Lisa Briffett

I am currently offering a hybrid service of in-person or Zoom sessions as suits each individual. 

Please email me at lisa.briffett@yahoo.com for information about appointment times and the current waiting list. 

Please note that this booking system sends your message to a holding box, so if I am away, you will not receive my out of office message but I will reply on my return. If you email me directly, you will get my out of office when I am away. 

Counselling offers a space to be truly listened to, reflect on your life, and make changes where need be, with someone trained to tune in at depth.  With over twenty years of experience, I work 1:1 with adults and with young people (13+) for mid to long term work.

My approach is integrative using elements of;

• Talking therapy from the Psychodynamic model
  
• Mindfulness and values work from the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) model
• Mindfulness and distress tolerance work from the DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) model
• Sand tray/image making/creative work

My way of working starts by looking at where your thoughts/feelings/behaviours may have come from and then exploring coping skills to soothe and manage any of these that are not helpful for you.

You may be feeling stuck or at a crossroads, and talking things through may help you move forward. You may need support understanding your past experiences and/or managing a current situation or problem. I may ask you the questions that no one around you can.

My working life has been in the NHS and with charities so I have an interest in health issues, transitions, identity and life shifts, but many issues may bring you to counselling. I welcome clients who identify along the spectrum of gender, sex and relationship diversity. I have worked in hospice care, care of the elderly, primary schools and organisations for young people.

I have specialist training in working with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) but have met many clients with other physical health conditions.

I am a Senior Accredited counsellor with the BACP - to be accredited means meeting the professional body's higher standard as a 'competent, ethical and independent practitioner'.

I am a qualified Clinical Supervisor, seeing individuals and small groups.  

I hold professional indemnity insurance to work in the UK and worldwide.

I hold an enhanced DBS check. 

Sessions last 50 minutes and are held weekly, ideally at the same time each week to offer continuity. I work mid to long term, developing a strong therapeutic relationship to form a support, as it can take time to explore our past and learn new coping strategies. 

All sessions cost £55 and I operate a 48 hour cancellation policy.

Appointments for counselling are available on weekdays and evenings, other than Friday when I work with the NHS.

The room I work from is in Cambridge CB1 and free parking is available.

Our first session is an opportunity to see if we are a good match to work together.  We will discuss the consent form and then I will invite you to explore what brings you to counselling.

You may chose to work using talking therapy and/or include the use of creative arts and mindfulness techniques.  We will work together to find what works best for you.

I am currently offering a hybrid service of in-person or Zoom sessions as suits each individual. 

If you need information about appointment times and the current waiting list please email me at lisa.briffett@yahoo.com and I will aim to get back to you within 24 hours in the working week. 

Please note that if you use this booking system rather than emailing me directly, then you will not get my out of office reply when I am away but I will get back to you on my return. 

I am currently fully booked with supervisees. 

In supervision, I provide a safe space for you to reflect on your work and the impact it has on you in order to keep you in a good place to practice.  Using the Seven Eyed Supervision model, we explore the relationships between you and your clients and the environment(s) you work in. I qualified as a counsellor in 1996 and as a supervisor in 2008 so I hope I have experience to share with you. I have worked in the NHS, charities, schools and private practice.

The oft-repeated phrase that the counsellor is the 'most vital instrument' in the room (Yalom, 2008:231) is paramount for me. Good supervision provides practitioners with the support to work effectively, so my aim is to provide a warm environment where you can be free to honestly discuss your work. 

Supervision may be held fortnightly or monthly, depending on your level of training and clinical need.

I offer work in-person or via Zoom as suits you. 

In your supervision sessions, I will invite you to start by 'checking in' with your current state of being and then we will look at whatever clinical material you would like to explore. This might include talking and/or creative exercises. We may discuss ideas for further learning and CPD.

In our first session, we will discuss our supervision agreement and I will ask you to sign a consent form.  You may have questions about my way of working and we may look at what you would like to get from supervision. You may wish to bring some clinical material for us to discuss. We can then decide if we are a good match to work together.