Anna Alward

What counselling and psychotherapy will offer

At times in our lives we experience distressing events and feelings that appear to have no end or solution in sight. Sometimes we are clear that our feelings are caused by particular circumstances, such as bereavement, stress at work or a relationship breaking up, but at other times we have no idea what is making us feel as we do.

The aim of counselling and psychotherapy is to help people to clarify their thoughts and feelings so that they can arrive at their own decisions.

Counselling and psychotherapy will offer:

A safe place to explore problems

A confidential therapeutic relationship between client and therapist

An opportunity to work out how to be more understanding and accepting of yourself

A supportive environment to explore your inner world

An opportunity to make positive life changes

“The key to a happy life, now and in the future, is to develop a happy mind.”

The Dalai Lama

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What is counselling?

Counselling takes place in a private and confidential setting. The counsellor or therapist, who should be fully qualified, works with the person, or client. The aim is to explore the client’s difficulty – which might be a specific problem or a sense of losing direction or purpose.

Clients are encouraged to explore various aspects of their lives and the feelings around them. The counsellor will listen to the client in a non-judgemental way, encouraging the client to be freely open in a way that is rarely possible with friends or family. Bottled up feelings such as anger, grief and anxiety can become very intense and cause great pain. The pain can be reduced through the opportunity to express it in a place where the aim is also to understand the cause.

Counsellors encourage the expression of feelings and, as a result of their training, will be able to accept them without becoming burdened by them.

Therapy often entails dipping below the surface and talking about things we feel uncomfortable about, and tend to push aside in everyday life. Although disturbing, it can be a great relief to air half-buried feelings. Some of these ideas and feelings are buried because we feel they are too silly or crazy to express in everyday life. However, they are acceptable in a counselling setting and it is important to express them, if we are to gain a better understanding of ourselves.

Counselling is intended to help people to explore different ways of looking at their lives more effectively, and hence, the more you feel able to talk about, the more you will find counselling helpful.

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How many sessions would I need?

There is no “average” time for therapy to last, as everyone is different. While sometimes a single session can give an opportunity to talk things through in confidence, often clients feel they need to meet the counsellor for several sessions in order to begin to work at the problem.

As a guideline, an “exploratory period” of six sessions can allow the client to explore how they feel about counselling or therapy, and is sufficient for some problems. More complex issues would need a longer period of time. Sometimes it isn’t possible to know how many sessions you need until you try.

The first appointment, sometimes called the assessment, is an opportunity for both the client and the therapist to see if they feel they could work together. If they decide that they would like to continue, they can discuss suitable times for meetings. The therapy usually takes place on the same day and at the same time, each week. Sometimes more than one session a week can be helpful. Each session usually lasts for fifty minutes or one hour.

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Finding the right counsellor or psychotherapist

It is very important to find the right counsellor or therapist for you. It can help to make a checklist of what you are looking for. First of all, it is very important to find someone who is fully qualified. Letters after the name can be misleading, and might only mean membership of an organisation that allows almost anyone to join!

It is important to ask what the qualifications mean. Ideally, the person you choose should be accredited or registered with either the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, (BACP), or with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). You will find links to both of these organisations below.

The BACP website is especially good, and provides information about counselling and psychotherapy.

Beyond this, it is essential to find someone that you feel you can trust. You might want to telephone several different therapists and talk with each one before you decide to make an appointment. See how you feel when you talk to them. Most therapists use answer-phones, but if you leave a message, they should phone you back within the next few hours, and you can then ask them about the way they work. For example, you might want to ask how long they have been qualified, where and for how long they trained, and what fees they charge.

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How much will it cost?

Fees for counselling and therapy vary. If you are on a low income, it is often possible to find free or low cost therapy. Your doctor will be able to advise you on this, and can sometimes arrange for you to see a counsellor on the NHS.

Alternatively, there are several organisations that provide low cost counselling. Some of these organisations are listed in the links below and there are others in your local yellow pages. There are often specific organisations that will be able to help, for example, Cruse offers free support and counselling to the bereaved. If you are having difficulty in finding low cost counselling, telephone 0208 856 6666, as it might be possible to suggest an organisation who will be of help.

Counsellors and psychotherapists who work privately charge in the region of £35 - £50 for each session of individual therapy. Some therapists will see you for a lower fee if you are on a low income, if they have spaces available. If you are genuinely on a low income, and can attend during the day, when there are more times available, many therapists will agree to see you for a lower fee, whenever they can.

