Richard Leah - therapist in quainton-w-of-aylesbury-hp22

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Features

Wheelchair accessible office

Availability

As of December2024 I will be unable to accept any new clients.

For health reasons I have to stop working as a therapist.

I am sorry not to be able to accompany any other travelllers on the road of life

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I have been involved in psychotherapy and human growth for forty years -working alongside people in the fields of psychotherapy, mental health, social work, education and the commercial world.

I have seen over 400 clients, providing over 3,500 hours of therapy. I have also trained counsellors.

There is a current idea drifting around that one goes to a therapist to have her or him remove a problem - as one might go to a dentist. That's not how it works; it is often very hard work for the client to make the changes in their life necessary to overcome their difficulty.

QUALIFICATIONS: Diploma in Counselling; Middlesex Uni and Harrow College: 2001 Certificate in Group Facilitation: Norwich. Brian Thorne ; 2003 Certificate in Brief Counselling. Dagmar Edwards 2005. Year 1 institute of Group Analysis: Bedford: 2005(not an approach I warmed too!) AdvancedDiploma Therapeutic Supervision: Warwick Uni : 2007

Accredited (MBACP) with #BACP. UKRC Registered Independent Counsellor. Member World Association of Person Centred and Experiential Psychology. Diploma in Social Work: CCETSW : Oxford Brookes University:1996 BA (Hons) Humanities: 1975

About me and my therapy practice

I work alongside you to help you clarify the problems you are facing and to explore solutions or ways forward. I work to help you feel in control of the journey and as safe as possible.

I don't claim to be able to fix lots of categories of 'problems'. I know what the labels are but I work with you - a unique human being.

I consciously embarked on my own exploration and journey back in my twenties. I set out to explore as much of life as I could -from working on building sites to nursing, from working with the homeless on the streets of London to working as a decorator in Amsterdam. I've been a bus conductor and a manager in a major software company.Like so many human beings I have had times of both great happiness and great sorrow and pain. All this comes together to create the person I am; the person, the therapist you will encounter on meeting me. At the same time I was receiving my own therapy - including 300 hours of one to one and 1000 hours as a participant in group therapy

One never finishes the journey of course; the experiences and learning continue; although much older and wiser I still see myself as a fellow traveler.

Practice description

I have my own private practice.

I don't claim to be able to fix lots of categories of ' problems' - because those are just labels. I know what the labels are but I work with you - a unique human being - not with a label. The label is just what shows on the surface - like a bruise. The label can be a handy shorthand but whatever is behind the label, beneath the bruise, is unique to you; your stress, anxiety, depression, confusion or sense of being off course is unique to you - so there can be no preset formula to ' fix' it. I listen to you to establish how the world looks like to you.

Some people are looking to explore deeper issues - existential issues, personal growth issues and I am very ready to accompany people on these journeys.

I support clients in exploring and identifying their problems - its not always just the things uppermost in one's mind. Out of exploring will come different ways of seeing the issues, a re-connection with your inner strength and different ways of dealing with the issues.

In the past I have worked as a therapist for social services, the NHS, and an FE college. I have run therapeutic groups and anxiety management groups. I am also a trained Iyenga yoga teacher and have considerable experience of Bioenergetic therapy - which contributes to my understanding of the mind - body link.

My first session

Due to health reasons I am unable to see any clients from now on

I charge £20 for our first session - which I regard as an opportunity for you to decide if you wish to continue working with me.

In that first session I don't pull out a clip board and ask lots of questions; I ask you where you want to start and we go from there.

All sessions are one hour; I don't do that 50 minute thing -and I don't cut you off mid sentence at the end; I'd rather we over-ran in order to finish a thought. And I leave lots of time between clients.

If you feel you would like longer sessions than one hour I am happy to discuss with you.

What I can help with

Abuse, Anxiety, Bereavement, Depression, Identity issues, Loss, Men's issues, Post-traumatic stress, Relationships, Self esteem, Self-harm, Sexuality, Spirituality, Stress, Trauma

Types of therapy

Existential, Humanistic, Person centred

Clients I work with

Adults, Groups, Older adults, Organisations

How I deliver therapy

Long-term face-to-face work, Short-term face-to-face work