Penny Thomas

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Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 1NE
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Understanding people is at the centre of my life.

I have been working as a psychotherapist in private practice since 1988. I specialise in long-term psychotherapy with adults and in couples counselling. I also work with adolescents and families. I originally trained as a social worker and worked for 10 years in residential therapeutic communities for children, adolescents and in drug rehabilitation. I then worked for 6 years as a family therapist in child and family guidance clinics. Since 1988, in addition to my private practice, I have had part time work in GP practices, community mental health teams and family psychiatry. I have been teaching for many years and supervise practitioners both individually and within a variety of organisations.

My approach

I am a humanistic and integrative psychotherapist. This means that I use a range of techniques from both traditional and modern therapeutic disciplines. In addition to my training at the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling, I have trained in humanistic, psychoanalytic, transpersonal and mindfulness approaches.

I work from the basis that most difficulties arise within the context of relationship both past and present and that by exploring these difficulties through the relationship with the therapist, change and growth can occur.

The work may be brief and focused on a particular issue or may involve working deeply over a prolonged period.

I hope to offer a safe, compassionate and holding environment, which enables recognition, understanding and transformation of the often painful and difficult experiences and symptoms that cause distress.

Mindfulness

I have been a student of the Diamond Approach at the Ridhwan School since 2005. The Diamond Approach is a contemporary spiritual path integrating the practices of the ancient wisdom traditions, both East and West, with depth psychology.  It is an integration of spiritual and therapeutic work. The practices on which the Diamond Approach is founded are something psychological practitioners call mindfulness. Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, accepting feelings, thoughts and body sensations as they arise. Mindfulness can free us from unhelpful patterns of thought, feeling and experience.

My own practice underpins my life.  It has profoundly deepened my attention so I can focus more fully on the person I am with in the here and now.

It is not necessary to hold any spiritual beliefs to make use of this practice.

Supervision

I currently supervise qualified psychotherapy and counselling practioners, as well as those in training. I am a training supervisor for the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling.

Over the years I have been the counselling supervisor for individuals in the following organisations: Gloucestershire Drugs and Alcohol Service, Swindon Community Health Team, Swindon Incest Survivors, the Marist Sisters, Bristol Cyrennians, Friend, Missing Link, the University of the West of England, the Meningitis Trust and MSc students on placements with Gloucestershire NHS Trust.

Over the years, I have been the group supervisor for the Bath Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Low Cost Counselling Service, SHARE Young People’s Counselling Service, Gloscat Student Counselling Service and the learning mentors at Stroud College of Further Education.

I completed my supervision training with Peter Hawkins and Robin Shohet in 1997.

Teaching

I have been teaching since 1994. I began at the Central School for Counselling and Psychotherapy, moving on to Gloucestershire University.  I have been a member of the teaching staff at the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling since 2009, teaching on the MA in Psychotherapy and Foundation Courses. (www.bcpc.org.uk)

Couples

Couples counselling focuses on the relationship between partners rather than on individual problems. Often partnerships get stuck in destructive ways of relating that become difficult to change and resolve without help. Sometimes a crisis occurs such as an affaire.

I hope to enable a couple to improve and restore communication, to encourage new ways of relating with a view to enabling greater understanding of each other and create a more fulfilling and rewarding relationship.

Training, qualifications & experience

  • Certificate of Qualification in the Residential Care of Children and Young People from The South Glamorgan Institute of Further Education
  • Certificate of Qualification in Social Work and Diploma in Applied Social Studies from Ruskin College, Oxford
  • Certificate in Structural Family Therapy from Bristol University
  • The Spectrum Training in Humanistic Psychotherapy
  • Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy from the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling
  • A Contemplative Approach to Psychotherapy with Nigel Wellings
  • Certificate in Couples Counselling from Re.Vision
  • Student of the Diamond Approach at the Ridhwan School since 2015 (www.ridhwan.org)

Registration

I have been registered with the UK Council for Psychotherapy since 1994.

I am bound by the Council’s Ethical Guidelines and Codes of Practice.

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.

UKCP
UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.

As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.

UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

Accredited register membership

UK Council for 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.

UK Council for Psychotherapy

Fees

Additional information

Per session (50 minutes)
£45 for individuals
£50 for couples

Further information

Please telephone or email me to ask for any further information about my services.  After an initial phone conversation, we would make a mutually convenient time to meet.  At that meeting we would discuss what brings you, how I might help and how to proceed if that was agreed between us.

I work from home in Stroud, Gloucestershire.  I am in reach of Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Cirencester and Swindon.

Telephone 01453 767907

Mobile 07737685855

Email penny.thomas@media-maker.com

2 All Saints Fields, Summer Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 1NE

Type of session

In person
Penny Thomas
Penny Thomas