Ali
I have been counselling for over 20 years and I am the clinical director here at Haywards Heath Counselling Centre. I helped set up the practice in partnership with another colleague over 21 years ago, as we wanted to make counselling much more accessible to people in Mid Sussex.
I wanted to train as a counsellor following a really positive experience of my own personal therapy. I completed an inspiring three year Diploma course in Therapeutic Counselling and since qualifying, have worked as a counsellor at Brighton University, within the NHS and for two local charities.
I work largely as a psychodynamic counsellor, which means that we gently explore the connection between our experiences as we grew up and the difficulties that we may face in our lives now. Experience has shown me that, as we begin to understand and work with this connection, we are able to develop a much better relationship with ourselves, which by nature, can lead on to us having better relationships with our friends and families, something I think that is important to us all.
I consider myself to be down to earth and friendly and I work in a way that is both approachable and professional. I am committed to my own professional and personal development and have a very keen interest in progress and research within counselling and psychotherapy.
Qualifications
Certificate in Counselling Skills 1998
Advanced Certificate in Counselling Skills 1999
Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling 2001
Various short and longer courses, including;
Certificate in Attachment Theory in Clinical Practice
Attachment and Trauma: the Resilience of Mind and Body
Healing after Trauma
Nervous System Regulation
Anxiety Disorders
Working with Chronic Illness or Disability
Yoga for Anxiety, Depression and Stress
Suicide Across the Lifespan
The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Therapy
Managing Shame
Mindfulness based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Fees
£60 per session.
Karen
When we are faced with difficult experiences or unexpected life events, in our relationships, at work or in our experience of ourselves, our usual ways of dealing with things can stop working. This can feel really uncomfortable and life-limiting as we struggle with difficult thoughts and feelings. In counselling with me, I would support you, in a way that is tailored to you, to understand and emotionally process challenges that you have, and so help you to find a way through.
My training is as a psychodynamic counsellor, which means that alongside providing support for what is going on for you now, we would be likely to explore some of the possible connections of your current distress to earlier life experiences. In my experience, this helps to provide deeper understanding and insight and can provide more freedom in the way that you relate to your experience, yourself and others now and going forward.
There is a quote by E.E. Cummings, which I love and think describes the essence of the value of therapy that I have had and that I aim to provide, “We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to and worthy of our trust… (sacred to our touch). Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”
Experience and Qualifications
I have a number of years of experience of working with adults with a range of concerns and psychological distress, in Community Counselling services, for Employee Assistance Programme companies, and in Private Practice. I work both in person and remotely. To my work, I bring my training, as a Counsellor and in Psychology, and life experience including working in education, industry and the charitable sector both in the UK and overseas.
I am an Accredited Member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP), with a Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling awarded by The Counselling Centre in Tunbridge Wells (2021) and with a Masters in Psychology from the University of Surrey (2016).
I greatly value continuous self- and professional- learning and development and so do ongoing training. The further training that I have done includes working with bereavement, anxiety, depression, family and relationship difficulties, attachment, cross-cultural transitions, childhood abuse, trauma, neglect, religious struggles, the impact of boarding school, shame, and mindful, creative and nature approaches.
Fees
£60 per session
Abigail
I am an experienced counsellor/psychotherapist, registered with BACP and UKCP and offering individual therapy to adults. Since 2016 I’ve been fortunate to have worked with a wide range of clients, including in the social sector, for GP practices, and in private practice.
I’ve always had a keen interest in psychological and emotional wellbeing. This led eventually to my taking a four-year training in counselling and psychotherapy. Following that, I undertook a Research MA which investigated the long-term impacts of bereavement in childhood.
My training is integrative, meaning I draw upon several approaches, adjusting these to the needs of the individual.
Counselling is an opportunity to speak about anything that is troubling you, in a confidential and supportive setting. I bring warmth, attentiveness and respect to the therapeutic relationship. I work by helping you to explore what’s going on for you, perhaps identifying deeper patterns and causes. I bring an acceptance of who you are right now alongside a belief in the potential for change.
I often work with clients facing some kind of “life crisis” or period of major transition. Whether due to an external situation such as separation or bereavement, or an internal experience such as feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or depressed, talking to a counsellor can help. Counselling can lead to new ways of being and expressing oneself, discerning what we value, and finding a way forward towards a more meaningful and authentic life.
Counselling isn’t a “miracle cure” for all suffering. In a stressful world, however, it offers something quite rare – the time and space to attend to what hurts and what matters to you.
Availability
I offer individual therapy in person, on Mondays and Tuesdays in Haywards Heath. I also see some clients remotely.
Training and qualifications
My formal qualifications are:
– Post-graduate Diploma (four years) in Counselling and Psychotherapy
(CCPE, London), 2019. Training accredited by BACP & UKCP.
– MA(Res) in Transpersonal Counselling and Psychotherapy
(CCPE/University of Northampton), 2021. Award of Distinction.
In addition to the above I am committed to ongoing training and professional development.
Fees
Cost for initial session and subsequent 50-minute sessions is £60.
I offer a free no-obligation 15-20 minute phone call prior to this, if you would like to find out more before booking a consultation.
Paul
Hello, I’m Paul.
I trained at Masters level in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy and I’m a qualified psychotherapist, couples therapist and clinical supervisor.
I started training in 2014, and had my first clients in 2016, as a counsellor at MIND. After that I worked with Cruse bereavement care and then with Change Grow Live addiction programme. I started private practice in 2018.
I’m also a musician, painter and sculptor and I have a keen interest in our planet and everything that lives here. Relationships are where we interface with the world, whether it’s an intimate relationship, a relationship with family or a friend, a substance, an organisation, or most importantly the relationship with ourselves. Our responses to these relationships can become problematic.
To change something about the way you are in a relationships, we start by recognising how the patterns of life can seem to repeat. Once we can become aware of this, our response can change too. You can deepen your understanding of your triggers, soothe your anxiety, work your way through depression and have the experience of living that you long for.
Haywards Heath Counselling Centre 