Our vision
We aim to promote and support:
- patient choice
- accessible services
- clinical excellence
- competent, professional therapists
- effective and efficient service delivery
We deliver our aims in partnership with BACP by providing:
- information to the public
- information to members
- consultation with government departments and associated agencies in the four nations
- publications - including a quarterly journal, best practice guidelines and commissioned research
- training and CPD for counsellors
- support to regional networks of NHS counsellors and interest groups
Our executive
Angela Clarke - Chair
Angela is a qualified psychologist and psychotherapist with over 30 years’ experience as a clinician within the adult health and social care sector. She is currently a service manager, overseeing care and support provision for a local authority.
Angela’s therapeutic background extends across the NHS, local government and private practice. She holds a master’s degree in counselling and psychotherapy, an honours degree in psychology and sociology and has undertaken much of her postgraduate training through The Priory Hospital. She obtained her first diploma at the Gestalt Centre in London and studied person-centered counselling at Metanoia.
Angela is passionate about empowering and equipping of young people and has been involved in the provision of counselling in schools for many years. She's worked at a high level with youth projects, local government and community action initiatives aimed at improving the lives of young people, sitting on Children and Adults Safeguarding Boards.
Email: angelaclarkema@gmail.com
Rachel Johnston – Deputy Chair
Rachel is a counsellor, mentor and clinical supervisor working in primary care and private practice since 2007. She recently established a social enterprise with the aim of making a range of therapeutic services more accessible at point of need. A specific area of interest is developing therapeutic services for adoptive parents, foster carers and parents of children with complex needs.
Areas of responsibility: operational and clinical lead for delivery of services in primary care and private practice through Connect2Counselling CIC, a social enterprise.
www.connect2counselling.org
Satinder Panesar - Past Chair
Satinder is a Punjabi-speaking, integrative counsellor/psychotherapist who has worked in the third sector, NHS GG&C and private sector over the past 25 years. She is also an individual and group clinical supervisor. Her work includes working with young people and adults who have experienced forced marriage; honour-based violence, child sexual abuse, rape & sexual assault, and cultural identity.
Areas of responsibility: trauma, tradition, culture, Scotland
Toby Sweet
Toby has worked as a counsellor in primary care and substance misuse services. For the last 10 years he has been chief executive of a voluntary sector organisation providing counselling and IAPT services in the North East of England, including specialist services for survivors of sexual abuse and assault and counselling for people with life-limiting health conditions.
Areas of responsibility: primary care, IAPT, trauma and abuse, management
Vicki Palmer
Vicki has been a counsellor for over 25 years. She has a specialist interest in primary care counselling and has experience of working in third sector organisations and private practice as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer. In 2012 she set up a social enterprise, Oasis-Talk CIC, as a way of navigating the local challenges of maintaining a good quality talking therapy service in the NHS in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, following the consequences of the Health and Social Care Act, March 2012.
Areas of responsibility: primary care, IAPT, management of counselling services, training and social enterprise
Gareth Bartlett
Gareth currently works as a family support counsellor at Rennie Grove Hospice Care based in Buckinghamshire. He works with patients and families as they face chronic and terminal illness, helping them to remain cared for at home, as well as supporting volunteer listeners and working with nursing teams, complementary therapists and fellow counsellors.
He qualified in 2018 and has also worked as a pandemic response counsellor and trainer at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. He currently teaches as part of the counselling team at Aylesbury College and maintains a small private practice.
Areas of responsibility:inter-agency working, diversity, education