About me
*** In light of the recent Corona Virus outbreak, I am offering remote counselling with video sessions via FaceTime or WhatsApp.
Wishing all of you well during these testing and challenging times ***
Choosing a counsellor is not a tick box exercise. Your feelings are precious, choose wisely.
I am an experienced, qualified, Integrative counsellor and a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy), I also have extensive multicultural experiences, which enables me to support people from different backgrounds.
It is my belief that a Counselling relationship is meeting another human being at a depth that goes far beyond the surface level of relating. Through Counselling I aim to help you to understand and to acknowledge aspects of self, as well as areas of your life that you might not be happy with. If your emotions are confusing or overwhelming then talking about them can bring you clarity.
When emotions are not understood and acknowledged, they become invisible baggage that we can drag with us into all aspects of life and relationships. Your past informs your present and together we can understand meanings and recognise patterns of behaviour providing you with greater self-awareness about your past, your relationships with self and others and to explore options for the future. Knowing the origin of the problem is not enough to resolve it completely.
In therapy we look at the everyday triggers, i.e. how come you continue to feel and act the way you do. My aim is to enable you to understand yourself.
Counselling in essence is a path to your discovery of self. I am an integrative counsellor, which means that with a variety of theoretical approaches, which gives me the skills and the foundation to develop my own way of working with you.
I offer a non judgmental approach, with empathy and integrity as well as a safe space for you to be heard and empowered.
I believe Counselling should be accessible to everyone therefore I offer home visits and can within reason travel to your house. I also offer Saturday sessions.
I work in Twickenham/Richmond and in Walthamstow in East London.
Training, qualifications & experience
Level 5 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling;
I have experience in working with children and young people for a number of years at Place2be (http://www.place2be.org.uk), a charity counselling service that provides support in schools, to children between the ages of 4 years old and teenagers/young adults.
I had over a year of specialised training with male and female victims of domestic and sexual abuse as well as perpetrators.
I am also a counselling Tutor/Supervisor at Richmond and Hillcroft adult Community College, where I co-facilitate and teach groups of potential counsellors from level 2 to Diploma.
https://www.rhacc.ac.uk/schools/richmond-business-school/tutor-profiles/paula-lopes
- Certificate in Online & Phone Counselling
- Training in Safeguarding Children
- DBS Cleared
I am quite invested in my development as an individual as well as a counsellor, therefore I regularly attend training courses and workshops as a part of my Continual Professional Development training.
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Assessment £50 ( 50 minutes session )*
Day time sessions 9 am to 5 pm £50 ( 50 minutes session )
Evening and Saturday sessions £55 ( 50 minutes session )
* Assessment/first sessions will be charge £50 - this is an opportunity for us to check if we can work with each other in order to embark on a journey together.
Therapy is a serious commitment and money spent on therapy is an investment in personal change and growth.
Availability
Walthamstow - Remote counselling only
Twickenham - Remote counselling only
Further information
I offer reduced fees for counselling students and trainee counsellors.
If you’re concerned about whether you can afford counselling, please don’t hesitate to contact me as I offer concessions to those with lower incomes or experiencing financial difficulties.
