Wendy Mather
About me
I have a 25yr background of working in the NHS, Education and Charity sectors covering many areas from Children’s Services to Maternity to Mental Health. I have worked as a therapist since 2002 gaining extensive and diverse experience within numerous services including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Adult Mental Health (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies - IAPT), Dorset Prosthetic Service, Bereavement Support, Relate and I also provide therapy to students studying at Exeter University.
I understand that looking for help can sometimes be a daunting prospect, so I am happy to spend as much time as you need explaining the therapeutic process and talking through what is right for you. It is important to feel comfortable and confident about the course of therapy. The relationship between a therapist and client needs to feel safe and secure in order for a person to divulge personal information about their lives. This is an important aspect of the healing process. Many people may enter into therapy perhaps never having had a trusting safe relationship, or maybe not even knowing what that is or what it feels like. Taking the initial steps takes courage and perhaps a leap of faith, so I believe it is important to provide reassurance and to take time to answer any questions that may arise. Counselling is a collaborative process between myself as the therapist and my client.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Counselling Skills and Studies - CPCAB
- Advanced Diploma Integrative Counselling - Iron Mill Insititute Exeter
- Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) Practitioner training
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
- Accredited Member of both the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and the Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT)
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.
The Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy
The Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) is a registered charity. They welcome members of the public, health professionals, ACAT accredited professionals, and anyone interested in finding out more about CAT. They list CAT practitioners.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I specialise in Loss and Bereavement issues and the trauma this can lead to following sudden and 'unexpected' losses
Therapies offered
Fees
From £55.00 to £65.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer an initial free 30 minute consultation during which we can discuss your needs and hopes from therapy. This is usually via telephone. There is no obligation to book further appointments following this initial meeting
Sessions are 60 minutes in total
£55 an hour for counselling
£65 an hour for Cognitive Analytic Therapy
These prices includes all administration costs
Availability
Appointments are available during working hours on a Tuesday and Wednesday, but I do have the flexibility to offer some evening appointments
Further information
Initially choosing to train as an Integrative Counsellor, I have now cemented a broader training base which has led to my increased knowledge of many counselling Theories and Models - in particular Person-Centred counselling, Transactional Analysis (TA), Systemic Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) (including Trauma focused CBT). This has enabled me to add more scope and flexibility in the treatment approaches I offer, which in turn I've continued to build upon with regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD). More recently my training as a Cognitive Analytic Therapist/Practitioner (CAT) neatly pulls together all of the above models by encompassing both relational and cognitive processes. Exploration of these processes via therapy can effectively identify and lead to understanding around the strong internal beliefs and processes that can lead to us using unhelpful behaviour and coping patterns time and time again, resulting in unsatisfactory outcomes in your relationships, close or otherwise.
My work has led to a diverse experience of many issues, problems and conditions. I am happy to work with individuals – across the age spectrum from childhood to older age; with couples, and families.
You will be seen in independent, private premises which offer a warm, confidential, respectful and contained environment. I adhere to the Code of Practice for the Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) and also that of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).