Humanistic Counsellor and EMDR Therapist in Steyning and Online
About Me
Hello, I'm Ellie. I'm a fully qualified counsellor with a private practice in Steyning, West Sussex. My journey into counselling began with a wealth of experience in education, working with young people, families, and adults. This background sparked my passion for supporting individuals through life's challenges and also led me to volunteer with the NHS to support staff and patients needing counselling.
As a Humanistic counsellor, I understand all people are unique and everyone has their own experiences and understanding of the world we live in. I believe in the inherent capacity of human beings for autonomy, growth and the freedom to shape and give meaning to our lives. My approach is compassionate, empathetic, and non-judgmental.
In addition to my private practice, I work as a Primary Mental Health Worker. This role has given me extensive experience in supporting people's mental health, equipping me with valuable insights and skills that I bring to my counselling work.
My areas of expertise include working with young people and adults, anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, grief and relationships. I'm also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), a powerful therapy for processing traumatic experiences and relieving symptoms of PTSD, as well as relieving anxiety and phobias.
I'm committed to creating a safe, supportive space, where I will work alongside you with compassion, attentiveness, acceptance and honesty to explore and make sense of your thoughts feelings and experiences. Together, we'll work towards helping you find a more fulfilling way of living and develop the tools to navigate life's challenges.
As a registered and accredited member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), I adhere to their Code of Ethics and Professional Practice. This ensures that you receive the highest standard of ethical and professional care. I also hold an enhanced DBS certificate for work with young people.
Core Qualifications and Training
- Post Graduate Diploma in Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Brighton University)
- EMDR Training (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) EMDR Academy
- Level 1 Child and Adolescent EMDR (CORE) Training Course (Child Trauma Therapy Centre)
- Level 2 Counselling Skills (Northbrook college, worthing)
- Mental Health First Aid instructor (MHFA UK England)
- Level 1 ACES: Adverse Childhood Experiences-Repairing the Damage (APT accredited training)
- Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling (Counselling tutor)
Additional Professional Development
- Annual Child Protection Training
- Annual Safeguarding Children Training
- Suicide Awareness Training (Grassroots)
- Working With Self-harm and Suicide (MIND, Grassroots, Pooky Knightsmith)
- Trauma: Attachment- Working with relational trauma
- Trauma: The Impact of Trauma at Different Developmental Stages: A PCA Perspective
- Bereavement training: Supporting Bereaved Children and Young People (Winstons Wish)
- PTSD (Various)
- Trauma informed MH training- for professionals working with refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants (Refugee Radio)
- Systemic practices: An Introduction to Working Systemically
- Neurodiversity: Autism and ADHD awareness (Various)
- Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating
- Psychosis
- Supporting Trans and Gender Exploring Children and Young People
I'm fully insured and committed to ongoing professional development to ensure I can offer the best possible support to my clients. If you have any questions about my qualifications or approach, please don't hesitate to ask during our initial consultation.