Philip Orr

Currently I can only undertake virtual counselling from my English address. I am experienced in undertaking this kind of virtual work with my clients using Zoom technology and I have a fairly flexible approach to planning these sessions with my clients, given the irregular hours in many people's lives. Usually I find that the client and myself can find a way of penciling in regular therapy but it is probably preferable that we undertake work in the afternoon or evening. 

It should be stressed however that my clients and I do sign a contract that indicates our readiness to abide by the rule of BACP engagement. In that regard, I will always indicate clearly whether I am unavailable due to a personal holiday or an unforeseen, urgent  engagement.  I expect the same from my clients.

My virtual work is valuable for clients who live at a distance from a therapist's practice or who find it hard to make the journey to see a therapist at his or her premises. My virtual counselling is also undertaken with respect for the preference of many clients to maintain the physical boundaries that are afforded through the use of Zoom. 

To begin, I can send a simple Zoom link to your email address and initially you may wish to engage in a short, free virtual chat to find out whether we feel that therapy is viable. On the other hand you might want to use a phone call to make the initial contact. Indeed I have sometimes engaged in phone-based therapy with clients for several months if they feel that they want to retain visual privacy. 

Virtual counselling, whatever the method, can in my experience be genuinely effective and helpful. 

My virtual work as a therapist has involved a wide range of clients. I am in my early seventies and I bring a wealth of experience to our meeting. I offer a person-centered style of therapy online which involves unconditional respect for the stories that a client brings. I am interested in hearing what it is that draws someone to therapy and what they hope to gain from it.

My person-centered approach is rooted in the philosophy of Carl Rogers who was insistent that counsellors should not ply the client with advice or moral judgments but rather build a therapeutic alliance based on empathy (not sympathy!) and a genuine, thoughtful and gentle curiosity about the person who has sought their counsel. 

There is plenty of evidence that a good relationship between the  counsellor and the client is an excellent indicator of a successful counselling experience. Above all else, I offer the hope for healing of wounds that have ached in the person who has decided to embark on therapy with me.          

As indicated above, an initial (free) chat may help us to decide whether we are right for one another, before a contract is signed. 

If we are embarking on the first paid session, there is no obligation on you as the client to 'open up' straight away. We can take our time. I do not sit with a notebook, aiming to sift through what you are telling me like a lofty analyst or expert. I am there to listen and to offer a trusted accompaniment on the often challenging journey to a better self-understanding. I will ask questions but I trust that they will always be judicious. I will also trust you to pay me after each session rather than 'up front'. 

I am available for face to face work at my house in a seafront location in Carrickfergus. This involves good availability for much of the year i.e. excluding December, January, June and July, but I can certainly be contacted at any time to arrange an online or telephone session during these months. Therapy in Northern Ireland is available at the rate of £50 per hour and the face to face session usually last 55 minutes. 

I possess a diploma in counselling and I am a registered counsellor with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

I can work with you if you are struggling with your emotions: you  may have experienced daily anxieties that are hard to handle or you may have been subject to dark feelings that don't shift, no matter how hard you try. Perhaps you have experienced health issues that cause you a lot of worry.

It's also possible that loss has been a theme in your life whether in the shape of bereavement, the severing of a close relationship or the loss of cherished hopes and dreams. Losing a job can also cause a powerful sense of loss whether due to redundancy or retirement. I can work with you on any of these uncomfortable issues. 

I can also work with personal conflicts, painful dilemmas and unanswered questions which have robbed you of happiness, balance and a sense of wholeness.  

I possess the life-experience to counsel you if there is trauma in your past. I have undertaken a number of projects with individuals in Northern Ireland who suffer from Troubles-related PTSD so I have some knowledge of how you feel about disturbing things you have witnessed if you served in the military, the police or the emergency services, here or abroad.  

As a spiritual person, I am also deeply interested in the impact of distress caused by high-control religion and I have undertaken training in this specialist area.

My job is to listen carefully to you and respond thoughtfully. I may draw on my years spent in education, the arts, and community relations as well as my experience as a counsellor.   

On-line or telephone therapy can be effective alternatives to face to face work and may be necessary if you live a long way off from me. 

You can begin by emailing me at philipthomasorr@gmail.com or texting me on 07711916042. We could arrange to do a free chat on the phone to see if what I offer is the 'right fit' for you. There is no limit to the number of sessions you can have once you have decided on this path but it is a good idea to start with six. I do offer concessions if you are struggling financially or you are a student.

Am important feature is the contract that we sign, dealing with such matters as confidentiality and safeguarding.

Finally: you can be sure that everything that we do together in therapy is undertaken with close attention to the ethical guidelines of the BACP. You will be in a safe and confidential space.  

The first actual session is a paid one but an initial exploratory chat would be free.