Cathy Backett

I do not work late evenings or weekends . I do not work on a Friday or a Monday morning .

I have over 30 years of experience in counselling and supervision in a wide variety of contexts, including 25 years as a student counsellor.

 My work is underpinned by my training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at The Scottish Institute of Human Relations  in Edinburgh , from 1989 - 1995.  However I am firmly of the belief that training  is just the beginning and that every therapist gains as much, if not more, from ongoing Continuing Professional Development , and above all from their rich experience of learning with and from clients .

I have been a Senior Accredited counsellor with BACP for 20 years , until the new Scoped requirements have altered the accreditation procedures.

I prefer to work in person, offering weekly or two -weekly appointments .

My usual practice is to begin with an initial conversation on the phone to decide together  how to proceed .

I have an integrative approach and many years experience of working in different contexts and with different age groups. 

I see my work primarily as helping people to understand themselves better, and help them heal from, or resolve, whatever might be preventing them from fulfilling (and often liking) themselves, and from enjoying satisfying relationships. 

People can bring a whole range of problems in their lives  and I do not offer solutions or quick answers . 

This is because I believe, and have discovered , that with the right support and guidance we all have it within ourselves to know the way forward and trust ourselves to find our own truth . 

I also believe that we all deserve to do so, whatever has happened in the past. 

I have learned through all the years that it is the relationship with the therapist , and not any techniques,  that really matters . I endeavour to create the warm, safe and empathetic space where people can feel free to express whatever they need to express , in their own time and in their own way. 

I regularly check in with the client as to how they are finding the experience of working with me. 

I love my work and feel it is nothing but a privilege to enable people in this way, and to accompany them on their own journey towards better wellbeing ...and hopefully peace of mind.

The first in -person session for me is an opportunity to meet each other and discuss what the client is looking for, to get to know each other a little bit and to see if we want to work together .

 I do charge for this session and I also negotiate a fee if that seems necessary. 

There is no commitment on either side and I leave it to the client to take time to decide whether to proceed , if they feel they need it. 

I have a contract for us to sign when the decision is made, (as recommended by BACP), so that we both understand the format and the  boundaries , but no formal assessment .

I usually arrange then for us to review after the first few sessions to confirm that the client is still happy to proceed.