Michael Collins

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MSc, BPC/BACP (Reg) and BACP (Senior Accred)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

London EC2M & EC1V
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I am a BPC/BACP Registered and BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist with over 30 years experience in working with individuals, couples and groups of all ages, sexual orientations and cultural backgrounds. I am based in the Angel EC1 and Liverpool Street EC2 and dependent on your presenting issues/needs will draw on cognitive, psychodynamic, attachment and relational theories and concepts, to provide either short-term focused counselling/therapy or longer-term in-depth psychotherapy.

Most of us, will at some point, and for various reasons, experience emotional and/or psychological challenges which can impact upon and limit the quality of our lives. Relationship difficulties, or being 'stuck' in self-defeating/repeating unwanted patterns of behaviour, perhaps finding it hard to accept feelings around past/present/future life events, or maybe anxious, angry, sad or depressed about life in general..etc. In these situations, counselling and psychotherapy can be of benefit in offering a space where you can talk openly about yourself and be listened to and understood, in a way that is perhaps difficult to find with, or ask of, family, friends and work-colleagues.

I offer a confidential, safe and reliable place for you to make sense of your current difficulties, and through the establishment of a trusting therapeutic relationship will help you to explore any past formative experiences and future concerns, which may be impacting on your present-day choices/decisions, and in the ways that you form and maintain relationships with others, and how you see, think and feel about yourself.

Training, qualifications & experience

* Neuroscience for Therapists (9 Days/2014)
* Training in Psychosexual Therapy with Individuals and Couples (2013/14)
* British Association for Psychotherapy Supervision Training (2011/12)
* Diploma in Couples Counselling & Psychotherapy (2010)
* Certificates in Attachment & Counselling/Psychotherapy Practice (2006/7)
* Certificate in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (2005)
* Certificate in Clinical Assessment (2000)
* Time-Limited Psychotherapy training (1999)
* MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy (1998)
* PG Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling (1995)
* PG Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling & Organizational Settings (1992)
* Certificate in Counselling Attitudes & Skills (1991)

Some of my past work experience has been:

* 11 years as an in-house NHS Staff Counsellor & Supervisor based in a large training hospital providing counselling to all NHS/Social Services/Local Authorities staff members

* Tutor/Lecturer in Counselling/Psychotherapy for Birkbeck College and currently Visiting Lecturer for a number of counselling/therapy training organisations

* University Student and Staff Counsellor

* 7 years as an Honorary Psychotherapist in an NHS Psychotherapy Service

* Counsellor (individuals & couples) and Group Facilitator in a Primary Care setting (GP Practice)

* Consultant Clinical Assessment Counsellor for a counselling & psychotherapy provider/training organisation (Westminster Pastoral Foundation)

* Time-limited psychotherapy with adolescents at the Young People's Consultation Service, Tavistock Clinic

* Counsellor, Supervisor and Group Facilitator in a residential care setting working with individuals, couples, groups and families with long-term addiction & dependency issues


I have been in personal psychotherapy & psychoanalysis and regularly meet with a more experienced practitioner for clinical supervision & attend continuing professional development (CPD) events to maintain, improve and broaden my clinical knowledge and skills.

Member organisations

Registered / Accredited

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.

BPC
British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)

The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

The organisation is itself made up of fourteen member organisations and BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC's register.

BPC registrants are governed by a code of ethics, a policy of continuing professional development, a statement on confidentiality and a complaints procedure. The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP). Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Psychoanalytic Council
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.

British Psychoanalytic Council
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Other areas of counselling I deal with

* People at a crossroads in their lives
* Dissatisfaction/emptiness in relation to life
* Couples counselling and psychotherapy
* Psycho-sexual therapy
* Sexual identity and sexual confusion
* Tapping into creative potential
* Loss and change
* Alienation and isolation
* Shame, self-criticism, feelings of inadequacy and underachievment in life
* Childhood neglect and related issues
* Organisational/Workplace difficulties
* Cultural identity and displacement
* People affected by suicide
* People affected by someone else's addiction/dependency
* Adults whose parents are/were addicts/alcoholics
* Addictions (drugs/alcohol, sexual, porn, shopping, addictive relationships..etc..)
* People involved in 12-Step Recovery Programs'

Fees

£60.00 per session

Health Insurance/EAP

  • WPA

Additional information

I offer an initial consultation appointment where the reasons why help is being sought can be explored, and for us to consider whether what I can offer is appropriate and then based on that discussion to negotiate and book in either a short-term or more open-ended contract. It also importantly gives us the chance to experience how comfortable we feel in working and being together.


Fees

  • Individuals: £60 - £80 (50 minute session)
  • Couples: £90 - £120 (60 minute session)
  • Supervision: £60 - £70 (60 minute session)


Due to the nature of my work I am often unavailable to receive incoming calls/messages, so if you don't get me in person and are wanting to talk with me about how I work, what I can offer or to make an initial appointment, please leave/send me a clear message with your name, contact details and a good time you can be contacted and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Further information

I am a Registered Member of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and a Senior Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to the Ethical Frameworks as set out by both the BPC and BACP.

I am also a full member of the Association for Independent Practitioners (AIP), the Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the NHS (APP) and the Birkbeck Counselling Association (BCA)

Longcroft House, 2-8 Victoria Avenue, Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4NS

335 City Road, Angel, Islington, London, EC1V 1LJ

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people
Adults
Older adults
Couples
Organisations
Employee Assistance Programme

Online platforms

Skype
Whatsapp
Zoom

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

I have been providing supervision to qualified and trainee counsellors/therapists for many years, with a personal interest in the relationship between the clinical work and the workplace setting.

View supervision profile

Michael Collins
Michael Collins