About me
Life can throw a lot at us, and sometimes we just need someone genuinely in our corner. I’m Susie, founder of Silver Linings Counselling, based in Ripon, North Yorkshire. I’m a BACP-registered counsellor with many years of experience working across businesses (large multinational and small), private medical practice, and the voluntary sector, as well as facilitating cancer support groups for Breast Cancer Now and working as an EAP referral Associate Counsellor across several industries. I qualified in 2008.
I work particularly closely with clients navigating grief and loss, trauma, and support through cancer or life-limiting illness. I also support burnout, depression and return-to-work planning, and have particular experience with pregnancy-related anxiety and infertility, including IVF and third-party parenting. Having lived in Hong Kong for 21 years, I bring particular understanding to expat life, relocation and cultural transition.
My approach is warm and supportive. I work person-centred integratively, holding person-centred values (the therapeutic relationship, Rogers’s core conditions, and respect for each client’s own frame of reference) as my theoretical core, while drawing on other approaches, including CBT, trauma-focused CBT and IPT, in ways that stay consistent with those values. I aim to provide a safe, inspirational space for you to explore whatever you’re facing. Therapy can be short or long term, depending on your needs.
I have had the pleasure of working with clients from all walks of life and occupations, ages 14–89, including military and armed forces personnel, refugees and asylum seekers, and blue light/emergency medical personnel. Having worked across 30 countries, I bring a genuine cultural awareness and sensitivity to my practice, and I am LGBTQ+ friendly, warmly welcoming clients from the LGBTQIA+ community.
I offer full 60-minute sessions, rather than the more common 50, so there’s proper time to work without feeling rushed. I see clients face-to-face locally, and also offer online support through Teams or Zoom, video, or telephone, whichever suits you best. I can arrange home visits locally within a 0–10 mile radius, including for anyone with mobility needs. If meeting face-to-face, you’re welcome to bring a pet along, many clients do, and I’m a fellow animal lover myself.
Training, qualifications & experience
I qualified with a Masters in Counselling (MCouns, Monash University, High Distinction), specialising in Person-Centred therapy and CBT during my two-year training. I have been practising since 2008, and work integratively, drawing on CBT, trauma-focused CBT, IPT and person-centred approaches depending on each client’s needs and presenting concerns. I hold person-centred values as my theoretical core, while drawing on other approaches in ways that stay consistent with those values.
My experience spans various industries, including the airline industry, investment banking, law firms, and HR consulting including roles at Cathay Pacific Airways, Credit Suisse, UBS and Nomura and work across 30 countries. I have worked in mental health and counselling in both the private and non-profit sectors, including as an EAP referral Associate Counsellor.
I ran my own consulting business in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2015, and spent many hours volunteering with homeless, asylum-seeking and refugee communities, before relocating back home to Yorkshire. I am Level 4 PTSD trained and a Qualified Psychometric Practitioner, comfortable using a wide range of psychometrics and outcome measures. I also facilitate cancer support groups for Breast Cancer Now, both online and in-person and provide training.
I currently work independently, as well as an Affiliate with an Employee Assistance Provider, and have partnered with organisations on an ongoing basis since 2019.
I hold professional insurance with the PPS (Psychologists Protection Society) as a Counsellor.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Payment is made online in advance to confirm each session. Concessionary rates are available based on individual circumstances. Please ask for details during our initial phone consultation, as I’m happy to discuss what might work for you.
The free 15-minute initial phone call is a no-obligation way to talk through what’s bringing you to counselling, ask any questions, and see if it feels like a good fit before committing to a first paid session.
For couples, the first session (£100) includes a relationship strengths inventory, which you’ll both complete individually beforehand: this helps guide our work together from the very first paid session, rather than starting from scratch.
If your circumstances change during our work together, please do talk to me: fees and frequency can sometimes be adjusted to keep therapy sustainable and accessible for you.
When I work
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Further information
I offer sessions in three ways: face-to-face in Ripon, North Yorkshire; online via Zoom or Teams (UK-wide and internationally); or by telephone, whichever suits you best.
Sessions run a full 60 minutes, rather than the more common 50, proper time to work without feeling rushed, which matters especially for grief and trauma work.
I’m happy to arrange home visits within a 10-mile radius of Ripon, including for anyone with mobility needs.