Unfortunately, the public perception of private therapists is that they charge very high fees, but bear in mind that that a fully qualified therapist will have trained for several years, having to pay fees throughout for training and personal therapy. When working professionally, a therapist has to pay for professional supervision, membership fees and indemnity insurance. A good therapist will constantly be aware of the need to update skills with continuing professional development and further training. This should ensure that the therapist works safely and ethically.

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What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

It is difficult to define this, but psychotherapy often works at a deeper level than counselling. A counsellor will usually train for an average of three years, while a psychotherapist usually trains for at least five years. A counsellor usually has to have at least 40 hours of personal therapy as part of training, while a psychotherapist has to have several years of personal therapy, sometimes more than once a week. This means that the psychotherapist has worked intensively to understand their own problems, which in turn, helps them to have a greater understanding of others.

Counselling can be very helpful for a range of problems, but is often of shorter duration than psychotherapy. The more extensive training enables the psychotherapist to offer a deep level of understanding to their clients, usually over a longer period of time

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What is the aim of therapy?

The aim of therapy is to help people to clarify their thoughts and feelings so that they can arrive at their own decisions.

“If you do what you’ve always done, you get what you’ve always got.”

Susan Jeffers, who wrote the book: “Feel the fear and do it anyway” Back to contents

Counsellor and Psychotherapist Anna Alward

I am a UKCP registered psychotherapist and a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. My training includes an MA degree and post-graduate diploma from Goldsmiths College, University of London. I have also obtained an advanced diploma in psychotherapy from Regent’s College and a certificate in psychotherapy supervision from The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Over the last ten years I have gathered wide experience that includes working as a psychotherapist for the NHS. I am an accredited counsellor with Cruse Bereavement Care, for which I have worked as a volunteer with adults and children. I have also worked with a range of other counselling organisations, for example, with adult survivors of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

I am qualified to work with you on any issue, including anxiety and depression, panic attacks, stress management and relationship problems.

I enjoy working trans-culturally. I am also interested in analytical psychology and have facilitated workshops in Creative Writing and Working with Dreams.

I am a qualified counselling and psychotherapy supervisor.

How I work:

Counselling and Psychotherapy

I use a combination of cognitive, humanistic and psychodynamic theories. My approach is tailored to the needs of each individual. I also sometimes work using creative therapies such as Writing, Music and Art. I am very interested in working with dreams.

I am qualified to work with you on any issue. This can be for short term or long-term work. Please see the comprehensive information above for more information about Counselling and Psychotherapy, or telephone for more details.

If you are interested in therapy, the first step would be to arrange a time for an appointment. There is a charge for this first appointment, but there is no obligation to attend any further appointments unless you decide that you want to do this.

Daytime and evening appointments can be arranged, whenever there is availability.

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Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is probably the kindest and most gentle form of personal therapy available. While in hypnosis, you will be able to hear every word that is said to you, and everything that is going on around you. Hypnosis cannot make you do anything you don’t want to do, but can be very successfully used for a variety of different problems.

Clinical hypnotherapy could not be further removed from stage hypnosis. It is a calm and respectful process.

What is hypnotherapy?

Have you ever found yourself staring into space, absorbed in your own thoughts? If so, you have been in a light trance. This is very similar to the trance state that you will experience in a session of hypnotherapy. It is a pleasant, dream-like state of deep relaxation. While you are in this natural, trance-like state, you can enhance your resources and will awake feeling calm and refreshed.

Hypnotherapy is particularly useful for relaxation and stress management and for boosting confidence. Many people also find it helpful for a range of problems including sleeplessness, giving up smoking and improving self esteem. I strongly believe in hypnotherapy as a beneficial resource.

The way I work

I am primarily a counsellor and psychotherapist but often use hypnotherapy as an additional resource. I trained as a hypnotherapist in 1996 and I am registered with The General Hypnotherapy Standards Council. Depending on the presenting problem, sometimes a combination of counselling and hypnotherapy can be particularly effective. For example, I will often suggest hypnotherapy as a way of achieving a deeper state of relaxation. Through learning to relax, you might find that it is easier to access your deepest thoughts and feelings, which will facilitate the therapy. I also often use hypnotherapy together with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and this makes a powerful combination in working with confidence building and strengthening self esteem.

