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Experience | Theoretical Approach | Qualifications | Because I feel that you will probably be most interested in issues that reflect my competence as a counsellor I have chosen to use this page to focus on my experience, theoretical approach and counselling qualifications. My Experience I am a counsellor in private practice working with a broad range of clients. I work with a person-centred approach and I am a member of the British Association for the Person-Centred Approach (BAPCA). I am a BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) Accredited Counsellor and as an individual member of BACP I am bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and subject to the Professional Conduct Procedure therein. I am also a member of the Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. I am covered by professional liability insurance. I have been in private practice since completing my postgraduate diploma and work with a broad range of clients. I offer face to face counselling to individuals, couples and groups. I also offer both telephone and online services to private clients. I haved worked as a telephone and email counsellor for a large employee assistance organisation who had a varied caseload. I have been involved with Brighton & Hove Cruse Bereavement Care, YAC and Addaction Brighton & Hove as a volunteer counsellor. I am a counselling tutor at City College, Brighton & Hove and Varndean College. For my Masters I carried out a research study into the experiences that adults who stammer had in counselling with a view to improving the service that clients receive. Back to top   Theoretical Approach The person-centred approach to counselling was originally described by Carl Rogers in the 1940’s. His theory was that a self-directed process of change would follow from the client’s experience of a particular kind of relationship. This relationship was characterised by genuineness (congruence), non-judgmental caring (unconditional positive regard), and empathy. This theory stimulated a significant amount of research and still tends to be supported by current research. Initially this type of counselling was known as ‘non-directive’ psychotherapy because it was based on the concept that counsellors cannot decide the directions in which people can change and develop. The approach was later called ‘client-centred’ or ‘person-centred’ to reflect the centrality of the client in the process of therapy. Carl Rogers wrote extensively on the subject and several of his books are still available, ‘On Becoming a Person’ and ‘A Way of Being’ are two that may be of interest to anyone who wishes to explore the subject. ‘Person-centred Counselling in Action’ by Mearns & Thorne is also a useful book on this topic. Back to top   My Qualifications Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE/PCE) (2005 - ongoing) City and Guilds 7404 Teacher Training Stage 1 and 2 (2004) Certificate in Online Counselling, OnlineCounsellors.co.uk (2003) Cruse Bereavement Care Volunteer Counsellor Training (2003) MA Counselling Studies, University of Brighton (2003) Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, University of Brighton (2002) Certificate in Counselling Skills (Level 2), Lewes Tertiary College (2000) Introduction to Counselling Skills (Level 1), Lewes Tertiary College (1999) Addaction Volunteer Training Programme, OCN (2000) Back to top