About me
Trying to figure things out on your own when you’re struggling with difficulties can feel overwhelming particularly when it becomes hard to see the wood from the trees. You may well find yourself going round in circles in your head as you attempt to find a way forward.
What can make this all the more challenging is the experience of feeling very alone with your problems because there is no one you feel able to turn to. You are most probably carrying on with life to the best of your ability but feeling increasingly isolated as you do.
This is where I can potentially be of help. I’m Richard Swynnerton. As a counsellor and psychotherapist practicing for over thirty years, I have plenty of experience to help you make sense of it all and support you as you find the courage to make the necessary changes in your life.
I work from my garden office in High Barnet, a secluded and tranquil setting where you will feel you are a world away from the hurly burly of your everyday life. It is in this peaceful setting that we can begin to contemplate together, your difficulties as you see and understand them.
My Approach to Therapy
My role is to assist you in arriving at your own insights and to help you to make the choices and decisions which you feel are right for you. I believe that well-being stems largely from our ability to live life in accordance with our own deeply held values and beliefs and one of my main goals is to help you to achieve this.
More than anything else, I feel passionate about helping you to embrace your freedom and to make the necessary choices and decisions which can greatly alter the shape of your life for the better. Change is never easy and facing up to difficulties can be daunting. Nevertheless, a strong supportive therapeutic relationship can be an invaluable aid to helping you move forward with your life in a positive and constructive manner. My aim is to support you through this process and to help you to become better able to deal with the challenges ahead.
Getting Started
If you are interested in having therapy with me then the first step is to contact me either by email or phone. I will aim to respond to your message as soon as possible and we can arrange either a free 20-minute zoom call or an initial session charged at my standard rate.
An online zoom call works well if you would like to get a sense of what it’s like speaking with me in order to help you decide whether or not to book an initial session.
You may well, however, prefer to meet directly with me either in person or online for an initial 50-minute session which works well with me too.
Either way, you will have an opportunity to tell me about why you are currently seeking therapy and what it is you would like to work on during the sessions. We can also discuss together your expectations and what you are hoping to get out of the sessions. I will also be very happy to discuss any questions which you have about how I work or indeed, about my experience working as a therapist.
Having met with me, I would suggest you give yourself time to reflect upon our meeting in order to decide whether you feel I might be a good fit to work with you or not. If you think you would like to have sessions with me, then you can get back in touch once again and we can take it from there.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training
- MA in Psychotherapy & Counselling: The School of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology: Regent’s University: 1995
- Advanced Diploma in Existential Psychotherapy: The School of Psychotherapy & Counselling Psychology: 1998
- Diploma in Existential Supervision: The New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling: 2001
- Diploma in Logotherapy and Existential Analysis: Viktor Frankl Institute of Ireland: 2022
Professional Affiliations & Accreditation
- Accredited member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) since 1998.
- Professional Member of the School of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology at Regent’s University.
- Accredited Member of the International Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis at the Viktor Frankl Institute Vienna.
- Work Experience
Private Practice
I began seeing clients in 1994, initially, as part of my training, and then since 1998, as a UKCP registered therapist. I have worked consistently at my private practice ever since.
Teaching & Supervision
I have worked as a tutor and supervisor at a number of training institutions and during this time, I’ve taught a variety of courses including foundation courses in psychotherapy and counselling, time limited existential psychotherapy, Human Sexuality as well as psychodynamic theory and practice.
Public Sector Work
I managed a counselling service for the drug and alcohol services Turning Point and Westminster Drug Company for ten years. I have also provided consultancy and supervision at a number of other counselling services as well including The Claremont Project in Islington where I supervised the clinical team for almost ten years as well as The Alcohol Resource centre in Ladbroke Grove and The Community Alcohol Support Service in Fulham and Brent Mind.
Publications
- Swynnerton and P. Smith-Pickard (2005) The Body and Sexuality; in Existential Perspectives on Human Issues: a Handbook for Therapeutic Practice. Palgrove Macmillan. London.
Member organisations
school 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.
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
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
Fees
£85.00 per session
Additional information
I charge £85.00 per session and sessions are 50 minutes long. If for any reason, you wish to cancel a session, then I require 24 hours notice.
