Phil Mitchell

Sessions are available Monday to Friday from 8am with the last session starting at 6:30pm or 7pm Monday to Thursday, and 6pm on Friday. 

Please phone or text 07780 946568 or email phil@counsellingwithphil.co.uk for my current availability. 

I am a qualified and senior accredited therapist who has gained thousands of hours experience providing counselling/psychotherapy to hundreds of people since 2004. I have significant experience in working with stress, anxiety and more. I have specialist experience in working with abused males.

Since 2004 I have provided one-to-one counselling and psychotherapy to children, young people and adults.

I have significant experience in working with stress, anxiety, trauma, bereavement, anger, issues related to sexual orientation and low self-esteem.

I have specialist experience in working with boys and men, specifically those who have experienced historic and/or recent sexual abuse/violence. I adopt male-friendly methods, value masculinity and use logic to helps boys and men solve problems.

Counselling with me is not just sitting and talking; it can be used to help people tackle their problems, eliminate barriers, understand their situation, take control, take action, and make change.

I work with clients to help them make the best use of our time together by identifying what they’d like to achieve from counselling and by trying to ensure they gain something useful from the sessions. I often adopt a straight talking, direct approach where thoughts can be challenged, options can be explored, emotions can be expressed, and alternative perspectives can be considered.

I am an eclectic therapist which means I will use different elements of therapeutic approaches, namely Person Centred Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT).

For further details please visit my website: https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/counselling-approaches/ 

Sessions take place online via Zoom video or in-person at my building in Stanningley, Pudsey – which is located on Stanningley Road, close to the fire station.

The 72 bus stops close to the building, and Bramley train station is a 15-minute walk away.

For further details please visit https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/locations-timings/

When we meet for the first time

• I will confirm your contact details and gather brief information about you and your medical history
• I will explain more about how I work and the counselling process
• I may ask how you found out about my counselling service. If you found me online it would be useful to know which website you found me on
• I will ask you to read and sign the counselling agreement. This is a document containing important information about how we agree to work together and covers issues relating to boundaries, confidentiality and practicalities such as fees, length of sessions, time keeping and cancellation and rescheduling procedures
• If accessing counselling through an external organisation and/or Employee’s Assistance Programme (EAP) they are also likely to require me to complete with you their own paperwork such as an assessment form, a scoring sheet and their own agreement
• I may also ask for your GP details. It would be advantageous if you came prepared with this information. I will only contact your GP after speaking with you first, except in exceptional circumstances
• You will get a chance to get some things off your chest and explain more about your situation. You will have more time to do this during following sessions
• I will help you to clarify what it is you want to get out of counselling
• You will be able to ask any questions, and discuss any concerns you may
• We may book in further sessions so it would be useful if you came with your diary

My availability changes on a day-to-day basis.

Please phone or text 07780 946568 or email phil@counsellingwithphil.co.uk for my current availability. 

• Sharing my story of male rape, sexual abuse and exploitation
• Identifying boys 
• Understanding and engaging with boys
• Adapting practice and services for boys and men
• Reducing the risk of harm when using CSE resources

My Training Experience
As someone who has experienced rape and child sexual exploitation (CSE) and supported many boys and men who have experienced sexual abuse I am appropriately placed to provide training addressing male sexual abuse and exploitation. I also have significant experience in public speaking addressing issues related to male sexual abuse.

Since 2009 I have developed nationally recognised male sexual abuse/exploitation training and delivered this to thousands of professionals across the country. The training aims to increase the identification of boys at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation, challenge gender biased practice, understand male abuse and explore how to work with males.

High quality training is informed by my many years of practice working with boys and men affected by sexual abuse/exploitation and is delivered in a dynamic and engaging way, using interactive methods and anecdotal stories from personal and professional experiences.

I have also worked with various organisations and practitioners to help make their services and practice accessible to, and inclusive of males.

I have delivered training to large children's charities, voluntary sector organisations, child sexual exploitation services, youth provisions, counselling organisations, CAMHS services, educational professionals, sexual health practitioners, other health professionals, housing workers, children's social care, safeguarding children boards and various police forces and local authority work forces

https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/boys-cse-training/

For further details on the content of my training courses please click on the links below:

Sharing my story of male rape, sexual abuse and exploitation
https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/my-story/

Identifying boys
https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/identifying-boys/

Understanding and engaging with boys
https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/engaging-with-boys/

Adapting practice and services for boys and men
https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/adapting-practice-services-boys/

Reducing the risk of harm when using CSE resources
https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/reducing-risk-harm-cse-resources/

Sessions are available Monday to Friday from 8:30am with the last session starting at 6:30pm. Some Saturday appointments are also available.

My availability changes on a day-to-day basis.

Please phone or text 07780 946568 or email phil@counsellingwithphil.co.uk for my current availability. 

I am qualified and senior accredited supervisor who has provided supervision to qualified and trainee counsellors since 2012 and to child sexual exploitation workers since 2010. I provide Person Centred and also integrative/eclectic supervision…

• I hold a Post Graduate Certificate in Person Centred supervision awarded to me by Temenos
• I am experienced in supervising those working in schools, colleges, GP surgeries, voluntary sector services and other counselling organisations
• I have significant experience in working with safeguarding issues and supervising those working with children in high risk situations
• I am experienced in supervising those who are counselling clients affected by trauma and expressing suicidal thoughts
• I also supervise practitioners working in organisations such as youth services, sexual health services, domestic abuse services, children's charities, child sexual exploitation services and sexual abuse counselling services

I believe that by establishing and maintaining a healthy and collaborative relationship where supervisees can experience the core conditions of empathy, genuineness and acceptance, a safe enough space can be created where various issues relating to client work, practice and professional development can be addressed, discussed and explored in a way that is helpful to the supervisee.

My role is to work with what the supervisee brings to supervision, in a way that can help develop their practice and help them grow as a counsellor. I can provide the appropriate environment where supervisees can discuss any difficulties they may be experiencing, explore alternative approaches, be open to appropriate challenge and highlight what is going well.

Supervision is available face to face and online.

Further details can be found at my website: http://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/supervision/

Counselling, psychotherapy and supervision sessions take place at my counselling/supervision room at my home in Stanningley, Pudsey – which is located on Stanningley Road, close to the fire station.

The 72 bus stops close to the venue and Bramley train station is a 15-minute walk away.

For further details please visit https://counsellorinleeds.co.uk/locations-timings/ 

I offer all potential new supervisees a free thirty minute session where we can meet, get to know each each other and get a sense of what it might be like if we both decided to start working together. Please contact me to arrange a free introductory session.

Phone/text: 07780 946568
Email: phil@counsellingwithphil.co.uk