Steve Upton Dip. Couns. MNCS (Accred). Working online during Covid-19
About me
Thank you for stopping to look at my details. I recognise that finding a counsellor can feel quite a big step so I hope what you read here will help you in your decision.
People choose to have counselling for different reasons; you might wish to explore something deep-seated or difficult that has become too hard to ignore any longer or you might want some brief help with a particular issue that has been troubling you.
How I Work
Whatever you wish to bring it will be your choice and as a fully qualified, integrative but fundamentally person-centred counsellor I see my role as providing a safe, supportive and completely non-judgemental space for you to explore your concerns and make some sense of them.
Counselling can help during those times when life just feels too challenging. In a safe, confidential environment you can share your thoughts, emotions and feelings without worrying how they will be seen or thought about. It can help you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your situation or relationships, build more self-confidence and find the strength to take different decisions and make changes to your life. I will work with you to build a supportive, accepting relationship and create the necessary conditions to help you begin to value yourself more and make lasting changes.
I have significant experience in supporting adults of all ages with a range of concerns, including abuse, low self esteem, relationship problems, separation & divorce, low mood/depression, anger, stress, redundancy, anxiety and panic attacks. I also work with teenagers and couples. For full details of areas I can help with, please see below.
Getting Started
If you feel like getting in touch to discuss how we might work together, then please give me a call or send me an email or text. We can then discuss things further and arrange a mutually convenient time to come along for an introductory session.
During the introductory session you will have the opportunity to explore any issues you might wish to discuss, find out how counselling might be useful for you and answer any questions you may have about how we might work together. At the end of our session you can decide how you would like to move forward and whether you would like to meet for further sessions. There is no set number of sessions and you can stop at any time, simply by letting me know.
I understand this first contact may feel a little daunting, but I am here to help you take that first step.
Training, qualifications & experience
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Therapeutic Counselling
CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
Other Training & Professional Development includes:
- BACP Register of Counsellors & Psychotherapists Certificate of Proficiency
- Mental Health England Youth First Aider
- Counselling Children Workshop - provided by Place2Be
- Dealing With Distress: Working with Self-harm and Suicide - provided by PODS
- Working with Relational Trauma - provided by PODS
- Young People, Attachment, Dependence, Aloneness and Death Workshop
- Working with Couples Training
- Anxiety Workshop - provided by MIND
- Anger Awareness Training - provided by MIND
- Suicide Awareness Training - provided by MIND
- Loss and Bereavement Workshop - Advanced Skills - provided by Cruse
- MK Rogerian Peer Group
- MKSCB Safeguarding Training
Other Roles
I have been a lecturer in Counselling at a Further Education College and I have also worked at MIND as a volunteer counsellor. I have also worked as a consultant for Minds Ahead, delivering training on counselling skills for primary schools. In addition, having over 30 years’ experience as a teacher and headteacher, I have a particular insight and understanding of the specific pressures of working in education and so I am well placed to support clients in this field.
Membership
I am an Accredited Member of the National Counselling Society and adhere to their Code of Ethical Practice to ensure safe and ethical practice.
I also hold a current, enhanced DBS (CRB) certificate.
Member organisations
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.
National Counselling Society
The National Counselling 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.
Accredited register membership
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
I offer a free 30 minute introductory session for individuals (40 minutes for Couples) for you to see whether working with me feels right for you. Subsequent sessions are £50 for individuals for a 50 minute session, £65 for couples for a 70 minute session. Counselling students are offered a reduced rate of £40, and other concessionary rates may be available for low/unwaged clients.
Concessions offered for
Further information
Where I Work
I have 2 locations where I can see clients and it is entirely your choice where we meet.
Winslow -in a dedicated therapy room, in a quiet part of the town with ample parking outside. Winslow is a 15 minute drive from Milton Keynes and Buckingham and only 20 minutes from Aylesbury.
Towcester - in a building that has been recently refurbished to provide a talking therapy centre with four private therapy rooms, one of which is specifically tailored to working with young people. There is a free car park within a 5 minute walk of the property. Towcester is also only a 20 minute drive from Milton Keynes, Northampton and Buckingham, making it easily accessible for clients from those areas.
