A confidential space to explore the thoughts, feelings and challenges in your life
About Me
My initial journey started on a volunteer basis with an organisation that supports people who had been victims of crime. For a number of years, my core work of advocacy and emotional support was with people who had been victims of sexual crimes and domestic violence. I also have accreditation from this organisation for my work.
I also have vast experience as a Senior Independent Mental Health Advocate working with adults and young people who were under the Mental Health Act in psychiatric settings within intensive care, forensic, eating disorder, adolescent, and personality disorder units.
As a counselling practitioner, I worked for a number of years as a counsellor and psychotherapist with the organisation Mind, working within their IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) service. I worked with a diversity of clients who presented with mild to extreme forms of psychological difficulties or life issues.
These include anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relationship issues, sexuality, sexual abuse, bereavement, attainment of life goals, and life choices. I also have over two years of experience providing short-term workplace counselling within an Employee Assistant program.
Currently, alongside my work in private practice, I'm now also working with clients in an NHS Talking therapy service. In my private practice, I work with clients with a myriad of presenting issues or concerns on a long or short-term basis. I am also a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and work within the BACP ethical framework for good practice in counselling and psychotherapy.
Qualifications
• First Class BA (Hons) in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy
• BACP Accredited course in Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression
• HE Diploma in Counselling and Psychology
• Certificate in Counselling Skills
How I Work
As an integrative humanistic therapist, I work from the premise that all human beings have the potential for growth and to be able to find their own resources from within when given the right conditions. The assumptions are that you have the ability to take responsibility for yourself and your choices to reach your full potential. I have a holistic approach by helping you gain insight into yourself as a whole person: mind, body, and soul. Whilst also taking your external environment into account and how this may be affecting you whether it’s social, relationships, cultural, or any other experiences.
I offer a chance to reflect on the difficulties or problems you are experiencing in a safe and confidential environment, with someone from outside your day-to-day life. Together we can explore your situation in a way that leads to fresh perspectives - and perhaps a new understanding of yourself. Therapy isn’t about giving you solutions or advice but helping you to identify what may be holding you back and empowering you to make your own changes.
My aim is to provide a safe confidential space for clients to explore their thoughts and feelings, past and present whilst feeling safe and understood. I believe that trusting relationships are fundamental to a person’s sense of themselves in our world. Building this kind of relationship is one of the core elements of how I work. Through guided exploration of your world, I facilitate a safe space to assist you in unmasking your true thoughts and emotions, finding your own answers, and trusting in your own experience to reach your full potential.
Having worked with different client groups, I have an appreciation and respect for diversity. I work with individuals across a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, different sexual identities, physical disabilities, and neurodiverse clients. I strive to work in a pluralistic way, in that I seek to acknowledge the diversity of my clients and attempt to work within the parameters of their world whilst also where possible, working collaboratively and adapting my approach to meet their needs.
What I Offer
I offer virtual sessions via Zoom or Skype. For sessions, you will need to find a private space where our call cannot be overheard or interrupted. You will also need to be in that space at the agreed time of our appointment for the 50-minute duration of our call together. The sessions I offer are tailored to each individual and are offered in a non-judgemental, safe environment. I work on an open-ended basis or for an agreed time period. The length of commitment to counselling is negotiated by the client and myself collaboratively from the onset and reviewed regularly.
What are Counselling and Psychotherapy?
Counselling is often referred to as a talking therapy. At times, we can feel lonely and isolated and may find it difficult to talk about our feelings and fears. Counselling offers people an opportunity to explore their thoughts and feelings about any one issue that they might be faced with. Counselling is based on giving a person the deep experience of being listened to and heard in a safe space without the fear of being judged.
Psychotherapy can be more “in depth” and longer term than counselling. Psychotherapy more often addresses the unconscious and helps a person develop a sense of themselves though using various techniques as a vehicle in aiding this process. Work at this depth can help to identify the underlying issues that create ongoing problems in life.
Sessions & Fees
For our first session, I will ask you some questions about yourself and the reason you are seeking Counselling or Psychotherapy, and what you hope to achieve. This purpose is to make an assessment of your needs and to decide whether the service I offer will suit your circumstances. If necessary, I can refer you to another means more suited to your needs. If we are in agreement to work together, we can then agree on your session day, time, and fees.
I have a standard fee of £70, however I appreciate that individual situations may vary dependant on their circumstance. With this in mind, I may offer a concessionary place where the fee can be negotiated. Sessions last for 50 minutes.
Get in touch
If you think you might want to come to use my services, then the next step would be to contact me by telephone or email to arrange an initial session. I offer a free 20 minute consultation to ascertain if I'm the best therapist to work with you. You will then be charged for your initial session, but you will not be expected to commit to further sessions until you are ready to do so.
You can use my email address which is info@patsyknight.co.uk or use the contact form below. Alternatively, you can telephone me on 07555 711573.
All enquires are usually answered within 48 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
©2023 Patsy Knight
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