Me

I saw my first counselling client in 2015 and I felt the sense of both responsibility but also privilege of being trusted to hear someone’s innermost thoughts and feelings.  Their story.  I still feel the same every single day. 

My training and experience mean I can “show up” for you, in the emotional sense as well as physical, every time we meet.

How can you be sure I know what I’m doing?

I agree it’s vital to understand my counselling credentials.

I’m a UKCP-accredited psychotherapist with an MSc in Experiential and Person-Centred Psychotherapy so have the certificates I need to give you comfort that someone’s checked I know what I’m doing and that you’ll be safe. 

Here’s a link to my UKCP profile to verify my counselling credentials.

And here’s a link to the UKCP website for what it means to be accredited.

Their main criteria are:

• Educated to at least Masters level
• Have completed at least 450 clinical hours
• Have completed at least 160 hours of personal therapy*
• Sign up to their ethical code
• Be actively practicing psychotherapy / counselling
• Complete regular ongoing, relevant education

I’ve had therapy too

*You may be wondering why this matters.  It is helpful for a therapist to know what it’s like to be a client. 

Perhaps more important though, it is vital that therapists have a heightened level of self-awareness when they are interacting with clients. 

For example, if they have their own un-resolved trauma a therapist may be unable to cope with a client who presents with a similar experience and the session becomes about the therapist not the client; if a therapist has their own undiscovered, biased views they may behave in a discriminatory way towards a client yet not be aware of it. 

In general, the higher-level training helps therapists to notice when they feel an emotional, cognitive or physical reaction when engaging with a client, and then understand that reaction (in supervision if necessary).  Only through that process can therapists be the best they can be for their clients. 

A quick Google search soon reveals varying arguments of whether this should be achieved through personal therapy or other means; it is my and UKCP’s view that personal therapy alongside the higher academic level training courses deliver that self-awareness.

What next? 

Go to the booking page to arrange your free, ten minute telephone consultation which can help you decide if counselling or coaching is for you.