Geoff Holmes

I work online only at the moment and my working days are Wednesdays and Thursday between 9.00 am and 5.30 pm

I bring to supervision a person-centred approach which marks my therapeutic approach too. 

I beklieve my supervisees would tell you that I take a strong interest in them as people and as therapists. I allow space for them to talk about what is going on in their lives which may be impacting on their emotional availability to be present with their clients and alive to their clients' needs. However, this is not therapy and we are always mindful of professional and ethical accountability which brings focus to supervision sessions.

I am very aware that therapists may have quite different needs from their regular supervision sessions depending on their stage on their professional journey. 

While I enjoy being a clear reference point for those who may feel they need support in developing their practice, I am equally at home with therapists who are established in the profession and who value a 'consultative' approach to reviewing client work.

Having spent a significant part of my working life as a counsellor in organisations, I have a clear a sense of supporting professionals who have a commitment to clients and also need to stay aligned to the requirements of organisations who provide them with an opportunity to work and use their skills and experience.

I offer a complementary 45 minute session to potential supervisees who are seeking out a supervisor and who want to know how sessions might work pragmatically. I believe the supervision relationship is vital in the holding and support of counsellors. The Counsellor may sometimes feel quite isolated and even vulnerable in the therapy room and I believe I can provide support, alternative perspectives and help boost confidence as well as identify training options and needs.

I offer online sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9.00 am - 5.30 pm

At this time I do not offer and face to face sessions

I was trained (quite a long time ago!) in person-centred therapy and I have developed skills in working both in short-term work (4-12 sessions) and longer-term, responding to the needs of people who seek me out with a view to counselling.

I recall how therapeutic I have found it when a counsellor has allowed me time and space in an unhurried environment ,to find the words to express my thoughts and feelings.

I have worked over several decades, learning to be sensitive about when to listen and when to speak. I hope I get it right most of the time.....

30 years of working both in counselling organisations, employee assistance settings and latterly in private practice has given me a breadth of experience which helps me to connect with my clients.

I like an interactive approach to therapy and while not being directive or giving advice, I would say my style is a blend of counselling and coaching, bringing in strands of solution-focused work, CBT and.. in many ways being available as a warm humand being, as a sounding-board to those who want to talk through and find perspective on the matters they are living with.

I offer an introductory session of 30 minutes free of charge for potential clients to meet me and to ask the questions they may wish to ask, to check if I am someone who can match their therapeutic needs. This time also gives me an opportunity to check my own initial connection with clients and, hearing about their situation and needs, to get a sense of whether I can be useful to them or if I might need to signpost elsewhere.