Catherine Bain

My working hours are flexible.  

My name is Catherine Bain.  I am a BACP and COSCA accredited psychotherapist/counsellor.  My training is rooted in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is evidenced based as being an effective therapy for treating many mental health disorders.

I use an integrative approach and tailor sessions to suit the needs of the client (as every client is an individual) and this can involve using other therapeutic approaches to find the best way to support the clients in dealing with presenting issues.  

I work with individual clients aged 16+.  Therapy can be - in-person, online or telephone sessions.  All clients receive a warm welcome, in a supportive counselling environment, a space to  explore your thoughts, feelings. emotions and behaviours at a pace that is comfortable for you. Therapy can be short-term, medium-term, or longer-term, and is goal orientated.  Goals and expectations are mutually agreed. We review these regularly.

 I have a real passion and enthusiasm for counselling.  I have a wealth of knowledge and experience through learning, research and working with people presenting with a wide range of mental health issues.  

I believe that therapy is a collaborative process, where we can work together to improve mental health well-being and improve daily living skills to enable us to lead a more fulfilling life.

I am based in Livingston and work in the Centre of Edinburgh.  I work in partnership with First Psychology.  

The sessions are; in person, online or telephone consultation,  tailored towards each individuals needs and last 50-60 minute.  

Client aged 16+ receive a warm welcome, and non-judgemental approach. I offer a confidential, supportive space to talk about your present concerns.  Usually at the start of therapy we aim to meet weekly. We can agree regularity of therapy, but you can end therapy at anytime.  

My approach is collaborative, creative and compassionate.  I use an integrative counselling approach.  This includes: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is a talking therapy where I will support you to recognise how your thoughts can impact on how you feel and behave in the present.  I also use other modalities in therapy, including person centred and psychodynamic approach allows us to explore past relationships and emotional patterns and how they may be influencing how we experience ourselves and others today, because I believe that 'one size doesn't fit all'.

In therapy we work together to identify triggers and unhelpful coping strategies and develop new coping mechanisms.  

Seeking counselling can be daunting, if you would like to know more before committing to therapy, please give me a call, text or email me.  This gives us an opportunity to assess whether counselling with me is right for you and I can help you achieve your goals or expectations.  

 My hope is that we can work therapeutically, collaboratively, compassionately at your pace to develop an understanding of your challenges and identify your goal.  I value the importance of empathy and compassion.  I strive to create a therapeutic relationship based on trust, acceptance and respect.  I aim to help clients feel empowered in understanding themselves, manage difficulties in making positive changes that can improve their well-being and quality of life.  

The initial session is an assessment session.  In this session we explore what you want from therapy?  What is your expectations/goals of therapy?  How we might achieve this together? 

The assessment session is an opportunity for us to decide if we can work together.  It is important that you feel that you can work with me, and I with you in order to achieve your goals, and if Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or psychotherapy is the appropriate therapy for you.  

During this session we will complete an assessment form.  This part of your treatment plan and identifies your hopes or expectations of therapy.  If we decide to work together we will sign and agree a working agreement form highlighting and clarify what you expect from me and what I expect from you?  

We also clarify confidentiality by signing a confidentiality form and discussing the boundaries of confidentiality.  If we agree on working together, we start by formulating a  mutually agreed treatment plan, towards your goals, which will be reviewed and amended regularly during therapy. We do this collaboratively, compassionately at your pace.  We work together to develop an understanding of your challenges, identify what is holding you back by recognising triggers and coping strategies and get to the root of the problem.

We aim to gain an understanding of what lies beneath your current difficulties through gentle exploration, feeling safe, heard and validated aiming to improve your mental well-being creating greater self-awareness and confidence to make positive changes in your life.  

We negotiate number of sessions,  how often we agree to meet.