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I have almost 30 years of specialist clinical counselling experience. I am a MBACP Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor and a member of the Association for the Treatment of Sex Addiction and Compulsivity (ATSAC). ACTO Senior Professional Member Level 3. I provide flexible daytime and evening online appointments Monday to Thursday from Bangor, Co Down Northern Ireland.
Having been a couples and family therapist for almost 30 years, 20 years a counselling supervisor and 14 years a sex addiction and porn addiction therapist.
From your first contact whether by phone, text or email, I am listening and focusing on your worries and concerns, to understand the nature of your distress.
As a relational counsellor, I am passionate that Understanding is the Key. When we get understanding, there can be healing and repair of ourselves and in our relationships. Quite simply, understanding brings informed choice and change.
In being an integrative therapist, I incorporate a range of methods and techniques derived from my initial training as a person-centred counsellor and being enhanced through Relateni in studying psychodynamic and systemic approaches in working with couples and families. In continuing my journey in professional development, I have gained two Certificates in Sex and Porn Addiction and am committed to working in this field. I have studied Polyvagal Theory, learning more about neurobiology and somatic practice in working with trauma. I blend together all of my knowledge and experiences with compassion, understanding and commitment to your welfare to empower you in your life journey.
How to begin; I provide a non-judgemental, impartial service and a safe therapeutic environment where you can explore confidential issues. In my first contact with you and after carefully listening, I explain how I work. Prior to an initial assessment appointment, I will send my Agreement to Counselling for you to read and sign (encrypted for your privacy) together with Client Resources for helpful and useful information when working online.
My Privacy Policy is available if you request. Following an initial assessment session(s), we may agree to work regularly for 6 sessions and then assess to see if your needs have been met and whether you would like to continue. You can choose either regular or flexible weekly / fortnightly appointments and either face to face or online.
Even with very difficult or complex issues or where there are challenging, worrying and distressing emotions, focusing on your own needs exclusively can be a comfort and a welcome relief.
One of my most privileged experiences and something I will always draw upon is working with people with terminal illness and their families in Marie Curie Belfast in completion of my Masters of Social Work. This was one of the most transformative life experiences I have had offering me such a deep personal insight into relationships at the most vulnerable of times.
Research consistently shows that online therapy is as effective as in person therapy and in having worked for the past number of years solely online, I am encouraged to find that this is so. Reassuringly, I have found that there is the same level of in-depth therapeutic trust, connectedness and authenticity with online as with face-to-face.
Some of the benefits of Online Counselling are - therapy anywhere that is comfortable and convenient for you and you can make your own space as to how you want it to be. No navigating transport or traffic and additional time onto your session. I am able to provide continuous support even when one of us is travelling. You can make a cuppa and have your pet beside you.
Online therapy isn’t without its challenges though - for example, Internet breakdown can be unpredictable. To manage this, I discuss a plan of action as to what I and you might do to overcome this and make any interruption as non-interrupting as possible.
People sometimes are concerned about limited visual contact; on meeting I will explain how we can set up our devices for eye contact and maximise cameras generally to view the top half of ourselves.
We can also trouble shoot potential interruptions such a door bell ringing or people arriving unexpectedly to protect your time with me.
When the session ends, I will help you think through your transition into everyday life – so that you are not immediately dealing with family or work. Ten minutes relaxing with a cuppa is essential.
Other great benefits from online therapy are - Accessibility, e.g., those with disabilities, limited transport, distance – you can stay at home
Flexibility of times and convenience
Appointments may be more immediate
Being in separate locations may be less inhibiting
Remote nature may alleviate isolation
Confidentiality – no waiting rooms being seen arriving or leaving counselling premises
You have a greater choice of therapists than if you were restricted by location
Lastly, we don’t need to worry about transmitting an airborne virus via the internet so online therapy has provided consistency and accessible support throughout the pandemic. I really welcome that fact I was able to continue with my on-going clients maintaining regular and dependable contact as well as meet new clients that in-person would not have allowed me to do so.
Adults
Families
Individual Counselling, Couples Counselling, Same Sex Relationships Counselling, Sex and Pornography Addictions, Couples and Sex Addiction, Family Counselling.
Free initial 15 minutes Online or Telephone call
£60 for 50 minutes
£90 for 75 minutes
English
I am a hugely experienced supervisor of 20 years with capacity to work at great relational depth both online, telephone and face-to-face, offering a layering of modalities such as relational, psychodynamic, systemic, attachment, trauma and addiction along with meta supervision models such as 'The Seven-Eyed Supervisor' (psychodynamic) and the 'Domains of Action' (systemic).
Having qualified as a Supervisor in 2004, I became a BACP Senior Accredited Supervisor in 2007, ATSAC Supervisor from 2010 and ACTO Senior Professional Supervisor, Level 3 in 2003. I supervise individual, trainee, qualified counsellors and psychotherapists and other supervisors and the related professionals such as CEOs, clinical leads/managers of organisations and social services based practices and a number of charities, mental health, cancer focused and charities specifically arising from the Northern Ireland 'Troubles'.
I am bound by the BACP Ethical Framework for the counselling profession and the BACP Supplementary Guidance Working Online (GPA 047), the ATSAC Values, Vision and Mission of Inclusivity, Care, Equality, Responsibility and Striving to see the highest standard in everything we say and do. Reflecting and promoting the latest thinking in Sex Addiction forming part of these standards. I uphold the ACTO Code of Ethics and provide confidentiality within all of the above guidelines.
Counselling Supervision
Couples Counselling
Family Counselling
Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (Sex and Porn addiction with individuals, their partners and couples)
I am an Integrative Practitioner incorporating modalities of psychodynamic, systemic, attachment, trauma informed and somatic polyvagal led.
I supervise with an Integrative Process Model and then The Seven-Eyed Supervisor developed by Peter Hawkings and Robin Shohet - a psychodynamic model incorporating the conscious and unconscious aspects of clinical practice. A creative take on this model is viewing this through the lens of 'Winnie-the-Pooh'.
I also supervise using the systemic Domains of Action model of three inter-linking circles, Action, Explanation and Aesthetics. Action relates to accountability and responsibility, explanation is the therapeutic relationship and aesthetics is about respectful and appropriate language underpinned by Codes of Ethics.
Key elements of my practice are: -
Relational where the supervisory relationship between you and I are safety, trust, openness, courage and candour.
Supervision needs to be something we both enjoy, where transformational learning takes place.
I will be curious and interested in any 'take-aways' you get in each and every supervision session enabling a rich and growing and developing practice.
I also enjoy Ethical Dilemmas in how we respond to different situations and the positions we take in the moment-to-moment decision making.
I charge £60 / hour for Supervision and £90 for 1.5 hrs. Payment can be made via bank transfer on the day of the supervision.
I require 48 hrs working days notice for any cancellations.
English