Counselling & Personal Consultancy
Who I am and my approach
In my life I’ve always been drawn to helping others – being a good listener. Having worked for many years in both counselling and non-counselling professions I feel that I’m able to use all the life and human skills which I believe are my best; those of hearing a person (not just the words but what might lie behind them), not judging and being empathic and then of course, being present in a very real way for others whilst they navigate their own path. I also offer an open and creative approach and am always curious about what might work best for you.
My approach and the way I trained is person-centred which means that I won’t give you advice or tell you what to do which might seem strange if you haven’t had counselling before. But I’ll aim to be alongside you, in a very attentive and immediate way whilst you make your own discoveries – I believe that you are the expert on your own life. However, the way in which we work is always open to negotiation and I’ve found that sometimes there can be an overlap between counselling and coaching and clients sometimes need and want a goal to work towards which might include some advice or guidance. I’d describe this way of working as “personal consultancy” which is a model that integrates counselling and coaching. We’ll always agree how we’re going to work at the beginning of our relationship and then keep an eye on how our work develops.
I also have an MA in Developing Professional Practice in Management and have spent the last 20 years working within senior management, with executive and non-executive teams and I also use my counselling and coaching skills to help managers and management professionals find their way.
I’ve also worked very successfully with a number of senior leaders as a coach, counsellor and mentor – this might be close to the Personal Consultancy model I described earlier, and I believe that working in this way enables me to bring all my experience to the table. I love the diversity of my work and the people who I meet along the way.
Some people ask me what I do ... I tell them it doesn't really matter what the label is, provided it helps
Counselling
Most people, at some point in their lives, have setbacks and struggles which are, of course, part of what it is to be human. It’s just that sometimes we could do with some help from someone who isn’t your partner, family or friend; a person who is completely there with you.
Personal Consultancy
Personal Consultancy is a way of working and helping (a “model” if you will) that I’ve recently become very interested in. I believe that my experience and skills bring me to this way of working naturally and I believe I’ve already worked in this way; I just didn’t realise it had a label.
So what's the first step?
I will always offer a first meeting to help us discuss whether you want to start counselling with me and whether I am the best person to help you or whether another person would be better suited to you. We’ll discuss how counselling might help you and the issues which you want to begin to talk about so that we can agree, between us, on a way of working, bearing in mind my person-centred approach and the reasons that might bring you to counselling.
Everything we discuss is completely confidential with total respect for your privacy and that of any other individuals discussed.
My Fees
Initial Chat - 30 minutes Free
Subsequent Session Fees - £60 per hour
Qualifications & Continuing Professional Development
Qualifications
MBACP (Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy)
MA in Developing Professional Practice and Management
Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy
Advanced Post Qualification Certificate in Outdoor Counselling
OCST 1 Online Counselling Skills Certificate (with distinction)
CPD
Autism Awareness – Iain Dickie (South Lakeland MIND)
Open Dialogue – South Lakeland MIND
Working with adult Survivors of childhood sexual abuse – The Birchall Trust
The Pluralistic Approach – Mick Cooper
Introduction to Theory and Practice of Compassion Focused Therapy – The Compassionate Mind Foundation, Dr Chris Ions and Dr Ashleigh McLellan
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Integrating Theories With Practice – Dr Sarah Halliday
