What are your qualifications?
I have a B.A Honours Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Warwick University, a ‘Competent Practitioner’ licence to practice Person-Centred Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD) from the Metanoia Institute, London and a ‘readiness to teach’ certificate in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) from the Oxford Mindfulness Centre (OMC). I also completed training in working with Mindfulness in the Workplace from the OMC and in Complex Grief and Bereavement Counselling from The Myton Hospice, Warwick.
Are you accredited by your professional body?
Yes, I am a registered and accredited therapist member of The British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). This is the professional association for members of the counselling professions in the UK. As such, I abide by the terms of the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.
Should I work with you face-to-face or remotely online?
This depends on your personal preference and location. Some clients like to be in the same room and be able to see and hear their therapist directly, others like the convenience of working online without the need for travel time. I am happy to work with you either way, but generally like to keep to the same format throughout our appointments.
I’m not very ‘techy’ and am unsure about working online?
No problem, as long as you have a computer with a camera, speakers and an internet connection, I can help you with the rest. The video application I will use to communicate with you (VSee) is available and easy to download for free and is safe, encrypted, and secure to use. In fact it is trusted by more than 1,000 healthcare organisations worldwide, and has been selected by NASA as the official video conferencing platform aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since 2014.
I’m unsure whether to proceed, how can I find out more about you and how this works?
I totally understand, and if I was looking for a therapist to help, I would want to speak to them before committing. That’s why I will offer you an initial 30-minute video or telephone consultation for free. This gives us both an opportunity to find out if you and I feel comfortable working together before a first therapy appointment. There is research data to suggest that no matter what modality, theories or qualifications your therapist has, it is the quality of the therapeutic relationship that is the most significant thing in achieving a positive outcome for the client, so I place great importance in supporting this.
Do I need to be referred to you by my GP?
No. I do sometimes receive referrals from GPs and other healthcare providers, but this is not necessary.
How many appointments will I need and do I need to commit to long-term therapy?
There is no hard and fast rule to apply here when it comes to number of sessions. My approach is that you are in control of this, and can stop at any time without having to give me a reason why. It is my job to create regular opportunities for us to openly discuss and review whether you are finding our sessions helpful. There is some research data to support that during the initial period of therapy, weekly sessions create the right circumstances to support positive therapeutic change.
I don’t particularly ‘know’ how I feel, I just know that I am not in a good place and life isn’t feeling how I want it to be and I want this to change.
Sometimes, our thoughts and feelings are confusing and are wrapped up in the turbulent circumstances that we are experiencing. Working together during our sessions, your feelings may surface with more clarity in a way that make sense to you and informs your future direction and decisions.