Valerie Sutherland
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
If you’ve had enough of living with anxiety, procrastination, depression, fear and self-doubt, you’ve come to the right place!
I’m a qualified and experienced psychotherapist and counsellor, creative arts therapist and writer, and I’m on a mission to help people beat anxiety, manage stress and boost self-belief and self-confidence. I believe that with the right guidance, everyone can dismantle the inner beliefs and thinking patterns that weakens their peace of mind and holds them back in life. It’s so easy to keep struggling and trying, hoping that somehow, you will muddle through and things will get better. But why wait to start enjoying your life?
If you are ready to make change happen, I’m here to help.
Providing a compassionate opportunity to help you explore personal issues, thoughts and feelings, and to support you to make changes to your difficult life situation or unhappiness.
I work with individual adults, couples and those in any type of relationship struggling to communicate well enough to feel heard.
Offering a private confidential counselling and psychotherapy service I can support you at your most difficult and emotional times.
As well as using Person Centred Counselling, with its three core conditions of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard, I like to work with clients integratively which means I may also use Interpersonal Psychotherapy which is a short term form of Psychotherapy, trauma focused CBT and Compassion Mind therapy for post traumatic stress issues. I am also a Creative Arts Therapist (see below).
How can Psychotherapy & Counselling help you?
People go through challenging times in their lives which create emotions like sadness, stress, anger, guilt, shame, or feeling overwhelmed. Counselling can give you a talking space to explore what is really going on inside. Some people get trapped in a cycle of negative thinking and counselling can help them turn these thoughts into a more positive way of thinking and behaving. We can also explore how your past might be affecting your behaviour today if you feel able and ready to do this.
The amount of counselling sessions is dependent on the client. For some, short term work helps them to move forward quickly whilst others benefit from longer term help. I can help with a range of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, loss & bereavement, stress, post abortion and those feeling generally overwhelmed with life.
How I work with you
Counselling & Psychotherapy provide an opportunity for you to talk in a way which explores what is going on in your life and helps you to work towards change.
Our first meeting will be a free initial short 15 minute session with an opportunity for you to decide whether I am the right counsellor to help you. We will be able to discuss how I work and what your expectations of your counselling are. I would be interested in finding out a little more about you and your reasons for seeking counselling at this time. No obligation to continue.
Ethics and Regulating Governing Body - I am a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) which is the UK regulating governing body for safe practice. I adhere to their Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a BACP registered Psychotherapist trained in Person Centred Counselling but now work integratively including IPT (Interpersonal Psychotherapy a short term form of Psychotherapy).
I am also a Creative Arts Therapist which is a preferable type of therapy for those who find it difficult to talk about experiences or issues they have faced or are facing presently. Some extremely traumatic experiences are often unbearably hard to verbally express and it can provide a different platform of communication for the client. A way of finding a voice and self-expression.
I have 15 years of experience in both private practice and NHS mental health/GP surgeries.
- Previously psychotherapist in Dee Street, Aberdeen and Thainstone Business Centre, Inverurie.
- Previously First Psychology, Senior Counsellor & Psychotherapist, Aberdeen & Dundee.
- AVENUE Counselling & Mediation & Practice Manager - Member of Relationships Scotland.
- Medical practice Counsellor NHS GP Practice, Alford Medical Practice, Aberdeenshire.
- Medical practice Counsellor NHS GP Practice - Bellfield Road Practice, Banchory, Aberdeen-shire.
- Medical Practice Counsellor NHS GP Practice - Southside Road Surgery, Southside Road, Inverness.
- University of Aberdeen - Associate Counsellor at the University's Counselling.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Creative Arts Therapy
This way of therapeutic support can help when you want to express those feelings which you cannot find words to explain. If you are too muddled, angry, despairing or confused it can help you to have some way to communicate and find your voice. A good starting place to enable you to work deeper with your therapist.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 per session
Additional information
£50 for 50 minutes. Therapy by phone call.
Free initial, up to 15 minutes phone call to help you decide if you'd like to proceed with me.
Cancellation Policy
No charge if an appointment is cancelled giving at least 48 hours notice.
50% charge is levied for cancellations with less than 48 hours notice. 100% charge levied for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice.
EAP enquiries are welcome at £50 per session.
When I work
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Further information
- Registered Member of BACP British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy
- Police Scotland checked and verified
- Professional Indemnity and Professional Liability Insurance
- Receiving regular monthly Supervision from experienced registered and accredited BACP member.
