Vince Gibbons

Counselling / Psychotherapy

Diploma in Systems Practice, 1998; Diploma in Performance Coaching 2001; BSc Hons, (Psychology) 2004; Diploma in Life Coaching 2005; Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling 2014; Advanced Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling, 2015.

Anxiety UK Approved therapist.

Bereavement counselling training and working as a voluntary counsellor for North London Hospice 2013 -

Training and working as a voluntary counsellor for MIND 2014 - 2017

I have been mentoring and coaching for over 20 years and qualified as a humanistic integrative counsellor which means I can match individual client’s needs to a variety of established and effective therapeutic approaches.

Performance and Executive Coaching

My performance and executive coaching skills are based on my training and experience of working for the British Quality Foundation as an Awards Assessor for five years and as an Awards Assessor Team Leader for London Excellence for six years, which involved site visits and assessments of FTSE companies applying for quality improvement awards.

How I work

I work at a pace and on a focus you decide. I will help you to achieve a better understanding of your identity, who you really are (although that changes slightly all the time) your feelings, needs and how best you might formulate, meet or heighten your existing goals or even change direction.

I have what is known as an integrative approach to counselling, which means potentially using a mix of the most respected, practised and effective therapeutic approaches such as Psychodynamic, Existential and Cognitive Behavioural therapy. I tailor and utilize what personally works best for you.

As well as talking about your issues you'll also get an insight into how you are experienced within the therapeutic relationship through honest and sensitive feedback.

Whilst the therapeutic relationship is unlike any other, it is a reflection of other relationships you have and so provides the opportunity to explore some of the dynamics that get played out in your other relationships. To this end it can be a powerful self-development tool.

Psychoeducation

One less common element to counselling I practice, is psychoeducation. This means as we progress I explain to you openly what I am doing, the techniques, the key concepts and language used. So you begin to learn how to 'do' therapy yourself. The point of my approach is the more you understand about it, the more effective we will be as a team, and when the therapy is finished, you will yourself have a greater understanding and insight of how best to take care of yourself in future, and maybe even the others around you. In fact I have had many clients who have become so interested in psychotherapy, they have expressed a desire to study and become qualified themselves, which I encourage completely.

I believe very much in the saying, if you "give a person a fish, you feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish and you feed them for a lifetime."

Did you know this about mental health?

• Mixed anxiety and depression affects 10 in 100 people.
• Anxiety affects 5 in 100 people.
• Depression affects 3 in 100 people.
• Phobias affects 3 in 100 people.
• OCD affects 2 in 100 people.
• Panic disorder affects 2 in 100 people.
• Post traumatic stress disorder affects 3 in 100 people.
• Eating disorders affect 2 in 100 people.

So if you are suffering from anxiety and depression and also look at the average size of a GP practice in the Enfield or Barnet area (which on average is approx 6,000 patients) there is likely to be another approx 599 people in your GP's practice who unfortunately are suffering the same issues as you.

Did you know this about Counselling?

Often not many sessions are needed.

15% of clients experience clinical improvement between arranging the appointment and before attending their first session.

50% of the total gain from counselling is achieved in just 8 sessions

In depressed clients 48% exhibit large gains within 2-4 sessions.

Ask yourself:

• What are you seeking?
• What have you already tried?
• How has it worked for you or made things worse?

What may it have cost you emotionally? Many of the most common behaviours we use to protect ourselves from emotional pain are: avoidance, over-compensation and emotional numbing, usually substance abuse, but it can be other addictive behaviours like becoming a workaholic or addicted to gym

Continuous Professional Development I am committed to Continuing Professional Development and as part of my CPD I have attended various events, training days and courses:

• Relate (The Relationship People) On-Line Course - Solution Focused Therapy Jan 2017
• Relate On-Line Course – Mindfulness Sex and Relationship Therapy Jan 2017
• Relate On-Line Course – Counselling with a Sexual Focus Jan 2017
• Relate On-Line Course – Disordered Personalities Jan 2017
• Relate On-Line Course – Suicide Risk and Support Jan 2017
• Relate Directory of Practitioners Reg. No. 12308 Jan 2017
• Relate Diploma in Relationship Counselling July 2016
• Tavistock Centre In Search of a Soulmate: Seeking the Perfect Other May 2016
• BACP Relational Depth and Emotional Connection in Online Therapy – On Line April 2016
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) E-Learning tool - General Anxiety Disorder November 2015

£45.00 per session
Free initial telephone session

7AM - 9PM 7 days a week. See website for details of weekends.