About Me
After half a career in an office environment, ending with nine years in Human Relations, I started counselling as a trainee in January 2000. I completed a Diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling in 2003 which led to registration with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
From the autumn of 2017 I started to wind down a successful practice in Sussex and Wimbledon and, in July 2018, took the momentous step of moving to Scotland, a country I had been returning to, whenever I could, for 40 years. My aim was to build up a practice in the lovely city of Stirling and continue working for at least another ten years.
In addition to my initial training, I went on to complete a two-year Advanced Diploma in Transpersonal Psychotherapy. This explored how the very deepest changes happen in people, using models and metaphors drawn from a variety of spiritual traditions.
I have trained separately to become a qualified Relate couple counsellor, and have trained since in using the arts in couple therapy. I also have specific trainings in dream work and supervision (providing support to other therapists). I supervise individual therapists and have run supervision groups at Kingston Bereavement Service, Balham Community Counselling Service and the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education. I am also a trained EMDR therapist, though I do not regularly use this technique.
I have served on the UKCP's Service Development Committee and the Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College's Ethics Committee.
In general I work with clients on an open-ended basis but I also do time-limited work. For example, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy can be tailored to fit 4-6 sessions, some of which may be combined into double-length visits. I occasionally offer EMDR as an element of ongoing therapy, but not as a stand-alone technique.
I follow a UKCP-approved Ethical Framework and am happy to provide evidence of professional training and insurance.
Clients are often busy people with many demands on their time, so I do what I can to offer flexibility in scheduling appointments, though I believe the process needs a firm commitment to weekly sessions and, ideally, a regular diary slot.
I am committed to offering therapy at a reasonable price and hope my fees are in line with what I provide. I do offer a couple of places for those unable to pay the normal amount but ask those who can pay full price to do so. If you find yourself in financial difficulties during our work, let me know as soon as possible.
All my life I've wanted to be somebody. But I see now I should have been more specific.
- Jane Wagner