I enjoy teaching self-hypnosis and this can usually be achieved in just two sessions. Practising self-hypnosis enables you to use this amazing resource for yourself whenever you want to. You can still enjoy sessions with a clinical hypnotherapist, but in addition to this you can work on helping yourself. Learning deep relaxation is very beneficial, both for psychological and physiological reasons. You can also use self-hypnosis very effectively to enhance existing skills and to build self-motivation, confidence and positive thinking.

Which problems respond best to hypnotherapy?

There are certain problems that respond particularly well to hypnotherapy. These include stress management, insomnia, weight control and help to stop smoking. For more information about the way I work using hypnotherapy as a primary treatment for these problems, please go to www.soothingsleep.co.uk

Hypnotherapy can also be used to treat a variety of other problems such as changing unwanted habits, phobias and compulsions. It can be immensely helpful in anxiety-related health conditions and in enhancing performance. It is astonishingly effective and widely used for managing pain. To work with complex problems using hypnotherapy as a primary treatment, it is important to consult with your doctor beforehand, and to choose a fully qualified clinical hypnotherapist. The British Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists have a list of registered practitioners on their website at www.bsch.org.uk All therapists work slightly differently and it is important to give yourself time to find the right therapist for you.

Some people respond better than others to hypnotherapy and it is not suitable for everyone. Factors such as state of health, personality and life history can make a difference. Because of this, it is important to talk through the options and tell the therapist about any concerns.

What will happen in a session of hypnotherapy?

In the first session, the therapist will take a case history. There will be questions about your health and life style as well as the presenting problem. This will enable the therapist to work safely with you and to become familiar with your personality and the desired outcome of the therapy. The therapist will then work with you in the way that seems best suited to your needs. When you feel ready, the therapist will help you to feel comfortable before beginning hypnosis. Throughout the session, you will remain in control and will be able to stop at any time.

The fees for hypnotherapy are usually higher than the fees for counselling. The hypnotherapist will often write a specific script for you and sessions of hypnotherapy are often of longer duration than counselling. As a guide, most hypnotherapists charge between £50 and £75 for each session. An exception to this would be hypnotherapy for smoking cessation, which is usually at least £100.00 for a single, extended session.

As with all therapy, hypnotherapy works best if you are ready to work on the problem. It is also essential to be open to the process and to continue to practice as recommended by the therapist. If you are able to do this, you can achieve lasting changes.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

Nelson Mandela

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Supervision

I offer individual or group supervision to counsellors and psychotherapists. I aim to work creatively, using my experience as an integrative psychotherapist, and my training at the Society of Analytical Psychology, to inform my work.

The BACP code of Ethics and Practice requires that counsellors remain in supervision for the duration of their professional lives. Supervision provides challenge, information and support for the therapist.

“Every therapist ought to have a control by some third person, so that they remain open to another point of view.”

C. G. Jung

If you are a counsellor or psychotherapist interested in finding a supervisor, I am happy to talk about the way I work, and welcome new enquiries.

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Other information

It can sometimes be difficult to decide what kind of therapy would be most useful. If you are interested in having therapy but are unsure about how to proceed, please telephone for further information.

People come into therapy for so many different reasons, and everyone is different! So it can be helpful to do some research before deciding what would be right for you.

Contact Details

I am based in South East London, near Shooters Hill, SE18.

Telephone 0208 856 6666

Or email: anna.alward’at’lineone.net

Shooters Hill is in the London Borough of Greenwich, a short distance away from Plumstead, Charlton, Lewisham, Eltham, Woolwich and Blackheath. It is also close to Welling and other towns in South East Kent.

Bus stops for the 89, 244, 161 and 486 routes are nearby.

The nearest railway stations are Welling, Eltham, Charlton and Blackheath.

From North Greenwich Tube station, the 486 bus takes approximately 30 minutes.

If travelling by car, there is usually somewhere to park nearby, and there are no parking restrictions.

The therapy room has been designed to be a confidential setting, and is warm and comfortable. Therapists sometimes work from a rented room, but many prefer to work from home. I have chosen to work in a homely environment, but the room I work in is reserved for therapy only.

When you contact me to arrange an appointment, I will provide full details of the address and travel arrangements, and will send you a map.

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Finding the right counsellor or psychotherapist

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What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

Counselling and Psychotherapy

Hypnotherapy

What is hypnotherapy?

The way I work

Supervision

C. G. Jung

Other information

Contact Details

Other Links