Vanessa Bear

I am an Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Adult Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, working with adults, children and young people.

I work Monday to Thursday in private practice, online and in Staveley, near Kendal, in the beautiful South Lakes. Sessions indoors take place in an open space that overlooks the fells. Outdoor sessions take place in the woodlands and the fells around Staveley. 

I tend to see clients on a weekly basis for 50-minute sessions. We agree to regular reviews throughout to enable the work to be intentional and so that we are clear about your needs and wants from the sessions. 

My clinical experience includes working in CAMHS, the NHS, schools, charitable organisations and private practice. 

I have undertaken extensive additional training and am particularly experienced in supporting people who have experienced trauma, including PTSD and CPTSD, and those who have difficulties setting boundaries and people wanting to connect with their sense of belonging and innate worth. 

I also have experience working with neurodivergent adults, children and young people, including autistic people and people with ADHD.

Alongside my clinical practice, I offer clinical supervision and professional training for therapists. I am the author of the Wild & Well-Being Card Deck and co-author, with Babette Rothschild, of the 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook and Help for the Helper Workbook, all published by W. W. Norton.

You can read more about me, my qualifications and how I work at https://wildandwellbeing.com

A diverse offering for the diverse parts of you.

I am committed to offering therapy that is individualised, with a focus on improving the quality of life of the people I work alongside. Safety and the therapeutic relationship are priorities for me, and I work collaboratively with clients to explore approaches that suit their needs and preferences.

My ethics are grounded in social justice, and I work from an intersectional perspective.

I draw on a range of theories and approaches, including Transactional Analysis, Gestalt, body psychotherapy, somatic trauma therapy, EMDR, sandtray, play, creativity, movement, mindfulness, yoga therapy and nature connection.

I tend to interweave these creative, embodied, nature-connected and mindful practices throughout my psychotherapeutic work, depending on each individual's needs and preferences. You can read more about how I work on my Principles and Approach page.

Sessions can take place indoors or outdoors, or as a mixture of both. Sometimes outdoor sessions are slow or static, sometimes moving, sometimes in woodlands and sometimes in the fells, depending on individual preference and availability.

I enjoy working with people to support them to feel more in control of overwhelming emotions, more able to make decisions and hold boundaries, to feel more grounded and centred, to feel stable and safe, and to feel certain about being valuable, capable, lovable, powerful, and equal.

I offer an initial online consultation at a reduced fee of £50.

This is an opportunity for us to meet, explore what has brought you to therapy, discuss what you might hope to gain from our work together, and consider how I might be able to support you.

I'll explain how I work, answer any questions you may have, and discuss the practical arrangements for ongoing sessions. There is no expectation that you need to share everything about your experiences during this first meeting.

For children and young people, I usually arrange an initial online consultation with parents or carers before meeting with the child or young person.

Following the consultation, we can consider whether working together feels appropriate and agree on the next steps.

My standard session fee is £80, with reduced fees available through a sliding scale, subject to availability.

Further information about fees and practical arrangements is available at:

https://wildandwellbeing.com/faq-practical-info

I am an Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Adult Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, and a clinical supervisor-in-training with CSTD Bath.

I offer individual and group supervision to psychotherapists, counsellors.

I work Monday to Thursday in private practice, online using Zoom and in Staveley, near Kendal, in the beautiful South Lakes. Indoor sessions take place in a room overlooking the fells. Outdoor supervision can take place in the woodlands and fells around Staveley.

I offer supervision sessions of 60, 90 or 120 minutes, usually every two or four weeks, depending on your professional requirements and individual needs. We agree to regular reviews to ensure supervision continues to meet your needs.

My clinical experience includes working in CAMHS, the NHS, schools, charitable organisations and private practice, supporting adults, children and young people. I have particular experience working with trauma, PTSD, CPTSD and neurodivergent people, including autistic people and people with ADHD.

I have experience working with neurodivergent supervisees and work collaboratively with each supervisee to explore what approaches and adaptations might be helpful.

Alongside my clinical and supervision work, I provide professional training for therapists. I am the author of the Wild & Well-Being Card Deck and co-author, with Babette Rothschild, of the 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook and Help for the Helper Workbook, all published by W. W. Norton.

You can read more about my qualifications, experience and supervision fees at https://wildandwellbeing.com/clinical-supervision-kendal

My role as a supervisor is to offer a supportive, thoughtful and reflective environment where you can explore your practice, navigate challenges, develop your skills and strengthen your confidence as a practitioner.

My approach is integrative, relational and collaborative, drawing on Hawkins and Shohet's Seven-Eyed Model of Supervision. This encourages us to consider the different layers of therapeutic work, including the client's experiences, your interventions and responses, the therapeutic relationship, and the wider personal, professional and organisational context. We may also explore what emerges within our own supervisory relationship, including possible parallel processes.

Each supervision relationship is unique, and I aim to work with you to develop an environment where you feel able to bring uncertainty, difficult feelings, ethical dilemmas and aspects of your work that you find challenging. I welcome conversations about what helps you feel supported and able to reflect openly, recognising that these needs differ between individuals.

Supervision might involve exploring client relationships, boundaries, ethical considerations, feelings of being stuck, the impact of your work on you, and your ongoing professional development. I offer constructive feedback and opportunities to consider different perspectives, while encouraging you to develop your own understanding, confidence and authentic way of working.

I also bring a creative, embodied and somatically informed perspective to supervision. Where helpful, we might incorporate mindfulness, movement, imagery or other experiential approaches to deepen reflection and support your awareness of your own responses.

I see supervision as a shared process that balances support with thoughtful challenge, attends to practitioner wellbeing, and maintains a clear focus on ethical practice and the wellbeing of those we work with.

All initial supervision sessions take place online via Zoom. This gives us an opportunity to get to know each other, discuss your current work and supervision needs, and explore what you might hope to gain from supervision.

We can talk about your professional experience, the clients or groups you work with, your preferred ways of reflecting and learning, and any particular areas where you would welcome support or development.

We will also discuss practical arrangements, confidentiality, ethical responsibilities, and our supervision agreement, including how we can work collaboratively to make supervision meaningful and useful for you.

Following our initial meeting, ongoing supervision sessions can take place online, in person indoors, or outdoors in the South Lake District. We can also combine these options according to your needs and preferences.