Shona MacPherson

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she/her
Counsellor / psychotherapist (Dip.Couns)
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Inverness, Highland, IV3
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I work with people aged 17 years and upwards. 

I offer counselling/ psychotherapy to help you bring about healing, and therefore change, in your life. 

The types of things people work with me on

I work with people's experience of anything a life can hold. For example - but not limited to - difficult intense feelings like sadness, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, stress, body image struggle, low self esteem. Or life situations like relationship breakdown or breakup, boredom with life, navigating change.  

I am particularly draw to work with people who have experienced childhood trauma and who have the courage to work with this in later years. 

What do we actually do?

In the first session we’ll work to get a clearer picture of what's going on for and inside you. And what you'd like to get from therapy. The assessment is part of the work and will help you gain more insight into what you are struggling with. From here we’ll make a plan together for regularity of sessions and what we are working towards. 

What type of counsellor am I?

I’m an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist. Please don't let the name put you off! IFS is a compassionate and effective (research based) way of helping you move from feeling stuck or confused inside to finding calm and clarity. 

I won't go too much into the model here as you can research it yourself if interested but the key things to note are: 

- the model conceives of every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts lead by a core Self. It's non-pathologizing. 

- it sees the the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. J

- IFS is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.  

Prior to training in IFS my training and experience had been in both in behavioural and humanistic counselling (Acceptance Commitment Therapy and Person Centred Counselling). 

I'll be led by you and what you bring. This doesn't mean I sit and nod and repeat things back at you the whole session (like the cliche from the movies). Rather I'll listen to all the parts of you that show up, helping you hear and get to know and support them too. 

Getting started

Email me to arrange an initial appointment.  In our first 50 minute appointment we will explore together what you are looking to work on and I'll can explain and demonstrate how I work.  From here we can decide if we're be a good fit to continue to work together.

*NB If you email me and you don't hear back from me within 24 hours in the working week, please check your spam folder. 

Training, qualifications & experience

Training, qualifications & experience
I originally trained and worked as a nurse and then as an aid worker overseas. I was in my early 30s when I embarked on my counselling training and I was in my early 40s when I trained as a life coach.  This is my fourth year working in private practice as as a counsellor.   My main therapeutic modality is Internal Family Systems and I really value the investment I've made in IFS trainings - both on a personal and a professional level. 

My prior counselling experience was in London where I worked with a charity in Tower Hamlets called CrossRoads and a school in south London with A Place to Be. 

My formal qualifications in counselling are listed below. In addition I'm also a Forest Bathing Practitioner. 

Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling (Person Centred and Existential Therapy).
Thames Valley University, London. 2008-2010

Certificate in the Integration of Cognitive Behavioural Skills.
The Grove, London. 2011.

Introduction to ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
Praxis Online. March 2020.

ACT for Depression and Anxiety Disorders.
Psychwire online. April 2020.

DBT Skills Psychwire online. April 2020.

Taking Therapy Outdoors Certificate. Centre for Natural Reflection, Hayley Marshall, PTSTA. Taking Therapy Outdoors. October 2020

ACT for Trauma Psychwire online.  (June 2020).

ACT for Adolescents Psychwire online.  (June 2021).

Level one and level two Internal Family Systems training through IFS UK in 2023 and 2024.  Will be doing my Level three in March 2025. 

Registered MemberBACP British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapist. 380820

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Other areas of counselling I deal with

  • Nature connection.  
  • Connection with values.
  • Motivation.
  • Making peace with your relationship with your body.
  • Making peace with your relationship with food.

Photos & videos

Fees

£55.00 - £80.00

Additional information

I invite you to select a rate that feels appropriate to your circumstances. (This is the rate for a 50 minute session). 

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I can see you Mondays to Thursdays 10am to 6pm.  Ideally we'll find a regular weekly time and day that fit - but I've flexibility if you work shifts or have budgetary constraints to this. 

Further information

I work in person in Inverness and also via Zoom for people who live further a field.

Some clients who live in more remote parts of the Highlands choose to do a mix of Zoom and in person sessions and this works well.  

I strive to be aware of, and to challenge my own assumptions and biases. I actively seek to create spaces – both in-person and online – that are inclusive.  I seek to be anti racist. I seek to be LGBTQ supportive.

Inverness, Highland, IV3

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check info

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

PVG Scheme info

In Scotland, criminal records checks are carried out by Disclosure Scotland. Professionals working with children or vulnerable adults must join the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. You can learn more at mygov.scot , or contact this professional directly.

Wheelchair user access info
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

Online platforms

Zoom

Social

Shona MacPherson
Shona MacPherson