Introducing the Counsellor
My CV
My present position
I am an online/telephone counsellor/psychotherapist working in private practice, and I have been working this way since September 2001. I am also currently writing a book.
I remember one of my first online clients very well because she contacted me after witnessing the terrorism in New York on September 11 2001. I very quickly learnt that although the client’s situation and issues can vary enormously, they generally appreciate the extra privacy and flexibility that working online can allow.
My previous employment
January 2008 – Nov 2010
OLMHAC. The Online Mental Health Action Committee. Massachusetts, USA.
Position: Vulnerable populations coordinator, instructor and clinical staff
I was also working in private online practice and as a self-employed telephone counsellor for www.talktoacounsellor.co.uk
January 2003 - November 2007:
I worked as a self employed BAC P accredited counsellor in private practice, seeing clients face-to-face and by e-mail, online chat and telephone.
October 2000 - September 2002:
I worked privately with clients face-to-face, by e-mail and by telephone. I also worked as a self-employed clinical affiliate counsellor for Axa PPP Healthcare, who referred staff for a maximum of seven counselling sessions with me. Before seeing me, clients were assessed by a clinical psychologist. The issues that they brought included: stress, depression, relationship problems, bereavement, abuse, alcohol and drug related problems. Clients were usually very motivated to attend counselling sessions. I often gave them ‘homework’ to increase the effectiveness of our sessions. This usually included: keeping a thought/feelings diary, carrying out creative writing, or using an ‘anger’or ‘stress ‘map.
In 2001 I launched my website.
September 1993 - December 2000
I worked as a face-to-face counsellor in various settings:
: St.Wilfrid's hospice in Eastbourne. I saw clients face-to-face who were bereaved or terminally ill. I also visited clients in the community. Sometimes I saw children and young people who had lost a parent or sibling.
: Two very busy information and counselling centres for young people: ‘Open Door’ in Eastbourne and ‘On The Level’ (now ‘The Young People's Centre’) in Brighton. These places were extremely busy, and the young people concerned were often vulnerable and leading lives of high risk, so I often worked alongside social services. Complex mental health issues were extremely common amongst this client group.
: Eastbourne College of Art and Technology (now Sussex Downs College) Main student issues: relationship problems, stress and bereavement issues.
1970 – 1980
I worked as a medical laboratory technician in the bacteriology department of NHS hospitals in Essex and Roehampton in London.
Other counselling training that continues to contribute to my professional development
I participate in lectures/workshops held online via Skype at: www.onlinevents.co.uk. There is an interactive chatroom running during the lectures/workshops.
Lectures/workshops attended:
‘Encounter Groups. Discussion about La Jolla Program UK. September ‘11
‘Counselling, class and income’ Interview/discussion with Clare Slaney. May 2011
‘No sex please, we’re therapists’. Interview/discussion with Stephanie Palin MA March 2011
‘Person-Centred Couples counselling. Presentation/demonstration by Allan Turner & Kate Stubbings. March 2011
‘Not your average anger management programme. Therapy and Education for the 21st Century’ Interview/workshop with Buck Black. Buck is a social worker and online counsellor at www.truckertherapy.com February 2011
Mistakes in Psychotherapy’ Colin Lago and David Rose Online lecture/discussion. November 2011
‘Emerging From Broken’ interview with Darlene Quimet in USA. This was about her personal experience of recovery from abuse in childhood October‘10
‘Online Assessment.’ Workshop for ACTO members. Jane Evans. MA. BACP (Snr Accred) February ‘11
2008 - 2010:
The Online Mental Health Action Committee: I took part in extensive experiential/formal training. I also wrote training materials concerning vulnerable populations: children, the disabled and the elderly.
‘ Therapeutic Writing’ Weekend online workshop held by Counselling Online Limited at www.olt4counsellors.online.org Given by Gill Jones director and BACP Senior Registered Counsellor 2005
‘Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Personal and Parental Perspectives’. Lecture given by Jenny Ronayne and Sarabjit Singh. For The Child Psychotherapy Lecture Fund. At The Brighthelm Centre in Brighton 2004
Suzie Orbach (well known UK psychotherapist) in conversation with Mic Burton MBACP (Snr Accred) Held at the Brighthelm Centre for the Child Psychotherapy Lecture Fund. 2004
‘Facing Our Own Death’ Workshop at Downs College. Joy Oakley MBACP (Snr Accred) 2004
‘Destructive States of Mind in Adolescence’ Lecture given by Dr. Margot Waddell (Tavistock Clinic) at Brighthelm Centre for The Child Psychotherapy Lecture Fund. 2004
‘Satanic Ritual Abuse. Dissociation ’ Lecture attended at The Brighthelm Centre. Given by Brighton GP. 2001
Training/preparation for employment by www.121365.com Online training conducted by Maggie Rogers for Therapy-Online Ltd. 2001
(This training was provided to a group of 10 BACP Accredited Counsellors. Its purpose was to familiarise counsellors/trainers with the process of having clients and supervision online. Counselling online was a new concept/technology in 20001)
‘The joys and sorrows of working with adolescents’ Lecture/workshop given by Brighton GP at The Brighthelm Centre Brighton.. 2000
‘Solution Focused Therapy.’ Weekend workshop taken at Downs College, Lewes. Given by Johnathan Hales MBACP (Accred) 2000
Health and Safety Training. Weekend training taken at Downs College Eastbourne. Given by Claire Pooley MBACP (Snr Accred) 2000
‘Counselling in GP surgeries’. Lecture at The Brigthhem Centre. Brighton. Given by Brighton GP 2000
Person-Centred Art Therapy. Workshop taken at St Wilfrid's Hospice. Given by Pamela Barker, hospice social worker and Kathy Aspden MBACP (Snr Accred) 1997
‘Eating and body image’ Experiential training/workshop taken at St Wilfrid's Hospice. Given by Pamela Barker, St. Wilfrid’s hospice social worker. 1997
‘The Core Conditions’. Experiential training. Workshops taken at ‘On The Level’ given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL Brighton 1996
‘Boundaries’. Experiential training/workshop taken at ‘On The Level’ given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL Brighton 1996
HIV/AIDS. Weekend training taken at ‘On The Level’ Given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL and social services. 1996
‘Psychosynthesis and Visualisation. Guided Imagery.’ 5 week workshop/course taken at GP Surgery in Hove. Barbara Walters MBACP (Snr Accred) 1996
‘Sexual Health’ Weekend workshop taken at ‘On The Level’ given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL 1995
‘Telephone Counselling’ Weekend training taken at ‘On The Level’ given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL 1995
‘Alcoholism’ 2 training/workshops taken at ‘On The Level’ given by Sandy Richards. Coordinator OTL and Brighton GP. 1995
‘Homophobia and heterosexism’ Experiential training/workshop taken at ‘On The Level.’ Given by Brighton social workers. 1995
‘Person-Centred challenging skills’ Experiential training/workshop taken at ‘On The Level’. Given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL 1995
‘Sexuality’ Experiential training taken at ‘On The Level’ Given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL 1994
‘Anorexia and bulimia, patterns in the family’. Experiential training taken at ‘On The Level’ Given by Sandy Richards Coordinator OTL 1994