Paula Flanagan Counsellor and Supervisor BA(Hons) FdSc, MBACP
About me
Hello, my name is Paula. I know that at times we all experience difficulties in life.
Very often we are able to sort things out ourselves or with support from those close to us.
However, once in a while we may need help from someone to work out strategies to tackle a problem and listen to us without bias or judgement... that can be where counselling can come in.
I aim to create a therapeutic environment where a rapport is established with warmth and compassion, where making sense of the issues and how you feel and think about them is the starting point. Receiving counselling should be a life changing experience, it is something you will continue to use long after you have left the counselling room.
Counselling is an experience with unique qualities it may be the only time you can have someone listen, and understand, you do not have to worry that you will upset them and do not have to hide your feelings away.
Making contact whether by phone or email is the first step, and would allow me to contact you to see how I could help. An initial appointment gives you the opportunity to see what is available to you, help you understand the process and begin to establish the most important part of counselling; the relationship between the client and counsellor.
I offer a confidential service working in a solution-focused way, ensuring that you will be at the heart of the therapy, making your own decisions based upon what you find out about yourself.
All work is being carried out on the telephone or by video call at present.
Fully insured and registered member of the BACP.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualified to BA (Honours) Degree in Counselling, I have much experience in working with people experiencing bereavement and loss. I have also worked with NHS IAPTs (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) with clients suffering from anxiety and depression.
I have significant experience in relationship issues, autism, grief, loss, bereavement, suicide, miscarriage, termination, self harm, alcoholism, family issues, anxiety, depression, anger, adoption and traumatic injury.
Other areas in which I have trained are:
Child Bereavement Play Therapy
Gestalt Therapy Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Transactional Analysis Motivational Interviewing
Mindfulness Self Harm Personality Disorder
Safeguarding Essential Supervision Skills Low Self-esteem Sexual Abuse Therapy
Psychodynamic counselling Sleep studies Anger
Attachment theory Dissociative Identity Disorder
Grief and Loss Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Female Genital Mutilation Stress Management
Having personal experience of the benefits of counselling means I have a genuine interest in its effects for your benefit too. I tailor the sessions to suit your needs and goals, for the best outcome for you.
Member organisations
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
Loss
Pre-bereavement with a terminal illness
I do not counsel couples, for marriage or relationship counselling.
I also offer Supervision on a one-to-one basis.
Therapies offered
Fees
£40 per session
I can make concessions for those on low incomes
£20 initial/assessment session and missed appointments/late cancellations
I do not see couples
Further information
I believe the most important part of counselling is the relationship between counsellor and client, which is based on confidence, trust and honesty.
I also offer Supervision sessions.
