About me
Hi, my name is Serafina and I'm an integrative counsellor specialising in working with young people and young adults. If you’re struggling or finding life overwhelming, you are not alone. I understand that being a young person can be really hard, I offer a warm, down to earth and non-judgemental space, where you can talk freely and openly about whatever's on your mind.
We can work together to help you understand yourself better, recognise your strengths, increase your sense of self, challenge self-limiting beliefs and behaviours, and feel more in control of things that are going on in your life.
I can help you with any decisions you want to make and allow you to talk through any issues that are hard to deal with on your own. I can give you tools and strategies to challenge your thoughts and regulate your feelings, helping you to feel calmer, happier and more confident in yourself.
I work with a range of issues including stress, anxiety, panic, low mood and depression, self-harm, self-esteem, bereavement, family issues, peer and relationship issues, gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, academic pressure, body image, anger, and many others.
I have worked with young people and their families for over thirty-five years, in a range of youth and educational settings from inner city Manchester to rural Devon. I worked in Exeter as a one-to-one mentor/ tutor with neurodivergent young people, (Autism and ADHD) and those with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and depression.
Since becoming a counsellor, I have enjoyed working as a voluntary counsellor for students of all ages at Wellbeing Hub University Centre South Devon. I'm currently a counsellor at a school and sixth form college in Plymouth and run my own private practice where I offer sessions both online and face-to-face.
Although my core approach is Person Centred, I use a variety of therapy techniques such as Mindfulness, CBT, creative activities and grounding/somatic techniques. My whole approach is based around you and what you want from counselling. Each session is tailored to meet your unique needs and always embraces any special needs or neurodiversity.
I will listen and give you the space to grow, to learn about who you are and who you want to be, so you can flourish and thrive.
Training, qualifications & experience
Experience:
- Youth Worker in inner city youth clubs and an African Caribbean community centre, Sheffield
- Art teacher in primary and secondary schools in both inner city Manchester, Salford and rural Devon.
- Tutor and mentor with vulnerable young people and their families in Exeter, specialising in one to one work with neurodivergent young people.
- Volunteer counsellor at the Wellbeing Hub at University Centre South Devon
- School Counsellor with 11 to 18 years in Plymouth.
Qualifications and Training
- BA Hons History Art and Film. Sheffield
- Youth and Community Worker Training .Sheffield City Council.
- PGCE Secondary Art Teaching Manchester Metropolitan
- MA/Diploma Art in Education Manchester Metropolitan
- Thrive qualification – Childhood Licensed Practitioner
- Level 3 Counselling – Heartwood Counselling and Psychotherapy College
- Level 4 Advanced Diploma in Counselling - Heartwood Counselling & Psychotherapy College
- Introduction To Solution Focused Therapy
- Understanding Autism training - National Autistic Society.
- Level 2 Safeguarding Training Devon County Council
- Qualification in Trauma Informed Therapy. ( Trauma Informed Practitioner)
- Certificate in Supporting Bereaved Children and Young People - NCPS
- Mindfulness
- An introduction to Somatic Processing Technique
- Working therapeutically with trans ( including non -binary) people.
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 National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
- Exam/course work stress
- Peer relationships
- Sadness
- School/College/University related stress
- School phobia
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Additional information
I offer both online and in person sessions.
Free initial telephone session:
I offer a free 15 minute phone or online consultation before an appointment is booked. This is a space for you to talk about what you are needing from therapy and for us to talk about how I might be able to help you.
When I work
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Further information
Areas of counselling I deal with:
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Bereavement
- Body image
- Bullying
- Depression
- Domestic Abuse / Violence
- Emotional Disturbance
- Exam stress
- Family issues
- Feeling lonely
- Intrusive thoughts
- Gender Dysphoria
- Life Transitions.
- Learning difficulties
- LGBQT+ counselling
- Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
- Panic attacks
- Peer Relationships
- Sadness
- School phobia
- School related stress
- Self Esteem
- Self-Harming
- Sexual abuse
- Stress
- Suicidal Ideation
- Trauma
Further info:
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