• My Training

    I completed my therapy training at the Wealden Psychology Institute in 2015, where I gained my Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling. I now work in private practice where I provide creative humanistic counselling for ages 4 years and over. I am a fully registered member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to their ethical framework.

     

    In 2018 I attended Leeds Beckett University, where I gained my PTUK Accredited Advanced Diploma to become a Counsellor of Children and Young People Using the Creative Arts and Play, the first ever certified degree course of it's kind, offered through APAC and created by the PTUK specifically for qualified counsellors wishing to work with children and young people creatively, whilst combing various elements and principles of play and talking therapies.

     

     

    I continue to add to my therapeutic toolkit by attending regular CPD training/seminars on a wide range of subject matter, including topics such as Sexuality & Gender Diversity to Childhood Trauma & Attachment Theory.

     

    My other areas of interest include Trauma Therapy, Neurobiology and Sandtray work. I have attended numerous training events linked to working with trauma, and was part of a team of counsellors working with the As You Are Therapy Centre, where I helped co-write a Trauma Therapy App to help people suffering from trauma symptoms and PTSD. The (AYA-Trauma) app was created in response to the tragic Shoreham Aircrash disaster in 2015, and is available to download for free from both Apple and Android Stores.

     

    After gaining my counselling qualification I went on to become a fully trained member of the ASIST Suicide Prevention Team, and am able to work with suicidal idiation by using their pathway to assisting life (PAL) system.

     

    I am fully insured, DBS checked, and registered with the Information Commisioner's Office, where I work in accordance with all current Data Protection legislation.

     

    Information Commisioner's Office Registration Reference Number: ZA313712

  • Creative Interventions that I Offer....

    “Enter into children’s play and you will find the place where their minds, hearts, and souls meet.” – Virginia Axline

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    Sand Tray

    I love working therapeutically with the sand tray. This type of work allows a child to be completely in control of building worlds, shaping their version of events and utilizing their imagination to role play experiences from their perspective. The sandtray will allow a client to gain valuable insight for themselves in to their worries, anxieties and memories, whilst working out solutions for themselves going forward to help reframe these issues.

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    Puppets

    Puppets allow for communication, they can help enable the recreation of dialogue, and create representations of events and conversations, whilst using the safety of permissive distancing. They are also a way for a child to create a dialogue between puppets to divide issues they are having, act out relationships and find their own solutions.

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    Creative Artwork

    Whether it be through painting, drawing, working with chalk, water colours, crayons or junk modelling, art work means children and young people can explore, use their imaginations and create representations using shape, line and colour that will help process deeper emotions and issues.

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    Group Work

    Group work can be a very rewarding way of helping school settings to look at ways of effectively handling a variety of issues that children/teens deal with on a daily basis. These issues range from transitions and anti-social behaviour, to self confidence and bereavement. Working as part of a group can give children the chance to work on peer relationships and help develop and maintain qualities that will promote healthy friendships and lasting bonds.

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    Clay Work

    Clay is a wonderful medium for representation, and is used in numerous ways. The clay can allow for feelings to be expressed safely, to enable a clients sensory exploration of touch, sight & smell, as well as depicting images that can be destroyed, remade and altered as easily as an etch-a-sketch toy.

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    Narrative Therapy/Metaphors

    Narrative therapy allows for the child to explore themes and issues that could be difficult or troubling by using their imagination for story telling and creative writing. Children have the opportunity to bring to life on the page, representations of people and problems that the conscious mind is unable to deal with in the child's everyday world.

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    Musical Instruments

    Musical Instruments allow for expression of feeling and can be a very pleasing way to explore emotions and issues, they can also be a wonderful tool to help build trust, co-operation and demonstrate mirroring skills.

    Instruments also allow for a non-verbal sensory experience in the therapy room, by using vibration to control and explore heightened emotions and learning to control and reduce them in a safe and fun way.

  • Some of my Previous Work

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    BHASVIC College

    Young Persons Counsellor for BHASVIC - Working with young people aged 16-17 in a college setting.

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    St Andrews Primary School

    Play & Creative Arts Counsellor for St Andrews C.E Primary School - Providing creative counselling for 5 - 11 year olds

    (Both Individual and group work)

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    Swiss Gardens Primary School

    Play & Creative Arts Counsellor for Swiss Garden Primary School - Providing creative counselling for 5 - 11 year olds

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    As You Are Therapy Centre

    Integrative Counsellor for As You Are Therapy Centre- Providing Integrative counselling for clients aged 16 years and above

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    Escape Studios/Pearson College

    Student Therapist for HE for both Escape students and Pearson Business School students.

  • Questions Answered

    Please scroll through to find answers to some of the more commonly asked question.....

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    How Long Will Therapy Sessions Take?

    For children/young people aged between 9 and 16, sessions usually last for 50 minutes.

     

    Younger clients aged between 4 and 8 will usually have shorter sessions lasting for 40 minutes

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    How Long Will They Need Sessions?

     

    The time that counselling takes depends on a large number of factors, and varies from person to person. Each client's individual experiences and processes are different & unique.

     

    I offer both time limited, and open ended sessions, where we work towards a contract that we have mutually agreed on.

    We frequently review so that we know our work is both purposeful and ethical

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    How Much Will Sessions Cost?

    Individual sessions for children and young people cost £65 per session.

