Simon Chu MBACP
About me
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom” Viktor Frankl
Whilst we might have limited control over what happens in our life, I believe that we have complete power to choose how we react to life events, whatever our circumstances. The problem is that we are often so overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings that we lose sight of this power. Sometimes our habitual patterns of thinking and behaving prevent us exercising our freedom to choose the life we want to live. When this happens, I can help you free yourself from the automatic processes that frustrate your potential so that you can feel engaged, in control and fully invested in your life.
My Experience
My clinical experience includes working with individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, trauma, shame, low self-esteem, bereavement, identity issues, loneliness, anger management, OCD, addiction, family conflict, relationship issues, stage fright, self sabotage and career problems. I also see a number of clients working in the performing arts, media and the creative industries and couples using Emotionally Focussed Therapy, a new technique with proven results.
How I Work
I am a registered member of BACP, the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and abide by its ethical practices. My training is in Gestalt, a holistic form of therapy with one simple aim. To raise your self awareness. Alongside talking therapy, I use a range of techniques to help you creatively explore the world as you experience it. These might include body process, role play, visualisation and internal dialogue. My aim is to raise your awareness of what is happening for you at the present moment and also what processes from the past are holding you back from becoming the person you yearn to be. Once you are in touch with this hidden aspect of your potential, I will provide you with a safe space in which to challenge these unhelpful inclinations and experiment with new perspectives and behaviours to bring about a deep and lasting transformation.
What To Expect
I believe that effective counselling succeeds or fails on one key quality. My relationship with you. My priority is to establish a bond of trust and understanding with you based on empathy, respect and non-judgement. For me, this means supporting and affirming who you are and what you need with compassion and sensitivity so that you feel genuinely seen, heard and acknowledged.
What I Offer
Depending on the nature of your issues and your circumstances, we can work on a short-term basis of twelve sessions or on a longer-term basis of on-going weekly meetings which might be open ended or for a fixed period. Each session lasts 50 mins. For the duration of the pandemic, I will only be offering sessions on Zoom, FaceTime or phone. Please get in touch for a free Zoom consultation.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications:
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, Metanoia Institute
- MSc in Gestalt Therapy (penultimate year), Metanoia Institute
- Externship in Emotionally Focussed Therapy for Couples
- Member BACP, The British Association of Psychotherapy and Counselling
- Solicitor of The Supreme Court, England and Wales
- BA Hons Philosophy - University of North Wales
Clinical Experience as Counsellor:
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Student Services, Barbican London
- Metanoia Psychotherapy and Counselling Service, Ealing, London
- Claremont Project Counselling Service, Islington, London
NB - I am fully covered by professional indemnity insurance and adhere to the ethical practice guidelines of BACP.
Member organisations
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Performance Anxiety
- Stage Fright
- Writers Block
- Creative block
- Burn Out
- Workaholism
- Imposter Syndrome
- Self Sabotage
- Procrastination
- Negative Rumination
- Stuckness
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
From £50.00 to £70.00
Free initial online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
- Individual clients from £50 - £70 on a sliding scale per 50 mins session.
- Couples from £80 - £100 per on a sliding scale per I hour session.
Availability
Generally weekday, working hours but please check for specific availability.
Further information
I have particular interest and experience in treating clients from the creative industries having worked as a counsellor specialising in actors and musicians at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Previously I directed documentaries for TV where I gained valuable insight into the complexities and problems of performing in the public eye.
Before that I was a solicitor specialising in media law so I have a long standing relationship with and understanding of fame and the entertainment industry.
