Counselling Services and Bereavement Support​
About Me:
I trained and qualified as an Integrative Counsellor. This means that I use a range of counselling theories and approaches within my work ensuring that I work with each client as and individual tailoring our sessions to suit their needs. I strongly believe that no one approach to therapy is the complete solution to working with depression and anxiety and I will use whatever is appropriate to that individual client which may incorporate one or more approaches.
Counselling approaches and techniques that I use within my work include:
- Psychodynamic (focusing on the past and past attachments & their connections to the present)
- Person-Centred (focusing on the client and building relationships and interpersonal skills)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) (focusing on practical coping strategies and skills & tackling negative thought processes)
- Gesalt (focusing on developing self awareness for personal growth)
Qualifications and Experience:
In addition to my private work I also worked as a Counsellor for six years with young people aged between 11-25 at a charity called Signpost based in West Hertfordshire on a CAMHS NHS contract, in addition to this for two years I also helped to run one of their social groups for young people and a therapeutic drama group in conjunction with Trestle Theatre Group in St Albans, funded by Dacorum Borough Council. I have also had extensive training in working with Bereavement with the Hertfordshire branch of a charity called Cruse Bereavement Care and currently work as a Bereavement volunteer providing both one to one grief counselling as well as assisting to run bereavement support groups.
My formal qualifications include CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and Ascentis Awareness in Bereavement Care.
A post graduate certificate in counselling teenagers through training at the Institute for Arts in Therapy & Education.
I have also had additional training in child protection, sexual abuse, autism & sudden and traumatic death.
I also hold current training certificates in Level 1 Child protection and Level 3 safeguarding children for Hertfordshire County Council in conjunction with my role at Signpost.
I continue to attend regular training courses to keep myself up to date with current theories, legislation and ways of working.
Between September 2016 and December 2016 I completed specialist training on working with bereavement in children and young people with Cruse Bereavement Care Hertfordshire.
Due to time constraints I have now left my role at Signpost but have spent the last three years working at Hertfordshire Therapy Centre (now known as TRCIC) as a trauma counsellor for both adults and teenagers for Hertfordshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
Professional Membership:
I am a registered member with the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and I am committed to abiding by their professional code of conduct set out by their Framework for Good Practice. BACP arenational professional body who promote and monitor best practice in counselling and psychotherapy