April Lowe

I am usually available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.   I offer face to face sessions as well as online sessions via Zoom.

I am a qualified and accredited counsellor who has over  twenty years experience in a variety of settings, notably working for many years in University settings but also with experience of work within the NHS and charitable organisations. Alongside my private work as a counsellor I am currently also working with NHS IAPT organisations under contract.

 I gained a Masters degree in counselling in 2007 and have engaged in continuous professional development throughout my years of practice.

I can accept referrals from individuals over the age of 18; regretfully I am not trained to work with those under the age of 18 nor with couples seeking couple counselling,

 People who work with me can present with all kinds of concerns. Sometimes they are consciously affected by something bad that has happened which they need to process, either recently or in the past;  other times people may experience a chronic  low mood or anxiety which seeps into every aspect of their living and which they are at a loss to understand.  This may be you:-

"I feel there is something wrong with me, I just don't know what.  There is no one I can talk to about this".

"I should have moved on from this loss by now but I still haven't"

"I feel so scared, all the time"

"I find it so hard to make and keep good relationships"

"I struggle to enjoy anything and each day feels like an effort"

Central to my work is the counselling relationship and using this as a vehicle to enable individuals to make changes, move on from traumatic experiences, cope with relationship problems and arrive at a better relationship with life and the self.   Respect and empathy are vital to this and I will work at your pace and encourage you to be as open as you are able to be in order to gain the most from the experience.

At present work is from my private residential setting.

I offer both brief and longer term counselling and am a BACP accredited counsellor as well as a  BPC accredited DIT {Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy) practitioner.

Open ended counselling is interpersonal in nature and seeks to provide relief and bring about improvements through the process of talking over the matters which are too often left unsaid.   It pays attention to past experience and the significance of unconscious feeling  whilst being rooted in the present and committed to enhancing future experience.     Articulating your thoughts and feelings in counselling creates new order, meaning and perspective which leads to insight and aids peace and  clarity of mind.    As a  psychodynamic  counsellor I prize attunement between counsellor and client and I will use a range of techniques depending on the needs of the individual.

DIT is a short term therapy which views an individual's difficulties through the lens of relationships.   It is one of only five therapies approved by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence} for addressing symptoms of depression and anxiety.  It is delivered over 16 sessions so is structured and time-limited

As a BACP accredited counsellor I am respectful of all issues of diversity and inclusivity, as well as committed to ensuring the highest level of good practice.

I have an eclectic counselling background with knowledge of CBT, humanistic and solution focussed counselling, which I draw on particularly in time limited counselling.

I work on a one session per week basis.

When contacting me for the first time you may have a range of questions, one of which might be how your personal information will be handled.     I am aware of my responsibilities as a data controller for GDPR purposes and do not keep records of enquiries beyond the time it takes to resolve the enquiry.   When we arrange a first meeting I will ask you for some general information about yourself.   I will also provide you beforehand with written information on how I collect, use and store your personal information and protect your privacy for GDPR purposes.  

 Your first session  will last for 50 minutes.  It's an occasion to talk about what has brought you to look for help and to decide whether us working together will be the right way forward.  I understand that the decision to enter into counselling takes courage and entails some vulnerability , and I am keen to protect and nurture your trust in the process.   I aim to offer you a safe and supportive experience, alongside space to really think about you as a whole person, your history, current circumstances, wishes and goals, as well as your hopes and any mixed feelings you may have at entering into therapy.    You will hopefully get things  off your chest, clarify your needs, ask pertinent questions and get an idea of what counselling may feel like.      Entering into an ongoing agreement is about working together as a unit  and both parties need to feel confident it is right. 

   I will provide you with a written record of the agreement between us arising from our first session and clarifying responsibilities and issues of privacy and confidentiality.