Paula Brown

Monday-Thursday - 09.00-19.00

My approach to supervision is open and relaxed, to enable you to reflect on your client work through your process, recognising your feelings, thoughts, behaviours and general approach with your client work. I may also challenge, as appropriate, to reflect on how you relate to your clients and the therapeutic relationship.

I will encourage you to use the space work through any difficulties and recognise what's going well.

I work alongside Shohet's 'The Seven-Eyed Model of Supervision' as a guide and format to the supervision process. The Supervision relationship can develop over time and I can provide you with a space to reflect, consider how to continue to work with your clients and explore this together.

My supervision training has included:

- 2009 - Certificate in Supervision

- 2014 - PG Diploma in Supervision

- 2016 - Certificate in skills/theory in Supervision (update training)

I keep up to date with ongoing CPD around supervision in line with BACP requirements.

I worked as a Supervisor for 12 years with organisations: SYEDA (South Yorkshire Eating Disorders Association), Nottinghamshire Mind and in my private practice.

In my private practice, I worked with 5 supervisees for 5 years, prior to 2021. I took a break from providing supervision due to undertaking a BSc Top-Up Level 6 degree in Therapeutic Counselling. This degree has given me an update in current thinking and ways of working going forward.

In February 2020, I gained BACP Senior Accreditation, after being accredited since 2012. I am happy to support you in the process of becoming an accredited Counsellor, if needed.

I have experience in working with couples and EMDR/trauma work previously and currently run a private practice working with private clients and EAP's. 

I offer supervision to qualified counsellors - accredited or working towards accreditation / SCOPED.

I offer an initial (get-to-know-each-other) appointment up to 30 minutes to discuss your needs and how we may we work together.

Availability:  

Monday-Thursday:  09.00-19.00

I work with humanistic therapies which focuses on self-development, helping you to recognise strengths and choices in the here and now.

My core training (Level 4 Diploma) included Person-Centred Therapy and CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy). My psychotherapy training (Level 5 Diploma) continued learning and understanding working within a humanistic framework. I completed a BSc (Hons) Degree course in Therapeutic Counselling in 2023. 

I integrate this learning into my practice by working with:

Person-centred therapy works with building the therapeutic relationship and includes working in an empathic (deeply understanding), unconditional positive regard (accepting) and genuine (congruent) way. This therapy includes being open to experience, being trusting and trustworthy, being curious about the world, being creative and compassionate. Person-centred therapy is part of a humanistic approach to therapy.

I also integrate CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), to support with any stuck/repetitive patterns of behaviour. When you understand how you are responding to difficult situations/behaviours, you can then understand how to break down them down, by understanding negative thinking, emotions and behaviours to consider more positive alternatives in your way of thinking and feeling.

I also work with Mindfulness to understand and live more 'in the present' and utilise breathing/relaxation techniques. I am able to provide you with mindfulness skills to work with this with meditation (formal practice) and day to day noticing (informal practice). I am also introducing ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) into my work which is a mindfulness-based therapy learning to overcome negative thoughts and feelings. ACT also addresses a commitment to making changes and what to do about it when you can't stick to your goals.

The first session involves exploring what is going on for you currently and recognising any difficult past experiences which may be impacting on you and what you are hoping to gain from counselling.

We will agree a way of working together and recommend how often sessions could take place to gain full benefit from them. Sessions can take place weekly, fortnightly, monthly and I will  advise the best starting point for frequency of sessions for your individual needs and agree this together.