About me
I am a Gestalt Counsellor and founder of Get There Counselling, a private practice I established in 2021. Since 2023, I have also worked internationally with clients through BetterHelp. My counselling journey began in 2013, with placements at Hampshire charities No Limits and Cruse. From 2017 to 2019, I set up and ran a counselling service for Positive21, a London-based charity. I also co-authored Strength to Talk, a book dedicated to men’s mental health, with all proceeds supporting the charity Mind.
In addition to counselling, I have experience as a project worker supporting LGBT young people at risk of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, and neglect. A career highlight was presenting at the CAMHS County Forum in 2014, where I enhanced mental health professionals’ understanding of the unique risks LGBT youth face. My areas of expertise include men’s issues, anxiety, relationship challenges, depression, stress, and grief.
Outside of counselling, I produce and co-host the podcast It’s Not You, It’s Them, a resource that fosters meaningful conversations around mental health and personal growth. My approach is client-centred and empowering: We move at our own pace, focus on the changes we want to make, accept what cannot be changed, and create a plan for what can. Thank you for visiting. Taking steps toward change can feel daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Training, qualifications & experience
Better Help - October 2023 to present
- Delivering one-to-one counselling to adults and young people internationally online (video, messaging and phone).
Get There Counselling – January 2021 to present
- Delivering one-to-one counselling to adults and young people online and in person. My modality is Gestalt/Person Centered approach. Registered Member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) since 2012. Specializing in LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender), Anxiety, Depression, Bereavement, Men’s Health, Suicide and HIV.
Positive21 – June 2017 to April 2019
- Delivering one-to-one counselling to group members of Positive21 (HIV charity in London) who are experiencing issues accepting their diagnosis, treatment plans, coping strategies, addictions, managing relationships and disclosure. This was a service that I set up and ran for Positive21.
No Limits – June 2013 to Dec 2014
- Delivering one-to-one counselling to young people (aged 12-25) from the Southampton area who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, pregnancy, sexual exploitation, STI testing, grief, loss, relationship issues, eating disorders, OCD, depression, anxiety, bullying and abuse. This was one of my placements.
Cruse – November 2012 to Dec 2014
- Delivering one-to-one counselling to service users (18+) in their own homes who are experiencing issues around the grief and loss of family or friends.
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£85.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Finance Option available (x6 sessions) and spread the cost over 12 months (provided by PayItMonthly)
If you are a counselling student, you can access a reduced rate of £40.00; please mention this during the initial consultation.
When I work
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- Both in-person appointments (in Shirley) and home visits are arranged at the end of the introductory session (which is online).
- Online sessions can be booked anytime.
Further information
Have counselling as often as you want - I offer one-to-one counselling either online or Home-Visit (Southampton area only) - either service is £65. Finance Option Available (x6 sessions) and spread the cost over 12 months. Discount for counsellors in training (£35.00).
The following are client responses to the question, "How likely is it that you would recommend Richard Whitenstall?"
"Rich is the most helpful-for-me-personally therapist I have seen in my years of trying different therapy approaches. He is a thoughtful and considerate listener who also helps encourage me to stay thoughtful and considerate to myself!"
"Richard has a fantastic skill for attentively listening to my concerns in an empathic way. His manner is friendly, trusting, and approachable. From our very first session, I felt a connection with Richard, which helped hugely in giving me that constructive and safe space to talk."
"One of the best therapists I've had, and I've unfortunately had my fair share of therapy. Rich is very knowledgeable about many mental health issues as well as a variety of therapy approaches to addressing them, and he is an active listener who pays attention to/cares about what you have to say."
"Richard is brilliant, I feel so much more confident after my sessions with him. I'm so glad I got him as a counsellor."