     

    There are a limited number of concessionary places available for families in receipt of means tested benefits, please get in touch to find out more.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What Locations Do You Cover?

    I currently work in private practice in central Hove.

     

    I also work within schools to provide play and creative arts counselling to children and young people that the school refer on to me.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What kind of

     

    Issues Do You Work With?

     

    I work with a wide range of issues, including, but not limited to:

    • Anxiety/panic attacks
    • Bereavement
    • Familiy circumstances/issues
    • School refusal/school phobia
    • Anger/isolation
    • Bullying
    • Phobias
    • Gender Identity/Sexuality
    • Suicidal idealtion/self harm
    • Low mood/lack of motivation
    • Trauma/PTSD
    • Relationship issues
    • Neurodiversity related issues

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Will The Sessions Be

    Confidential?

    The answer to this question is predominantly yes, everything discussed in sessions remains between myself and the client, however there are safeguarding exceptions to this rule. (These would be discussed during the initial meeting)

     

    For clients under 16, parents will be made aware of certain elements of therapy, should the child give permission, and if the information would prove useful and productive to the wellbeing of the child outside of sessions.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Online Therapy

    Zoom sessions are available on request....

    During recent global events we have found ourselves increasingly turning to technology to continue to get our needs met, counselling is no different.

     

    If you feel you require counselling sessions and find the concept of face to face too difficult, or would just like to work in this way due to physical distance or travel issues, then we can arrange online sessions for those aged 10 years and up, please just mention this option when booking an appointment.

  • Covid Safe Practice

    Due to the global Covid pandemic I have taken steps within my private practice to ensure that the therapeutic environment is as safe as possible for both the client and therapist.

     

    These measures are to help promote the safest practice possible:

    • If the client/counsellor show any signs or symptoms of being unwell, or receives a positive lateral flow result, we would need to postpone the session until the following week
    • I will no longer be able to provide drinking water during sessions, so please bring a water bottle with you to all sessions.
    • The room and equipment are deep cleaned before and after each session to maintain hygiene standards and reduce the chance of cross contamination.
    • Windows will be kept open to allow for proper ventilation of the room.
    • Hand sanitizer will be available for use when entering and exiting from sessions.

  • How It All Works

    Below is a quick guide to walk you through the process of applying for counselling, from initial contact, right through to starting with sessions

    1

    Get In Touch

    The first stage is inital contact, you can get in touch with me using a variety of different methods. Please feel free to call, email, text, or contact me directly through my website to arrange a meeting.

    2

    Initial Meeting

    The next stage is to meet with the parent/guardian face to face with a view to gaining a better understanding of what you, as the parent/guardian needs from your childs therapy sessions. We review the types of behaviour that are concerning you, complete the necessary paperwork together, explore the boundaries of confidentiality, and then discuss the way forward.

    3

    Preliminary Session

    W then move on to an initial preliminary session with the child/young person. Their first session enables us to introduce ourselves, explore the room and talk about what they would like from their therapy, discuss boundaries, confidentiality & safety. Once this meeting has taken place, and the client has given their consent, then the weekly work can begin.

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    Periodic Reviews

    Throughout the duration of the work, there will be periodic reviews, where the parent/guardians and I would meet, or speak over the phone to review how various elements are developing outside of the sessions. This allows me to ensure all work being undertaken is both ethical and purposeful.

  • Testimonials...

  • I like coming here, it's the best part of my day, I get to talk about whatever I want......

     

     

     

     

    Child L- Aged 11

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Thank you for listening to me talk about mummy.

    I really needed to talk about her to someone who didn't

    know her. All the people that knew her didn't like her very much, and that made me really sad.

     

    Child L - aged 12

     

     

     
     

    Some people might say that playing with puppets and using your imagination is stupid, but none of those people are in this room. It's just you and me and the puppets help me, so we can be as silly as we like ......

     

    Child F- Aged 10

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Socially I feel like the odd

    one out, no one likes to be the outcast, I only really feel like myself when i'm here with you.

     


    Child M, 13

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I usually hate making a mess or getting dirty, but in here I can make a mess with the paint. My pictures don't have to be perfect in here either..

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Child P- aged 8

    Sometimes I feel angry, but I don't feel angry all the time like I used to. I think it's because now I can feel when it's coming in my belly and in my head.

     

    Child F- aged 10

     

     

    I'm really proud of myself, I pulled the plug on all my social accounts. After talking here I've realised that the people I thought were my friends, were actually really toxic for me to be around!

    Client H - Aged 15

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I'm starting to get how looking after myself and being kinder to myself helps with my anxiety and panic attacks

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Child S, aged 17

    After I started talking about being Trans in these sessions, I realised there was a whole part of myself that I'd kept hidden away, now that I'm claiming my truth, I feel like I need a rainbow megaphone to shout how proud I am to be me, I'm every shade of colour and I don't care who knows it.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Client B, aged 16

    Today I'm going to sit here with you and just be sad, we might even do a drawing about it

    Child D, aged 5

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  • Contact Me

    To get in touch, please complete the form below, I aim to respond to all enquiries within a 48 hour period

    Hove Street, Hove, BN3 2TU
    07538160211
    07538160211
    sanderson.mbacp@gmail.com
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    Adult Therapy

    For more information on Adult Counselling services, please visit our sister site using the link button below.

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