Paula de Souza
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, I’m Paula. We all face difficult times in life. This could be current life events or relationship problems, feelings such as anxiety or depression, or issues from the past. In the supportive environment of counselling you can explore not only your thoughts, feelings and experiences but how you would like to move forward. Counselling can help us to untangle the threads when life feels difficult. It can help us to find clarity, work out our next steps and move towards living the life we want.
I see counselling as a process and my aim is to provide a safe space where you can be heard and we can work together at your pace, on whatever is most important to you. My approach to counselling is integrative which means I can draw upon different theories and techniques depending on what you need. But my main approach is person-centred and this means that I want to be led by you as you know your life best. The relationship we build is crucial and through building a strong and trusting, non-judgemental relationship, I will help you navigate your way through to where you want to be.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a qualified integrative counsellor and Registered Member with the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy).
I also have over 20 years’ experience working for various physical and mental health charities supporting people affected by conditions such as stroke, dementia and cancer, as well as depression, anxiety, OCD and eating disorders. These experiences have helped to inform me as a counsellor.
I have experience in counselling clients with a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, stress, work issues, relationship problems, sexual abuse and past trauma, inner child work, physical health issues, and with those caring for others.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Guilt and shame, Inner child work
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 - £60.00
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Concessions offered to those on low incomes.
Further information
This might be the first time you are exploring counselling, or you may have had some past experience. Either way, it’s not always easy to reach out for help but it is the first step in moving forward.
Finding the right therapist is important so if you are interested in working with me I can offer a free no obligation 20 minute phone or Zoom call to help you decide whether you would like us to work together.
Ongoing sessions last 50 minutes and take place weekly or fortnightly.
