Tim Branson CBT EMDR BSc Counselling MSc Supervision MBACP (Snr Accred)

Training, qualifications & experience

Until recently working most of the week in the NHS as a Psychological Therapist / Specialist Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor in an Acute Mental Health setting, I am a:

• BACP Senior Accredited member (Supervisor), holding a
• Masters degree in Counselling Supervision
• BSc (Hons) degree in Integrative Counselling
• BSc (Hons) degree in Psychosocial Interventions for Psychosis
• Post Graduate Diploma in CBT Advanced level
• I am further registered with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP),
• the Universities Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (UPCA Clinical Member) The UPCA is a member of the
• UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy), and I am
• Accredited with the National Counselling Society (NCS Accred).

• I am also UKRCP registered which means my training has also met the standards required to gain entry onto the BACP Accredited Register (Registration No: 045332). This Register is approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care and provides assurance to clients that the counsellor offers good quality care.   This is the Counselling equivalent to being registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC).                                            

These accreditations and professional registrations mean that my practice is deemed to meet the standard of competent, ethical and independent practitioners (BACP, 2014).

I have long experience of working with NHS patients at all levels (and supervising other NHS clinicians), working in Private Practice at all levels (Counselling and Supervision), working for voluntary agencies (Counselling and Supervision), Employee Assistance Programmes, Insurance Companies etc., and can confidently assure you that whatever it is that brings you to counselling, I will be as well equipped as any appropriately placed counsellor to help you consider your issues. I am fully insured to practice.

I also have long experience of offering group therapy, training other therapists on many counselling and therapy related issues (for example: CBT, OCD, Working with complexity, Mental health Assessment - when to refer, Counselling with Interpreters etc.) and facilitate the Doctors Reflective CBD group on the Isle of Wight for GPs, Consultant's SHOs and trainee Psychiatrists.

Gosh, I sound such a geek! There's more!

I am a fully qualified EMDR practitioner and if you are unsure what EMDR is, and you are suffering from any kind of trauma related problems (hyper-vigilance, flashbacks, nightmares, crying etc.) then do google it. It is an evidence based intervention ideally equipped to deal with trauma and post trauma.

I love to integrate CBT into how I work, and recognising the value of helpful tools, I often customise or design disorder specific help sheets with, and for my clients, that help them understand their problems better, and what maintains them. Some of these have been published on the now mainstream CBT website of downloadable tools for CBT therapists: www.get.gg.co.uk; one dealing with anxiety tolerance and the other, OCD repetitive symptoms. I'm sure there will be one or two more out soon. I recommend the website to you for many helpful concepts. It is free to check out and use.

One of my specialist areas (real geek mode) is dealing with OCD. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If you have it - or think you do and are struggling with obsessive thoughts and compulsions to repeat meaningless ritualised activities like checking or cleaning - or experiencing any kind of distressing unwanted thoughts (probably really disgusting, terrifying or revolting in nature) then there is a good chance that you have OCD, and hence ideal for treatment. (Most people think OCD is about cleaning and germs, and only sometimes is) so if this is you or you are getting any distressing unwanted thoughts or compulsions to repeat senseless actions - call me! I can help you make sense of it very quickly, and help you overcome your anxiety.

Other areas of counselling I deal with

Therapy for other therapists and counsellors! Counsellor self development, personal therapy. (Offering the same robust confidentiality of course that our clients receive, and members of our profession should also rely on).

Men's issues.

Unwanted upsetting intrusive thoughts that form part of the Anxiety Disorder OCD (though many people experiencing them do not realise this) usually falling into the following categories: disgusting thoughts, abusive thoughts, violent thoughts, thoughts of hurting or killing others - thoughts of hurting or killing loved ones, any horrific, or distressing thoughts.

I also offer counselling supervision. Please see my supervision profile.

Further information

How do you choose a therapist?

Well we all have a lot of qualifications and letters after our names so you'd be well advised to find one with an actual degree in counselling or psychotherapy; be accredited to one of the main credible professional organisations and have years of experience. Ask if they've completed an accredited University course that included their own personal therapy as this can make a vital difference to your therapy. I'm guessing you wouldn't want a therapist who had never experienced having therapy themselves? Or a dentist who had never had a filling?

Some counsellors train in one core model and believe that this will work for everyone.

Others have experience and training in many and can tailor their therapeutic interventions to suit not only the person, but the problem itself.

Be advised, the NHS National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommend certain evidence based therapies for certain problems or disorders and do not recommend others. You may be well advised to check out what you're worried about and see what approach they advise. They have a website www.nice.org.uk


Meanwhile... POSSIBLE QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN YOU ARE INTERROGATING A POTENTIAL THERAPIST! (Warning - if they are not sure about their answers, try someone else!)

• What kind of therapy do you offer and what is it trying to achieve?

• Have you had your own personal therapy as part of your training? (You're looking for a 'yes' here!)

• How long are sessions and how often are they held?

• How long might therapy last for and how does it end - is there a set number with regular reviews?

• How long before I should expect to feel some benefit from therapy?

• Can I contact you between sessions if I need to?

• What training have you had, and how many years have you been practising?

• What professional organisations are you accredited with?

• Have you had experience of working with people with similar problems to mine?

• Is therapy confidential and when might confidentiality be broken?

• Might you refer me to, or contact other health professionals involved in my care - and is this something you are experienced in? Can you discuss my medication needs for example?

• How much do I pay per session, and is there a missed session fee?

• Do you work from home or from a professional office or rooms?

• Do you keep notes about me and are they kept confidentially? What will happen to them if you drop dead!? How will I know?

• What if we don't get on?

That said, research shows that generally, the most important influencing factor linked to therapeutic 'success' is the strength of the relationship you have with him or her. So choose someone you like!

If at any time you experience any difficulty with any therapist, if it cannot be resolved once you have discussed it with them, I would encourage you to contact their registering body for information and support. The BACP being my primary registration, at www.bacp.co.uk

If at any time you feel pressured into doing something you don't want to by your therapist, the chances are it is not right. Your therapist should be very much 'on your team' and as such NEVER tell you off or be judgemental about what you tell them! If they do, contact their professional body for advice.

If you have a long standing problem it is not automatically the case that it will take ages to address - but beware the 'magic' or 'quick fix' for any upset as it is unlikely to be an effective intervention. (EMDR is sometimes an exception to this as it can work really quickly on simple trauma).