Verity Owers
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello my name's Verity and I'm a qualified and experienced Integrative Counsellor and Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
I provide general counselling for a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, panic attacks and low self-esteem, to name a few. I also offer specialist support for those struggling with grief and loss following a bereavement.
Whether you are struggling with a particular issue or generally feeling unhappy in your life, I can help you explore any limiting beliefs or difficult life experiences that may be holding you back.
As an Integrative practitioner, I draw on a range of different approaches in seeking the best way forward. These include the following therapies; Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, Humanistic and Transpersonal (in particular Psychosynthesis) as well as, body-oriented methods (including Focusing), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques and Attachment Theory.
In a safe, caring and confidential space, I offer both short and long term / open-ended therapy through regular 50-minute sessions.
Getting the help you need
It’s natural to feel hesitant about seeking support, especially if you have tried unsuccessfully to resolve your problems in the past. My experience has shown me that counselling can make a positive difference and lead to improvements in mental and emotional well-being.
I offer a free initial phone call to explore working together and to help you decide if therapy feels right for you.
Contact me today by phone on 07897 833207 or send an email. I look forward to hearing from you and to discussing how I can help.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training
- 5 year training in Integrative Counselling at the Minster Centre - a leading provider of Counselling and Psychotherapy training affiliated to Middlesex University.
- Additional specialist training and ongoing professional development - including with Cruse and Sir Colin Murray Parkes, in areas including Complicated Grief and Traumatic Bereavement.
Qualifications
- Diploma in Integrative Counselling
- Registered Accredited Member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy). Registration number 213843.
- Advanced Diploma with Professional Registration in Clinical Nursing (Learning Disabilities branch)
Experience and working partnerships
I have counselled clients in both short and long term / open-ended settings, at the following organisations –
2016 – 2018 - St Christopher’s Hospice & Bromley Bereavement Service, South London
2014 – 2016 - Wandsworth Bereavement Service, South London
2014 – 2016 - The Minster Centre Low Cost Counselling Service, North London
Before training as a Counsellor, I gained wider professional experience in the public, private and charitable sectors. I originally trained as a nurse supporting adults with learning disabilities and went on to work in fundraising working for causes close to my heart including children with a terminal illness, cancer patients, marginalised women, and refugees.
I was a Trustee of a local Counselling Service from 2016 to 2017.
Professional membership
As a Qualified Counsellor and Accredited Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I am in regular Supervision and uphold the values, principles and moral qualities set out by the BACP Ethical Framework (2018).
Member organisations
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.
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
I have experience of working with clients seeking support in a number of areas including:
- Abuse
- Addiction - alcoholism
- Agoraphobia
- Ageing
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Bereavement
- Depression
- Family issues
- Grief - traumatic and complicated
- Loneliness
- Low self-esteem / self worth
- Panic Attacks
- Personal development
- Problems sleeping
- Relationship difficulties
- Separation and loss
- Spirituality
- Trauma.
Bereavement, loss and grief
As an experienced Bereavement Counsellor, I have been a support to many people struggling in the wake of loss. My work with clients has shown me there is no set pattern or timeline for grief and that each bereavement brings up different feelings and reactions. For this reason, the therapy I offer will be tailored to your individual needs and circumstance and delivered at a pace that’s right for you.
Bereavement may be one of the most difficult experiences you ever have to deal with. You may find yourself struggling with intense emotions – such as shock, anger and sadness – or more complicated thoughts to do with relief, bitterness or abandonment. You may worry about sharing your pain and feeling a burden to friends and family.
While these are very normal reactions, they can make bereavement an overwhelming and isolating experience. Being able to speak to someone who can help you make sense of what you are thinking and feeling can provide relief and reassurance.
My aim is to help you reach a more peaceful place with your loss, so you can start to move forward with your life.
Therapies offered
Fees
£70.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I offer a free initial conversation by phone or Zoom - to explore what you're struggling with and how I could help - and to give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
When I work
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I offer sessions at various times during the week. Do get in touch by phone or email to find out more and discuss how we might work together.
Further information
I am currently offering remote sessions - online via Zoom and by telephone. Do contact me for more information.
Talks and workshops
I have delivered events and workshops aimed at helping participants explore grief and loss in an open, accessible way and am a practiced public speaker. If you would like me to deliver a talk or workshop for your organisation, do get in touch.
