Kim Castle

Introduction

I am a counsellor and psychotherapist (MBACP) with over twenty years’ experience working therapeutically with adult survivors of childhood trauma, particularly childhood sexual abuse, adult sexual violence and complex trauma. Recently qualified as a supervisor, I offer clinical supervision to counsellors and psychotherapists who are holding very demanding, often painful and complex caseloads, and who want a supervisor who is steady, relational and trauma‑informed. My aim is that supervision feels like a safe, collaborative space where you can bring your whole experience of the work - the clinical, the emotional and the embodied - and not feel you have to leave any part of you at the door.

My supervision approach - What’s it like to work with me

Supervisees tend to experience me as calm, grounded and reflective. In our work together you can expect:

• A warm, non-shaming relationship where you can be honest about the complexity of the work, including uncertainty, fear, mistakes or feeling overwhelmed
• A clear focus on trauma and it’s impact, including shame, dissociation, chronic threat responses and the legacy of CSA
• A balance of support and thoughtful challenge, helping you reflect deeply while also feeling practically resourced.
• Close attention to ethics, risk and safeguarding, held in a collaborative, non-punitive way
• Space to notice your own nervous system and limits, so supervision helps protect against burnout, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue
• Respect for your modality and style; I will respect your individuality as a counsellor, and will work with you within your own theoretical frame 

Supervision at its best is both containing and enriching. My aim is to offer you a space that feels safe, respectful, collaborative and developmentally stretching, where we can reflect deeply on the complexity of the work together, and explore process, embodiment and countertransference, as well as concrete interventions and planning.

Who I work with

I particularly welcome:

• Therapists working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual violence
• Practitioners working with PTSD, Complex PTSD, dissociation, shame and long term-developmental trauma. Also with those highly impactful ‘small t’ traumas. 
• Counsellors working in charities and low-cost services, including those supporting highly traumatised clients within constrained systems.
• Therapists who are newly qualified, newly in private practice or newly working with trauma who want solid, accessible support
• Experienced practitioners who want to deepen or expand their trauma-informed and body-aware practice

I work comfortable alongside humanistic, integrative, psychodynamic and pluralistic approaches, as well as practitioners who are bringing in somatic or energy psychology tools alongside talking therapy.

Background and experience

I have worked as a counsellor for over twenty years in a specialist charity offering long‑term, trauma‑informed counselling to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence. For the past eight years, as a Client Services Manager, I have overseen a team of counsellors, providing ongoing support and supervision to both trainee and qualified volunteer and paid counsellors. I am part of the charities training team delivering clinically relevant and experiential one and six-day trainings to both trainee and qualified counsellors and supervisors. I also design and deliver psycho‑educational webinars and workshops for survivors and their supporters.

Alongside this, I have run a private practice since 2010, offering mainly long‑term counselling to adults (17+) living with complex mental health challenges and the legacy of childhood trauma. Earlier roles in mental health, social care and supported housing, including work on acute psychiatric wards, adolescent units and in services for people with learning disabilities and ‘challenging behaviour’ have given me a solid grounding in risk, safeguarding and multi‑agency work

Training and professional development

• MBACP counsellor and psychotherapist working with adult survivors of CSA for over 20 years
• Post Graduate Certificate in Relational Supervision (working towards Post Graduate Diploma in Relational Psychotherapeutic Supervision)
• Advanced and Postgraduate Diplomas in Psychodynamic Counselling (University of Cambridge)
• Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis with Psychotherapy
• Advanced Diploma in Hypnoanalysis
• Diploma in IET (integrated energy techniques, incorporating EFT & NLP) 
• Somatic Trauma Therapy Training with Babette Rothschild 

Additional training in psychosensory and trauma-focused methods including Havening, EFT (emotional freedom technique), Faster EFT, and IEMT (integral eye movement therapy)

I continue to invest in my own supervision, supervision of supervision and ongoing CPD in trauma and body-based work