Stuart Robinson

Verified Professional Verified Professional
Verified Professional

Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.

Pronoun: he
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I work in a person centred way with individuals - listening as you identify your difficulties, encouraging you to express your feelings to help you gain understanding and to find a way forward that is right for you, at your pace. The person centred approach recognises the importance of the counsellor/ client relationship, whereby a counsellor respects their client who in turn, feels able to trust their therapist.

I draw on my experience and knowledge, both as a children and families social worker/ manager for 26 years and 18 years as a counsellor, and I recognise how my personal life experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. This gives me good insight into working empathically and in a supportive way with people across a wide variety of situations.
 
How I work
I offer face to face counselling appointments and since the Covid pandemic  have offered virtual appointments either over the phone or VOIP (voice over internet provider: Zoom/ Skype). During In light of the pandemic, I successfully completed the Open University Level 2 Intermediate course: 'How to do counselling online: a coronavirus primer'.

I am flexible in offering one-off counselling sessions, appointments over a number of weeks, or longer term work to suit you. Each session lasts for 60 minutes. The first time we discuss together is a way to get to know each other and for you to decide whether you think I am the right person to help you.  I am available Tuesday to Thursday daytimes/ early evenings and very occasionally work on a Monday, Friday or Saturday morning.

How I can help you
I have experience in supporting people across a wide range of issues - including abuse, adjustment, bereavement, depression, dissociation, health related matters and palliative care, men's and women's issues, personal development, relationships, self esteem, sexual identity and sexuality, stress, trauma and work related issues. I am open to listening and helping you, whatever your difficulty.

Where I work
I work from my home and provide a comfortable ground floor counselling room. My house is approximately one and a half miles from Chesterfield town centre on a main bus route and if travelling by car, you are welcome to park on my drive, accessed from the front of my property. NB: I do not have a separate waiting area so I ask that clients arrive at the agreed appointment time rather than any earlier

Financial support
Please note that I offer discounted rates to Trainee Counsellors and people in receipt of benefits. 

Training, qualifications & experience

Qualifications                                                                                                            Open University Level 2 Intermediate course: 'How to do counselling online: a coronavirus primer', 29/04/20 (6 hours, online learning)                                          Certificate of Competency, Counselling for Depression, 2015                                Post graduate Diploma in Professional Leadership and Management (Social Care and Health), 2011                                                                                                      BACP Certificate of Accreditation, 09/05/11                                                            - Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, 2005                                                              - MA/ Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, 1986                                              BA Social Studies with Social Work, 1984

Work Experience
My first full time employment was as a houseparent within a therapeutic community for adults with learning difficulties. Whilst physically and emotionally challenging, this provided me with a marvellous insight into the lives of individuals with a wide range of needs and levels of understanding, enabling me to develop compassion and empathy.

Whilst training as a social worker I undertook work experience within a large general hospital in the West Midlands and on qualifying I worked generically with adults and children before specialising in children and families work (local authorities and the voluntary sector). As a manager I had responsibility for child protection, looked after children, family support and leaving care services. As my interest in counselling developed and I began my counselling training in 2002, studying part time, alongside my main work role.

My first counselling placement was within a Derbyshire hospice over a 6 month period, offering counselling to people  who had been bereaved; this was followed by a placement with a Nottinghamshire sexual abuse charity, providing counselling to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. On qualifying as a counsellor (2005), I continued as a volunteer counsellor in this setting, until 2011. During that time I served for 2 years as a committee member and then ultimately chairperson of the organisation for 2 years.

From 2006 onwards I began working as an independent counsellor, supporting staff working for a Nottinghamshire learning difficulties registered charity (2008- 2015) and once I had gained an additional award - counsellor 'Accreditation' in 2011 - I was approached by an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) company to offer counselling to staff working for the Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust and Derbyshire Community Health Trust. I have been able to put to good use the knowledge and skills gained from the roles I have occupied within social work, and subsequently the NHS, hospice and higher education settings and also my management and leadership qualification - see above.

