Ben James, M.A. (Couns.Psych), Dipls. Couns.Psych. & Supvn. UKCP Registered.
Some people have described the psychotherapy or counselling process as being a bit like peeling an onion or gently un-packing a Russian Doll! If you keep going for long enough you can eventually reach the centre, or the core issue.
Whichever you choose, both psychotherapy and counselling can offer you a unique relationship that holds within it the potential for you to make important changes in your life.
At our first meeting, I would want to know more about what you would like to work on, and some background on your experiences and history.
If you decided to go ahead, both psychotherapy and counselling would involve talking about your problems, and helping you to find the right way forward.
Psychotherapy
If you choose to undertake psychotherapy it’s possible that the problems you are looking to resolve have built up over time, perhaps over a period of years.
For everyone, making the choice to go into therapy is an important first step in acknowledging problems and making a commitment to resolving them.
If a trusting relationship between the psychotherapist and the client can be built up over time, and if there is a genuine willingness to take responsibility for our part in the difficulties we have, then there’s a good chance that psychotherapy can help.
This is why psychotherapy is usually conducted on a long-term basis. This gives the time that is required to be able to explore, under the right conditions and in sufficient depth, the problems and difficulties that have built up over a long period.
Generally, psychotherapy is based on talking to the therapist, but it can also include other ways of working, including creative approaches such as visualisation and meditation, and the use of art materials.
The way a psychotherapist works very much depends on how they have been trained and the approach they have chosen to take.
Counselling
Like psychotherapy, counselling provides an opportunity for you to talk through, explore and express your problems, thoughts and feelings in a safe and confidential setting.
Counselling can be solution and goal-orientated, enabling you to both discover practical ways of taking responsibility for immediate difficulties, and ways of realising your aims and objectives.
Counselling usually takes place over a short-term fixed period, but usually for a minimum of 12 weeks. During that time, there may be a review point to assess whether or not the work is on-track and therefore whether more sessions are needed before the agreed end.
My approach
Underpinning my approach is the importance of the relationship between therapist and client, or supervisor and therapist. So while trust takes time to establish in any relationship, I believe it is vital to good counselling or psychotherapy.
Continuity, safety, professionalism, combined with integrity and warmth, are all important ingredients that help build the right conditions within which the changes you want to make can occur.
I also offer individual and group clinical supervision for both trainee counsellors and psychotherapists, as well as qualified practitioners.
I approach supervision as a formal, professional and confidential working relationship in which both supervisor and supervisee(s) collaborate in order to maximise the competence and effectiveness of the supervisee on behalf of those they are working with.
Individual Clinical Supervision
As supervisor, it is my job to create a safe, confidential and supportive environment in which you, the supervisee, can freely explore what has emerged in your work/relationship with clients/patients.
Encouragement, constructive feedback and challenge of the material presented in supervision are on-going and crucial aspects of the process.
In my practice as a supervisor, I place particular emphasis on issues arising through the transference and the parallel process.
As an integrative practitioner, I aim to meet supervisees in their own modality or modalities. If unsure about compatibility of approach, I would be happy to have an initial telephone discussion prior to booking a first appointment.
Group Clinical Supervision
Currently I work with groups averaging between 4-6 members. Group supervision provides opportunity for exploration of the material presented using a participative approach, where members are invited to share thoughts, insights, feelings and impressions within which intra-psychic material can be held and processed.
I am experienced in working with both trainees and qualified practitioners, and as with individual 1:1 supervision, can work with groups made up of members at varying stages of training and experience and working from varying modalities.
Qualifications & Training
B.A. (Hons) English Literature & Art History (Oxford).
Certificate in Fundamentals of Counselling & Psychotherapy.
Diploma in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy.
M.A. (Distinction) Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy.
Diploma in Integrative Supervision.
UKCP Registered Psychotherapist.
Member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy.Experience
Before becoming a psychotherapist I worked in the voluntary sector as an advocate for asylum seekers and then as a fundraiser for disadvantaged young people. It was partly through these experiences, as well as a desire to understand myself more deeply, that I decided to take the step and undertake what I have come to believe for many is a vocational training.
My training took 8 years, during which I worked as a counsellor in both the voluntary sector and the NHS, as well as in private practice. At this point I gained invaluable experience working with a wide range of issues common to people who seek therapy, such as family and relationship issues, depression and life crisis.
The first year of my training was spent learning about the fundamentals of counselling and psychotherapy, followed by 4 years at post-graduate Diploma level, where emphasis was placed on combining theoretical and experiential learning – meaning students were required to delve more deeply into their own process as well as develop a solid grounding in theory and practice.
I spent a further 2 years undertaking a Masters in Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy, in which I achieved a Distinction. This was a difficult and challenging, but truly transformative stage.
It was at this time that I developed a specialist interest in relationship and psychosexual issues, addiction and sexual compulsivity, and sexual identity.
Finally, I completed my advanced training with a 1 year programme in Integrative Supervision, and now combine my work as a counsellor and psychotherapist with that of supervisor to other practitioners and psychotherapy students in training.
I have now been working in the field for over 10 years.
As well as running a busy private practice, for the last 5 years I have worked as a member of staff on the Diploma programme at the Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy Education, supervising and group facilitating prospective students and 2nd and 3rd year Diploma students.
I also work as a consultant for various EAP (Employee Assistance Programmes), counselling employees from a wide range of Corporate and Statutory organisations in areas ranging from work-based stress to depression and anxiety-related difficulties.Fees
Current Fees (per session).
£55 Initial Assessment.
£60 Individual Counselling or Psychotherapy.
£60 Individual Supervision.
Fees for Group Supervision are negotiable.
Key words for this entry:
Groups, Individual Counselling, Adults, Men, Women, Long-term, Short-term, Time-limited, Face-to-face, Workshop, Addiction, Anger, Bullying, Depression, Self-esteem, Psychosexual, Sexual Abuse, Sexuality, Workplace, Art, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Counselling, Dream work, Existential, Gestalt, Group, Holistic Therapy, Humanistic, Integrative, Jungian, Person-centred, Psychodrama, Psychodynamic, Psychosynthesis, Psychotherapy, Sand Tray, Solution-focused, Systemic, Transactional Analysis, Transpersonal, Visualisation, Bodywork, Meditation. |
