR makes her a hugely skilled Therapist for PTSD and trauma.
Paula is fully trained in Critical Incident Debriefing.
Paula also has a long professional history of working as a Teacher and Lecturer specialising in emotional and behavioural differences. She has also taught and trained Counsellors and other professionals such as Police officers and Social Workers and provides consultant groups for a large fostering agency.
She has always enjoyed staying up to date with training and research and has completed a huge amount of additional courses such as: Mindfulness, Sex therapy, Stress management, working with Self Harm, DBT and Family therapy. She has also attended many conferences with the National Rape Crisis Federation and Hampshire County Council. She was also part of working group looking at suicide reduction interventions in Southampton.
She has published articles and written as a specialist for the media, consulting on Psychological issues, with a particular interest in anxiety, stress, parenting and psychosexual problems.
Training & qualifications
- Counselling Certificate, Sheffield Hallam University.
- Diploma of Higher Education in Counselling Skills Theory and Practice, University of Southampton.
- Post-graduate Certificate in Advanced Studies in CAS Counselling Supervision Theory and Practice (Distinction), University of Southampton.
- BACP Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist status since 2005.
- M.Ed Psychology (Commendation), University of Bristol.
(Specialising in Counselling Group Work and therapeutic work for Mental Health. Including Graduate basis for chartered membership of the British Psychological Society.) - EMDR Certificate.
- Working with sexual dysfunction, Mary Clegg Institute.
- Mindfulness for Sexual Problems, Tavistock Relationships, London.
- Foundation in Art Therapy , British Association of Art therapists , London.
- Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy , Albert Ellis institute, New York City.
- PhD Research into Trauma, University of Roehampton.
- Primary Care Certificate in CBT (Cognitive behavioural Therapy) (BPS accredited), The Centre for Stress Management, London.
- Primary Care Certificate in Stress Management [BPS accredited], The Centre for Stress Management, London.
- Primary Care Certificate in Solution Focused Therapy [BPS accredited], The Centre for Stress Management, London.
- Critical Incident Debriefing
- B.A (Hons), University of Leeds.
- P.G.C.E., University of Leicester.
- Certificate of Education (Emotional and Behavioural Differences), University of Winchester.
- In addition Paula has attended a large amount of short courses and workshops.
Recent articles
https://happiful.com/making-wfh-work-for-you/
https://happiful.com/what-is-sensory-deprivation/https://issuu.com/happiful/docs/happiful_february_2020/s/10207014
https://issuu.com/happiful/docs/happiful_february_2020/s/10207014
https://happiful.com/4-ways-to-avoid-burnout-after-graduation/
https://greatist.com/live/mother-daughter-jealousy#1
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/inspire/life/could-mental-health-issues-help-with-parenting
https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/pannzg/sexual-harrassment-at-uk-universities
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/blog/2018/05/14/parental-stress-impacts-children/
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/a-year-of-metoo-whats-changed_uk_
https://metro.co.uk/2019/02/14/why-our-scheduling-obsession-may-be-bad-news-for-our-kids-8620332/
Member organisations
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.
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Paula has outstanding success rates working with anxiety and stress. Paula has particular expertise in working with abuse and those who have experienced sexual violence. She is exceptionally skilled in Psychosexual therapy.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
Individuals £70 per 50 minute session.
Couples £80 per 50 minute session.
Reduced fees may be available for a limited number of clients on a low income.
BUPA recognised Consultant provider of Psychotherapy.
Please contact me for rates for Clinical Supervision.
EMDR prices on request
Critical Incident Debriefing quotations on request.
If you are wondering if Psychotherapy may be able to help you or a loved one, please feel free to contact me.
pcolescouns@hotmail.com
Further information
An initial consultation will allow us to discuss if Psychotherapy may be useful to you. If for whatever reason I feel another Practitioner or service may be more suitable for your needs I will be able to refer you to other individuals or agencies.
Easily accessible by public transport.
Off-road parking available.
