About me
I am a qualified integrative counsellor practising in Bristol. I work with a wide range of issues and specialise in addiction, shame-based issues, trauma and related mental health issues. I have also helped clients with depression and anxiety. I focus on the quality of the client-counsellor relationship in order to create a therapeutic partnership of trust and compassion. My approach is person-centred and also informed by psycho-dynamic and Jungian theory.
Counselling is a safe space where you can talk about problems and share difficult emotions without shame or judgement. We often feel that we should be able to deal with our problems without others help. But it is often through sharing and opening up to others, that we can find the way to heal ourselves. Trauma, mental or emotional problems, disconnect us from ourselves and others. Sharing our pain and our story (in a relationship where it can be held safely) can allow us to value, respect and have compassion for all parts of ourselves (especially the parts that are hurting). This re-integration unblocks our creative/healing potential and our sense of purpose and meaning. Allowing us to accept where we our right now in our lives and transcend stuck or painful patterns of behaviour, emotions and beliefs.
Training, qualifications & experience
After 4 years training I qualified in 2012 from the University of the West of England (UWE) with a post-graduate diploma in Counselling. The course was BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) accredited and was focussed on the person-centred approach, but also included elements of transactional analysis, psycho-dynamic and gestalt approaches.
After qualifying I gained experience and developed my practice for a couple of years through clients at the SWAN project (a low cost counselling service specialising in addiction). In 2015 I began my own private counselling practice which I continue to provide and develop today. I completed a supervision qualification in 2020 and spent several years as a supervisor and trainer at the SWAN project.
My background is working with vulnerable people in various settings. From 2006 to 2013 I worked as a support worker with the Rough Sleepers Initiative, a government funded initiative to support ex-homeless clients. From 2013 to 2021 I had a number of roles in mental health, including six years as a care-coordinator for the statutory community mental health team. These positions gave me extensive experience of working with very vulnerable clients with common problems such as addiction, trauma, OCD, PTSD, abuse, and personality disorders.
My own personal history and experience of facing shame related issues has also significantly influenced my counselling approach. I have great respect for your autonomy and the coping skills that may serve an essential role in protecting something inside from being overwhelmed. I believe you are the expert on yourself!
I am also a qualified holistic masseur and have always been interested in the relationship between mind, body, spirit and soul. I do not incorporate any physical touch in my counselling practice but I encourage connection to the body to help work through difficult emotions.
I have also received training in 'Men's work' and was a member of a men's group for more than 10yrs. I found those experiences extremely rewarding and supportive of both my personal and professional development. Supporting healthy development of qualities such as assertiveness, vulnerability, creativity and leadership, and uncovering unconscious patterns through jungian/gestalt based group process work.
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
Fees
£58.00 - £65.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My fees are:
£25 for initial 50 minute in-person consultation.
Subsequent weekly 50 minute sessions:
Daytime (before 5pm) = £58 Evening (after 5pm) = £65
Concessionary rates may be available if you are a therapy student, keyworker, or on a low income.
If you are interested in beginning counselling, the first step is to contact me either by phone - 07970421016 (10am-8pm) or email me at stafford.wilson@outlook.com We can discuss mutual availability, any questions you may have, and arrange a 50 minute initial consultation. In the consultation we can further discuss what you want from therapy and what I can offer, agree the terms of our counselling contract, and arrange a regular weekly session time.
When I work
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Times below are session start times.
Monday 9am-7pm
Tuesday 12pm-7pm
Wednesday 9am-7pm
Thursday 9am-7pm
