About me
Hi there, I'm Richard. An integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, which means that I am trained to blend different therapeutic approaches to suit your needs. I combine techniques from person-centred, attachment-based, and cognitive-behavioural therapy with trauma-informed soothing and mindfulness to help heal emotional trauma.
I specialise in helping people to gently and safely explore the meanings of experiences and early emotional bonds and to understand how they might influence your responses in daily life.
Understanding these patterns can help us master skills to heal emotional pain, feel more confident, and reconnect with our lives in a healthy, rewarding way.
Seeking therapy takes courage, and I am here for you. I offer a friendly, respectful, and compassionate space for you to be heard, supported, and safe. I work in a gentle way at your pace.
Everybody is very welcome from all backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, genders, sexualities, neurotypes, and disability or health conditions.
I work with a wide range of clinical presentations, such as severe depression or anxiety, and have particular experience of working with clients on themes related to:
- Coping with grief and loss
- Living with disability, long-term or chronic health condition
- Autism and ADHD overwhelm, social anxiety, isolation, masking, and trauma
- LGBTQIA+ 'othering', coming out, transition, and trauma experiences
- Lived experience of addiction and interventions for recovery
- Surviving sexual assault and abuse
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
- MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy (Distinction)
- BSc in Psychology (1st class honours)
- PG Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy
- PG Certificate in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Level 3 certificate in Understanding Autism
- Professional Diploma in Management
Experience
As a practitioner, I have clinical experience within services at Royal Derby Hospital, NHS Talking Therapies, three mental health charities, an employee assistance programme, a university counselling team, and through my own private practice.
I understand the highs and lows of life, as a forces veteran, then a manager in specialist housing, homelessness, addiction recovery and care services. Through marriage, divorce, debt, stress, children, grandchildren, and all that it implies!
I bring over 20 years of practice of meditation and understanding of mindfulness practices that support a trauma-informed treatment of complex PTSD and inter-generational trauma.
I have given public talks on positive mental health and developed support groups for themes related to:
- Autism and ADHD
- Coping with grief
- LGBTQIA+ life,
- Men's mental health
- Understanding and managing anxiety
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
- Men's mental health
- Serving and forces veterans
- Working in emergency services
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I may offer concessions based on individual circumstances.
When I work
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Clients vary in their choice of frequency for meeting, so there are sometimes spaces on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis.
Further information
I offer a free 20-minute telephone consultation.
To talk things through, and if you then wish to proceed, you are welcome to book a 60-minute assessment session at a time convenient to you.
The assessment session gives you space to fully explore your situation, how you are feeling, what has been happening, what you hope to gain from therapy, and any concerns or questions.
I will advise on how therapy might help, what to expect, answer any questions, and help you to choose a therapy plan for what you want to achieve and how we can approach it.
