Umaa Thampu - Dip.Couns MBACP (Accred)
About me
In response to the current COVID-19 situation in the UK, I would like to reassure you that I am following government guidelines since March 17th 2020 and all of my therapy practice is online using Zoom or Skype. I will continue to offer counselling whilst I am fit and healthy if that changes I will let you know. I acknowledge this is a difficult time for many - all of us are affected by the current climate, and I am keenly aware of the challenges many are facing.
Welcome, my name is Umaa and I am an ethical and independent Gestalt Counsellor Dip.Couns MBACP (Accred) . My passion is enhancing people's well-being. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, trauma and cross cultural themes.
I have over 10 years experience in a diverse mix of professional settings which include social services, youth charities and corporate settings. My practice offers a warm, confidential and discreet environment in Shoreditch. By recognising unhelpful patterns of behaviour, you can reduce internal conflict and develop a greater sense of compassion towards yourself and others.
Questions:
How long does it take? - I offer both open- ended and short term counselling. The minimum amount of sessions I offer is 6. I constantly offer reviews and remind you that at any point you can stop. I welcome feedback.
How do I know if I need therapy? Often by the time some people have booked an appointment they can be suffering and very distressed. It really needn't take such a level of suffering to access a supportive space. Only you can decide if you need therapy.
What happens if I become reliant on you? During the initial stages of therapy it is normal to feel a sense of urgency and dependency. I strive to empower you, we will work together to develop a set of skills that works for your personality and lifestyle post-therapy. One of the main goals in counselling is to develop the language of self-responsibility.
How do you not take work home with you or be able to separate your stuff from what a client brings? I attend supervision, peer support, CPD workshops and this enables me to process the work, attend to any blind spots and ensures I am working ethically. I practice good self-care. I find the work incredibly powerful, life affirming and rewarding. It is one of the few places authentic dialogue can happen, discovering new ways of being and having more choices in life! I enjoy my work because I witness change happen! It is a rewarding process.
What do you work with? I work with loss, anxiety and relationship difficulties. I have found a client may initially want to focus on loss and actually we travel to many other places. Please see my website for more information: www.talkingwithUmaa.com
This is what I can offer you:
- I can help create meaning when difficult feelings arise and offer a different perspective on 'life's curve balls' such as bereavement, family conflict, frustrations at work.
- I will support you to implement change in your life, assist in understanding your defences, emotional blocks at a pace that is safe.
- Collaboratively working together to understand why and when you feel triggered and develop self-soothing strategies.
- Often counselling can be seen as "talking therapy" and I can offer different ways of working such as experiments, drawings, body awareness and movement.
- Benefits of counselling include developing a deeper sense of calm, awareness and increased self assurance.
Next Steps
You can email me and we can meet face to face for a co-assessment session. Co-assessment is a mutual process. During this initial session, you can tell me what you would like to work towards and I can tell you how I work and we can both decide if it is suitable to go ahead.
Training, qualifications & experience
Diploma in Gestalt Counselling - The Gestalt Centre, London - (BACP accredited)
Certificate in Humanistic Counselling - The Gestalt Centre, London - (BACP accredited)
I am an accredited member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and I abide by the BACP's Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.
I have worked and managed various counselling agencies and charities supporting individuals and couples through bereavement, trauma, communication difficulty, intimacy and I am currently working in private practice.
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.
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. 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
Fees
Fees: Due to the current climate fees are negotiable
Duration: 50 mins - weekly sessions 30 minute drop in sessions.
I prefer payment before session and cancellation fee is the cost of the session if less than a week's notice is given. The more notice you can give me the better, i will do the same regarding holidays etc.
Further information
Client Feedback:
"Umaa is warm and friendly and instantly put me at ease. She is compassionate, non judgemental and empathic." J - 33 sessions
"She listens carefully and what she picks up; she feeds back in a gentle, caring manner." M - 12 sessions
"Instantly put at ease and i felt safe and secure. She listens attentively and helped me to control my anxiety. Highly recommended." V - 53 sessions
What is Gestalt?
There is no fixed method or one size fits all solution. Gestalt is about working in the present but does not exclude the past. It is noticing body sensations and tensions and by raising awareness of the body we can become better equipped to self care.
I welcome any questions you may have.
