Suzanne O'Leary
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy), based in Brighton and Hove. I currently have availability Monday – Thursday evenings for in-person, online or telephone counselling. My fee is £55 per hour.
I have a background in supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, adverse childhood experiences and toxic relationships.
I am trained as a person-centred counsellor, which is a humanistic approach to therapy, rooted in the idea that within the context of a safe and trusting relationship, a person can begin to heal from painful experiences and re-build a sense of self-worth, safety and trust in themselves and their interactions with others.
Counselling can be understood, not as ‘fixing’ or diagnosing anything, but as a way of making sense of our experiences and exploring the ways we learnt to cope, or even survive. By telling our story in our own words, we can begin to understand ourselves better, which can help to reduce a sense of isolation, shame and self-blame that abusive experiences can result in.
I believe that something profound happens when we are truly listened to, and counselling offers a unique space for a person to feel seen, heard and understood as they explore their inner world, without judgement. When we understand and accept ourselves, we can begin to feel hope again.
I believe that we all have the inner wisdom and resources that we need to heal from painful experiences, but trauma can mean that we stay stuck in survival mode, where we repeat patterns or unhelpful coping mechanisms, or struggle to cope with new situations, or even face the day.
Counselling can help us to makes sense of what we have been through and understand the strategies we used to keep going which may no longer serve us. It can help to unravel and reframe certain narratives and the stories that we tell ourselves, such as that we are to blame or that something that happened to us was our ‘fault’.
A therapeutic relationship can guide you towards a path where you understand and accept yourself, and offer compassion towards the part of you that was hurt and still hurts. When we do this, we feel more self-determining and able to face life’s challenges. We are less likely to repeat unhelpful patterns, and feel more empowered and equipped to move forward.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change” – Carl Rogers.
With years of experience directly supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, I have a deep understanding of the complexities and long-term impact of relational trauma, as well as the profound and lasting effect of feeling unsafe or unseen in any relationship.
My approach is narrative-based; you tell your story where you want to begin and I will be alongside you, offering a therapeutic perspective and theoretical framework, where it seems appropriate, based on my training, professional experience and understanding of relational trauma and adverse experiences, which may help to bring a fresh perspective on things and deepen your understanding of youself and your resilience.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have a Post-Graduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling from Brighton University and I also have a BA in Sociology and a MA in Women's Studies.
I have done further training in Transactional Analysis (TA) and I am a qualified yoga teacher with additional training in Somatic/Therapeutic Yoga.
Throughout my career I worked for many years in the charity sector; for Rise, a Sussex based domestic abuse charity, I had roles as a support worker in a women’s refuge, as a young people’s worker and as an outreach worker for older people at risk of abuse.
I have also worked as an ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) at Survivors Network in Brighton and as a residential social worker for young people in care.
During my counselling training I was an Associate Counsellor for the NHS.
I am an adoptive parent of two children.
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
£55.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Concessions available upon request.
When I work
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Further information
I offer counselling to anyone over the age of 18 who feels that talking therapy could benefit them
Availabilty - I currently have availability Monday - Thursday evenings.
Location - My consultancy room is on Church Road in central Hove, accessible via several bus routes and with lots of on-street parking nearby
Referrals
If you would like to find out more, please email me letting me know what is the best way to get in touch with you.
We can arrange an initial telephone call for you to gain a sense of me, ask questions about how I work, explore your expectations and hopes for counselling and decide if you think we could work together.
If you decide to have a full 50 minute session, this can be face to face, on the telephone or online. We will discuss any previous experience of counselling you may have had, and what you may/may not have found helpful.
We will explore your expectations for our work together and identify the main areas of your life that you would like support with.
We will look at your support network and current coping mechanisms and anything else you could put in place to help you to feel supported during the counselling process.
We would arrange to meet or speak on a regular day and time and agree when we will review our work together so that you feel fully in control of the situation and whether it is meeting your expectations.
Pricing and Payment
Payment will be in advance of each of our sessions via bank transfer or my online payment system.
My hourly rate is £55. Consessions can be agreed on request.
Accountability
I meet on a regular basis with a clinical supervisor and I adhere to the BACP’s ethical framework for safe practice
Confidentiality
You have the right to expect complete confidentiality during our work together. I will keep minimal notes about our interactions in accordance with GDPR and do not disclose your details to anyone.
If I have a safeguarding concern regarding a child, potential terrorism or if you or someone else is likely to suffer serious harm I will aim to gain your consent before sharing the necessary information.
