‘When we deny the story, it defines us. When we own the story, we can write a brave new ending.’
Brene Brown
Hello & Welcome
Hello, my name is Kelly Pearson. I am a Counsellor accredited with the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) working with adults and young people (13yrs+). I am experienced in providing both long-term therapy, for those that wish to explore more deeply, and shorter-term work for those that may want to focus on more specific goals. Either way, I can offer you a grounded, warm and supportive space to reflect and recharge.
What are the benefits of counselling?
My aim as your Counsellor is to offer you a solid therapeutic relationship wherein you feel safe and free enough to explore your difficulties and to facilitate your overall feeling of autonomy. I want to support you in ‘owning’ your story so that you can leave behind the behaviours and unhelpful patterns that no longer serve you and, in their place, leave you with more clarity about how you want to ‘be’ in your own life.
Some of the outcomes achieved by clients include;
- Boundaried, authentic relationships
- Increased openness to experience
- Greater feelings of self-trust and a sense of self-worth
- The ability to navigate stress, anxiety and loneliness
- Overcoming fears or bereavement
- Making sense of loss or phobias
- Reducing feelings of pressure at work
- Freedom around sexuality and sexual orientation
- Developing a healthy relationship to anger
- Improving self-esteem and achieving goals
My Approach
My core training is Person-centred, however, over time my experiences in the counselling room and further training have led me to adopt a more pluralistic way of working. This simply means that we will work together to find a way that works best for you – for some that’s talking, for others talking can be tricky and doing something more creative to explore what’s going on can also work just as well. Ultimately, I am led by you and what you feel comfortable with (with the odd gentle challenge every now and then).
I will regularly review with you to ensure you are getting what you need from the space. Ultimately, therapy is a commitment from me, as the Therapist, to you and from you, as the Client, to yourself and our time together.
Qualifications
I have completed 5 years foundational training to attain the following qualifications:
Advanced Specialist Training in Counselling Children & Young People (L5 CPCAB - Counselling & Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body)
Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling - Person-Centred (L4 CPCAB)
Certificate in Counselling Studies (L3 CPCAB)
Certificate in Counselling Skills (Westminster Pastoral Foundation - Psychodynamic)
ACT for Adolescents (Psychwire – Dr Russ Harris)
In addtion to my training, I attended weekly counselling myself (3 years in total). I felt this commitment was as important as the training - not only to better understand myself before working with my clients but also to better understand the process as a client. I value the therapeutic space enormously and feel privileged to now offer it to others.
My Experience
I run my own independent practice in Heathfield, East Sussex where I see adults and adolescents experiencing a wide range of mental health issues. In addition to my practice, I am also employed as School Counsellor at a College in Battle where I have been for the past 3 years.
Prior to growing my independent practice, I worked in long-term therapy with adults and teens for the Horsham and Crawley Counselling Group where I later became Parent, Adolescent and Child Team (PACT) Clinical Co-Lead, overseeing adolescent assessments and client allocations to Counsellors on the team.
I love the challenges and variety of working with adults and teens and believe having continued experience of both facilitates a richness within the work I do with my clients.
I am a registered and accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I abide by their ethical framework and receive regular supervision to ensure I practice safely. I am also on the enhanced DBS check update service for child and adult work and renew my safeguarding training on a yearly basis.
I am dedicated to my own ongoing learning, not only to meet the professional requirements of my registration but for my own personal development. I believe that, in doing this, I am better placed to co-create a solid, therapeutic relationship with you as my client.
Aside from my client work, I am a Mum to three children, someone who loves taking time out to slow down, appreciate all the little things (and big when they happen). And if I can do this while drinking coffee, all the better!
Fees & FAQs
Adults
Initial phone contact is free to give us an opportunity to establish if I am the right person for your needs and to enable you to ask any questions you may have.
Per 50 min session - £55
Young people (13+)
I offer a free pre-meeting for parents/guardians in order for me to gather more details and context of the difficulties your child is facing. This allows you the opportunity to freely express your concerns without causing potential distress to your child. It also gives you a chance to ask any further questions you may have about the counselling process (a pre-meeting is not always necessary, depending on the maturity of your child).
Per 50 min session - £55 (for parents/carers of young people attending, please note there is no waiting room)
Sessions take place weekly at a mutually agreed time. Payments are payable by BACS and cancellation of sessions made within 24hrs notice are charged at the full session rate.
Providing you with a confidential space is a big part of creating a feeling of safety and trust within sessions. As your Counsellor, I hold this confidentiality for you. There are some exceptions to this which I discuss with you when making our shared agreement in the first session.
For parents/guardians of young people attending: due to the nature of session confidentiality, I do not discuss the content of your child’s sessions with you. There are safeguarding exceptions to this which I will discuss with you prior to working with your child. Your child, on the other hand, can choose whether they want to talk about their sessions. It is advisable to let your child take the lead on how much they wish to share with you.
The number of sessions is unique to each client’s needs. Typically, we will discuss what might be appropriate for you in our first session together and regularly review the sessions to ensure your needs are being met.
Endings are an important part of the process; it is usual to plan for an ending session in order to have an opportunity to acknowledge the changes that take place in ourselves during counselling.
Counselling is an ongoing supportive process and is not a crisis intervention. If you feel you need immediate help, the below organisations can be reached using the following links:
- Getting help in a mental health crisis :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen
- Home - Kooth
- Shout: the UK's free, confidential and 24/7 mental health text service for crisis support | Shout 85258 (giveusashout.org)
- How to access mental health services - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how therapy works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07565 922268 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
I work from private offices located in 1-2 Bank Buildings, Cherwell Road, Heathfield TN21 8JT, and see clients from the surrounding areas such as Heathfield, Cross in Hand, Mayfield, Horam, Crowborough and East Sussex.
"One day or day one; you decide."
Paulo Coelho
What my clients say...
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