Dee Howe

I do not work on: Saturdays, Sundays, Friday evenings, Bank Holidays or those times in the year when I take holiday. Apart from that, I am flexible. 

My earliest appointment of the day is 9am and my last appointment of the day is 7pm.

My aim is to offer a safe, caring, professional, non-judgemental and confidential working relationship based on trust, openness, joint participation, and free from counselling 'jargon'. My role is supportive and facilitative in helping you find and connect with your inner strengths and resources, become stronger and make changes so that you are able to cope better in your world.

Having been a matrimonial solicitor for some years, I am now a fully Accredited, Registered Member of the BACP. I have 19 post-qualification years of experience in different settings. I worked for the Exeter & District NHS Trust Counselling Service for 10 years and 3 years for the Margaret Jackson Centre Counselling Service in Exeter. I have worked with Victim Support staff for 3 years. I have provided counselling for Occupational Health staff and counselled students participating on counselling courses. I have worked on a student helpline. Currently, I have my own private practice in central Exeter which I have been running for 6 years.

I work one-to-one with adults of all ages covering a wide range of issues. I also work with couples. I like to work in a creative way individually tailored to each client. The work may vary from simply wanting to offload to lengthier, complex work. The work varies from short-, medium- to long-term.

My main theoretical approach is Person-Centred. I am interested in you as a person behind any problems, diagnostic labels and medical and/or psychological conditions which you may present. I want to help you connect with your inner strength, grow stronger and become more confident in your abilities to handle whatever life throws at you.

I incorporate other theoretical approaches, particularly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Transactional Analysis and Gestalt, into my practice.

To bring alive these theoretical approaches, various techniques can be used in sessions to support the talking therapy and, where appropriate, I will discuss with you whether you would like to use any of them. These include:

chart work and writing exercises

a range of creative techniques, such as artwork and stonework

I have a particular interest in art and creative techniques stemming from a time before I was a matrimonial Solicitor when I gained a place at Chelsea School of Art and considered a career in art.

visualization

breathing and relaxation techniques

focusing (5 senses)

The first session provides an opportunity to start to get to know each other and for me to find out more about what brings you to counselling, hoping to work out together goals to achieve through our sessions. I will ask you questions  and you are able to ask me anything that you would like to know. I take notes during the first session which is something I do not do in subsequent sessions. This helps me to remember and process information that you give me and begin to think about how the shape of our work might be.

 I go through with you my written document of main terms and conditions of business (including confidentiality,  data protection, payment and cancellation) and the BACP Ethical Framework requirements of my practice as a counsellor which protect you. I give you written copies of these if you would like to keep them. 

I hope that by the end of the first session, a good working relationship will have begun and that you will want to continue working with me, but that decision is yours and there is no pressure to decide on the spot, as reflection about embarking on such an important working relationship is crucial.