Peter Cartwright

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Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

London, SE23
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I have over twenty-five years experience as a Counsellor and I'm Registered with and Accredited by BACP (the professional body for counsellors). Whether you have had Counselling before or not, I suggest you hear more about how I work, as we counsel in different ways.

Where and when do you work?
Both online and face-toface from Forest Hill, on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, just a minute or two from the station.

What is counselling like with me and how does it work?
As you probably know, Counselling is a ‘talking treatment’.  This means we’d explore together what you want to change and find a way forward that feels manageable for you, for an hour every week.

Through working with me in this way people begin to develop and change.  I believe this happens because all of us have within ourselves the capacity to heal, to grow and to create a more satisfying life of our choosing.  Much of my work is helping people re-discover and mobilise these inner resources that seem to be ‘lost’, or that have become distorted or mistrusted, through experiences in their life.

My attitude is warm, genuine and respectful.  I might suggest using writing, drawing and other ways of working if that helps you.  I also help you learn how to use your time in Counselling to best advantage.

I have found this way of working to be the most effective in helping people get what they want from Counselling.  After all, life is for living, not for counselling!

However, as you may well know, counselling is not a ‘quick fix’ and often takes time.  Counselling needs you to be willing to talk about what concerns you, be committed and to work at what you want to change, which at times can be difficult and painful.   As your Counsellor, I’d be supportive, work at your pace and be committed to helping you through.

What difficulties can counselling help with?
People work with me to get help with anxiety or panic; bereavement; depression; guilt; a personal crisis; relationship difficulties; sexual abuse; stress; trauma; violence and conflict.  Sometimes it can be less clear what the difficulty is, such as feeling stuck; exploring identity; personal development; feeling out of control; life not being how they want it to be; coping with life changes; making decisions; etc.

How long does counselling take?
Counselling usually ends at a mutually agreed time. At the beginning I can give you an estimate of how long I imagine it may take. During the work we will regularly review how it is going to ensure counselling is being effective and to consider how much further work, if any, is necessary.

Ethics
As an Accredited member of BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) I abide by their code of ethics.

Training, qualifications & experience

Training and qualifications
I am a fully qualified Counsellor with individual Registration and Accreditation with BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).

I therefore have a Diploma in Counselling (the course I completed was accredited by BACP), which as you may know, is the recognised professional qualification for all counsellors.

Every year I undertake continuing professional development through further specialised training courses.

Experience
I have been counselling since 1999.  As well as working in private practice, I’ve worked as a counsellor in an NHS GP’s Surgery; for Lewisham Bereavement Counselling; with the families of people who use drugs and/or alcohol, for Adfam; and with men in Wormwood Scrubs Prison.  I’ve also done telephone counselling for the British Stammering Association and Adfam

I’ve worked for the mental health charity Mind on their Information Line and running a mens group.

I also work as a Trainer, Author and Researcher in the Counselling field. See my website for further information.

In addition, I work as a trainer and author in the counselling field, see my website for more information on these.

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.

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & 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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Other areas of counselling I deal with

Bereavement through a drug- or alcohol-related death.

Traumatic bereavement.

Stammering.

Fees

£70.00 per session
Free initial in-person or online session

Additional information

I offer the initial session for free.  This provides you with an opportunity to meet me and see if you would like to work with me, and it allows me to see if I can help you or not (if I can't, I'd be happy to refer you on to someone who can).  There is no obligation on either of us to take it further.

My usual fee is then £60 per session. I'm willing to consider negotiating the fee.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I work both online and face-to-face on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during the day and evenings.

Further information

My counselling room is fully accessible to people who use a wheelchair.

If you are interested in theory, then I consider my main theoretical approach to be modern Gestalt, into which I have integrated theory and practice from Attachment Theory; Trauma work, particularly the work of Babette Rothschild and Janina Fisher; Psychodynamic; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Existentialism; Transactional Analysis; and less so several other approaches.

Forest Hill, London, SE23

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Adults
Older adults
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

I am on the ground floor.

Additional languages

None

Online platforms

Google Meet
Skype
Whatsapp
Peter Cartwright
Peter Cartwright