Michael Lipo

I have spaces available:

Monday 8:00 to 15:00

Tuesday 8:00 to 20:00

Wednesday 8:00 to 20:00

Friday 8:00 to 15:00

Drawing from my extensive experience as a therapist and supervisor in children's homes, I offer professional supervision that supports practitioners at all stages of their career.

I've guided emerging and seasoned professionals who work across diverse therapeutic approaches, including non-directive therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and systemic and family interventions.

My supervision focuses on:

• Developing and refining your clinical practice
• Expanding your therapeutic toolkit with practical strategies
• Building professional confidence and competence
• Supporting your career progression and professional development

I create a collaborative supervision space that balances supportive guidance with constructive challenge, helping you grow as a practitioner while ensuring the highest quality care for your clients.

My background working specifically with children, teenagers, and adults gives me unique insights into the complexities and challenges of this specialised area of practice, allowing me to provide supervision that's both relevant and responsive to your needs.

I can help with therapists in private practice as well as working as part of a team or organisation.

As a BACP registered counsellor with eight years of clinical experience, I offer supervision that draws from my diverse professional background and comprehensive training. My supervision approach is informed by both my private practice as an integrative counsellor and my supervising therapists across various modalities - from newly qualified practitioners to experienced child psychotherapists.

My Approach

My supervisory style is influenced by interpersonal development, existential psychotherapy, and CBT elements - creating a reflective space that promotes both professional growth and ethical practice in alignment with BACP's ethical framework and Good Practice guidelines.

My experience providing supervision within a private children's home has developed my ability to consider the broader systemic context of therapeutic work. This perspective helps me support supervisees in understanding their clients as part of interconnected networks, while navigating relevant legislation, safeguarding processes, and therapeutic provision requirements.

Training & Methodology

I've completed specialised supervision training through the British Psychological Society, including both Essential and Advanced Supervision Skills programs - the latter developing my expertise in online and group supervision modalities. While I prefer in-person supervision, I offer online sessions when needed.

My supervision is grounded in established theoretical frameworks including:

• The Seven-Eyed Supervision Model (Hawkins and Shohet)
• Heron's Six Categories of Intervention
• Proctor's Three Function Model
• Resilience-based Clinical Supervision

I believe effective supervision begins with what you bring to the table. I'll work with you to establish priorities and develop strategies that support your practice while ensuring the best outcomes for your clients.

Our initial meeting establishes the foundation for our supervisory relationship. During this session, we'll take time to:

• Get to know each other's professional backgrounds and approaches
• Develop a clear picture of your current practice, including your client caseload and workload balance
• Identify the key areas you consider most important for your professional development
• Explore the supervisory agreement and contract details
• Establish a collaborative working relationship that suits your learning style and supervision needs

This first session is designed to be both practical and relational, addressing the necessary administrative elements while beginning to build the trust and understanding essential for effective supervision.

By the end of our first supervision, we'll have created a shared understanding of how we'll work together moving forward, with clear expectations on both sides that support your growth as a practitioner.

Most open slots are weekday day time. There is also a few evenings slots open that could work for new clients.

I believe you have the capacity to create a life that feels truly meaningful and fulfilling. My role is to work with you as you discover what that looks like for you.

Everyone's story is different, which is why I tailor my approach to your circumstances, personality, and goals. As an integrative therapist, I draw from proven methods to give you the support that works best for you.

I will provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore whatever you are experiencing without pressure or criticism. Together, we will uncover what matters to you and develop practical ways to move toward the life that you want.

My style combines gentle encouragement with honest support, helping you build self-awareness, emotional strength, and a clearer sense of direction. I will also push you to do things slightly outside your comfort zone so that you experience elements of growth and progression.

How I Work:

I use a range of approaches depending on what will serve you best: psychodynamic work to understand recurring patterns, CBT to tackle unhelpful thinking, existential therapy to explore life's bigger questions, DBT skills for managing emotions and relationships, solution-focused techniques that build on what's already working for you, and coaching elements to help you reach your goals.

What makes our work effective is not just these methods - it is the trusting, collaborative relationship that we will build together, grounded in respect and a genuine commitment to your wellbeing.

I am an integrative counsellor who believes that your story matters deeply and that you have the inherent capacity to create meaningful, lasting change in your life. Every person who enters my practice brings unique experiences, strengths, and challenges that deserve thoughtful attention and respect.

What to Expect

When we work together, we will explore your personal narrative - the stories you tell yourself about your life, relationships, and possibilities, both consciously and unconsciously. By identifying recurring patterns and underlying themes, we gain valuable insights that help explain current challenges and obstacles. Without addressing these deeper patterns, similar difficulties often resurface in other areas of life, creating cycles that can feel frustrating and overwhelming.

Our work will focus on empowering you to create lasting, meaningful change. Through guided self-discovery and deepening understanding, you will develop the awareness and tools needed to stop or reduce limiting patterns and embrace new, healthier ways of relating to yourself and others around you.

What You Will Develop

During our sessions, we will work collaboratively on building:

• Stronger assertiveness, confidence, and communication skills for healthier, more fulfilling relationships

• Better strategies to manage emotions effectively and respond thoughtfully to challenging situations

• New perspectives and frameworks that replace unhelpful thought patterns and self-limiting beliefs

• Greater emotional resilience and practical coping skills for life's inevitable ups and downs

My approach combines compassionate understanding with practical, evidence-based strategies, creating a balanced therapeutic experience that leads to greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and personal autonomy. I provide a consistently safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your thoughts and feelings at your own pace, with the ongoing support you need to create lasting positive change.

Your initial session provides us with a valuable opportunity to get to know each other and begin our therapeutic work together. During this session, we will explore what brings you to therapy, what you hope to achieve, and how we can work together toward creating a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling across different areas.

What Makes It Different

While similar in format to our future sessions, I may spend more time asking questions and gaining an understanding of your situation, background, and current challenges. This exploration helps me tailor my therapeutic approach specifically to your individual needs, circumstances, and goals from the very beginning.

A Conversational Approach

There is no formal assessment, evaluation, or paperwork to complete - just a meaningful, genuine conversation that lays the foundation for our therapeutic relationship. My primary aim is to create a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere where you feel truly heard, understood, and respected from the moment you walk through the door.

Setting Expectations

We will also discuss practical matters such as how our sessions will work, confidentiality, and what you can expect as we move forward together. By the end of our first session, you should have a much clearer sense of how we will work together, what our therapeutic process might look like, and the potential path forward.

Your Pace, Your Journey

Remember, this is the beginning of a collaborative journey toward empowerment and positive change. Everything we do together moves at a pace that feels comfortable and right for you. There is no pressure to share more than you are ready to discuss, and you remain in control of your therapeutic experience throughout.