Ethics & About Me
As a responsible professional I agree to be bound by, and work under, a series of Codes of Ethics of Professional Practice.
I adhere to the following organisational Code of Ethics as a minimum standard for my working with Clients:
I studied psychotherapy at IATE and qualified as an Integrative Arts Psychotherapist. In 1999, I passed my final exam. I am UKCP registered via IATE and am on The BACP register.
I have a post graduate diploma in working with Children and Adolescents from Terapia / Middlesex University.
I was involved in the Mentoring Team of the Each One Teach One project as part of the Black and Asian Therapists Network (BAATN) ~ I am an ex Leadership Team Associate, and I run training courses via BAATN.
I am a Masterclass Graduate in Black Issues (first class).
I worked for many years within the charity sector as a counsellor. I worked within the education sector as a School Counsellor / Psychotherapist for 17 years.
I am a qualified Group and Individual Supervisor. I trained at CSTD London.
I am a Clinical Associate and Trainer with Pink Therapy.
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Using the Arts
Whether you are an adult or a young person you can use painting, drawing, writing, sandtrays within sessions.
Sometimes using a music / poetry / writing journal is another way of exploring your issues and working on your thoughts and feelings in between sessions.
Contracting
Contract for Working Together
with their Therapist.
This ensures that clients have in writing what boundaries have been agreed within our working relationship. A contract sets out the nature of our work with each other.
The Contract simply sets out the agreements that have been made at the outset of our work together.
The Contract can be reviewed from time to time to incorporate any changes which are necessary.
We usually start the Contract after the initial assessment meeting, and once therapy starts.
Fees
Currently fees are based on your income.
We negotiate the fee in our initial meeting.
Fees are due weekly, unless we agree otherwise ~ clients normally pay cash or by direct debit into my account.
Paypal will become available as a payment method soon.
I am registered to accept M2M (Mobile to Mobile) payments.
Duration of Contract & Sessions
Some people have specific issues which they want to work on, and a short-term contract is appropriate. Others have more general areas of concern which can more appropriately be worked with on a longer time scale.
The length of time we think is good for you to work with me can be discussed at the start of working together. It can be added to and reviewed during the work.
Working With Young People
I work with young people.
I can work with organisations such as schools, charities or GP's.
Parents are welcome to contact me.
Young people can employ me directly if they understand what therapy and counselling is.
I have a Lo Cost Clinic for LGBTQIA Youth who are on low or no income.
Working With Parents
Parents sometimes ask me to 'fix' the issues with their children. I explain that I take a holistic approach to working with families. Children and young people have problems - they aren't usually the problem in a family.
If it might help the young person, I might meet with the parents separately, or meet with the young person or child separately as part of the initial consultation - this really depends on what is needed. Sometimes it might be useful to do some sessions together and some apart.
Mostly, if a young person is old enough to contract with me for therapy themselves - they can let me know if they think this is a relevant way forward. If a young person is old enough to contract with me for therapy they get to say what kind of contact I have with their parents.
Sometimes it might be useful for me to refer the parents to work with one of my colleagues totally separately.
It might be relevant for me to refer the whole family to work with a colleague while I work with the young person.
I usually do a consultation session with parents before starting work with children or young people ~ if it would help to get different points of view and to understand why the parent of a young person has come to ask for support or help.
I do this whether or not I am working within a school or other organisation. Most young people I work with live within a family structure of some sort, and because I am trained to think about attachment, it is important to see the young person in context.
Understanding family history is an important part of the work that I do and understanding what the young persons family set up is.
Parents sometimes want 'progress reports'. I always explain what kind of confidentiality contract is in place, that includes how much of a progress report is needed, and agreed by the young person I am working with.
If schools who employ me need a progress report, this is shared with the young person and the family as well.