In 2012 I channelled my energies solely into counselling and I began in a full time role as a counsellor with a local NHS IAPT service (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) - working with people experiencing depression, general anxiety and other 'common mental health' difficulties, based within GP surgeries and a community base, working closely with other health professionals. After 3 years I changed employment to Ashgate Hospice, Chesterfield, becoming manager of the Psychological Support and Counselling Service, working directly with people experiencing life limiting illnesses and their families, and those who had been bereaved. In June 2016, in order to achieve a more effective work-life balance, I made the decision to work as a self employed counsellor, supporting people across a wide range of issues, drawing on my variety of roles, over the years.

Between 2017-2020, alongside my self employed Counsellor role, I worked part time at the University of Sheffield (Student Access to Mental Health Support Service/ University Counselling Service) assessing students with emotional health issues, providing individual counselling and project manging the development of student experience focus groups. I also delivered training, mentored staff from other University Departments and undertook peer reviews of other mental health services in line with APPTS (Accreditation Process for Psychological Therapies Services) standards.

Client Feedback
I've included some comments from a range of clients I've worked with over the years:

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening to me. I would leave our meetings feeling like a human being.  Meeting with you shined a light on my problems...you made my demons known to me...simply by sitting and listening to my words. I will remember our conversations for the rest of my life. (S, 2015)

Thank you for all your help. You have enabled me to re-evaluate difficult things and put them into place. You have been absolutely wonderful. (K, 2017)

Stuart, I just can't thank you enough for the time spent together over recent weeks. Through skilled questioning, to enable me to explore my options and your patience in allowing me thinking time, I now feel clear headed and ready to move my life forward. (J, trainee counsellor, 2020)


Thank you for reading my Profile and I hope I can be of help to you.

Member organisations

Registered / Accredited

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
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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

I have counselled adults affected by the impact of meningitis, for a national UK meningitis charity and for a number of years supported staff within an East Midlands charity offering support to autistic adults and children. I am currently registered with a number of Employee Assistance Programme providers and offer brief therapy to staff from NHS and Police, not for profit organisations and the private sector. I also receive referrals from individuals who approach me, independently. Whilst not having a formal qualification in couples work, I have read around this issue and been able to offered it to a number of couples, when asked, by Employee Assistance Programme firms.

Typically I have tended to offer telephone counselling only when I have an established counselling relationship with a client via face to face sessions although I have adapted my ways of practice in light of the current situation (Covid-19). I am  experienced in undertaking telephone / Zoom counselling sessions for clients on behalf of companies (EAP work) and likewise offer phone/ Skype counselling to private paying clients. Please inform me if you are a key worker and I will consider offering a concessionary counselling rate. Whilst I do not have a formal couples counselling qualification although have offered this work when requested by a company, or by individuals, to explore relationship issues in a general way.

Fees

£40.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session

Concessions offered for

  • Low income
  • Students
  • Trainee counsellors
  • Unemployed

Health Insurance/EAP

  • Health Assured

Additional information

£40 per hour/ £35 concessionary rate (trainee counsellors and people in receipt of benefits). I offer an initial free 15 minute Consultation via telephone/ Zoom to establish that your issues are appropriate for counselling and to ascertain any immediate risk issues or support needs.  

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I am able to offer flexible appointments, daytime/ some early evenings and occasional Saturday mornings. 

Further information

Counselling for Depression
My Counselling for Depression qualification (2015) demonstrates my ability to work at relational depth with clients, closely following and exploring the experiences you describe to me, in order to more specifically assist you.

PODS - dissociation
I was a counsellor member of PODS - Positive Outcomes for Dissociative Survivors (registered charity) - although this disbanded in 2019 and deemed able to work effectively with adults who have experienced previous trauma and abuse.  

Survivors UK - male sexual abuse
I have undertaken an intensive training course by Survivors UK (registered charity for male survivors of sexual abuse) and am recognised as an appropriate counsellor in this area. I was also  a volunteer counsellor (then committee member and chairperson - each for 2 years) of a Nottinghamshire sexual abuse survivors charity.

Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people
Adults
Older adults
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

Key details

DBS check

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

NB: I have a step of 6" from the front of my house immediately before the double front entrance doors. My counselling room is on the ground floor, the 1st room on the L of the hallway. I am willing to dicuss accessibility issues with potential clients.

Online platforms

Skype
Zoom

Social