About me
Hi, I’m Shaun, an experienced person-centred/integrative therapist. I will aim to offer you a safe space with genuine understanding and acceptance so that you can explore and address what is most meaningful to you. My values are grounded in humanism and existentialism fostering a deep respect for the inner resources of my clients. I will aim to meet and encounter you in a dialogical way, taking a deep interest in your history, present and future potential. I will work with you toward your therapeutic goals and aims, remaining open to change and adjustment as the work progresses.
I have worked with various client issues such as depression, anxiety, the OCD's, grief, loss, isolation, life changes, low self esteem/confidence, relationship difficulties, confusion, worry, ecological/political disillusionment, identity confusion and more. I take a holistic view acknowledging the role of embodied awareness in helping people work with felt senses to alleviate tension and to support the creation of meaning. I am also able to work directly with symptom relief if this is helpful to you.
I understand how difficult emotions and challenging thoughts can be — my way of being is grounded in my experience as a former tertiary care NHS service user. Carrying this forward, I trained as peer support worker, working at an Adult National and Specialist Service for complex OCD/BDD, co-designing and facilitating recovery groups in concert with in-patient service users. Working in NHS multidisciplinary teams, I gained a large body of knowledge of CBT, crisis management and occupational health — these experiences inform my continual development and reflection as a professional therapist.
I have an FdSc and BSc Honours (1st) in person centred counselling from Brighton University. I am an Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). The Accreditation pathway is designed for experienced practitioners that are able to demonstrate high levels of development consisting of a large body of work including a rigorous assessment and application process. After in depth reflection of my practice, my accreditation portfolio was successful on first attempt conferring professional recognition of higher levels of professional and ethical competence as an independent practitioner.
I receive regular supervision and engage in further professional development in the form of regular person centred encounter groups to enhance my presence and authenticity. I read in depth in continental philosophy in order to enhance my knowledge in how to live effectively and foster collaborative and genuine meaning making with my clients. My practice is based upon a foundation of over 300 hours of personal counselling and psychotherapy over 20 years. Further, my way of Being with you is enhanced through 10 years of mindfulness meditation practice inclusive of an interest in ways in which Buddhist practices may be incorporated therapeutically.
I am passionate about difference and diversity, and am constantly striving to ensure that my practice is inclusive, anti-discriminatory, compassionate and curious in meeting many varieties of human experience and suffering.
I am group facilitator for Brighton and Hove's OCD, BDD and Hoarding support group. I have also promoted mental health awareness via talks in the national media, including with This Morning, ITN, regional news and in collaboration with Public Health England. I offer a 15 minute free consultation so we can meet and discuss your difficulties and collaborate on preferred ways of working. If you have any questions about how I work, or about my experience, values or skills please do not hesitate to message me.
Training, qualifications & experience
- I hold a BSc (Hons) in person-centred counselling, for which I was awarded First Class Honours.
- I have an FdSc in person-centred counselling, in which I was awarded a Merit.
- I am an Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
- Trained at level three in psychodynamic counselling.
- I am a qualified Peer Support worker.
- I am fully Cruse Bereavement trained.
- I have been involved with the adult national and specialist service for OCD/BDD at South West London & St George’s since 2015. Here I design and facilitate recovery groups for inpatient service users.
- Worked for West Sussex Mind as a Mental Health Worker in the crisis prevention team.
- I am group facilitator of Brighton’s OCD, BDD and Hoarding Disorder support group - since 2014.
- I have spoken publicly on my lived experience with mental health in the media and in organisational settings.
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.
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
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
When I work
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Further information
I offer person-centred counselling in person in Colchester and Ipswich from Monday to Saturday. I also offer online and telephone counselling
