Lisa Hitchen

Hello. If you are reading this, you might be reaching out for some counselling support. What I can offer you is truly empathetic connection, a safe and calm listening space, the time to learn about yourself and to explore what is happening for you present, past and future.

I provide confidential counselling to people of all ages and backgrounds and have helped clients with a range of different issues.

Feeling overwhelmed, anxious or depressed are often reasons clients contact me. These might be having an effect or be compounded by relationship, family or work challenges. I will use my learning from different counselling approaches to find the best way we can work together to help you to manage these.

My experience includes coordinating a counselling service for clients aged 14-24 years for a national charity, supervising trainee and qualified counsellors, running a counselling service in a school supporting pupils, parents and staff, counselling clients following the death of a loved one in a hospice, counselling people living with HIV, from diverse racial backgrounds, those on low income, asylum seekers, people with disabilities and those from the LGBTQ+ community.

I have a Psychology and English degree, a diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, a certificate in Therapeutic Supervision and a certificate in Counselling Couples. I have also trained in working with children and young people. Recently I have completed EMDR therapy training and can now offer this therapy to those who have experienced trauma, disturbing memories and experiences and want to set themselves free from the emotional stranglehold of past events.

I am an accredited member of the BACP and follow its ethical guidelines for working safely and professionally.

My counselling room in Grove Park is a warm, calm space for in-person counselling. I also offer online therapy and telephone counselling during the day and some evenings. Please contact me if you feel I can help you. 

Supervision is an essential part of the process of being a counsellor. I believe it should be a safe and supportive space that can build your confidence in your work with clients but also challenge and stimulate you to learn and grow.

I provide one to one and group supervision for trainee and qualified counsellors at my practice room in Lewisham, by telephone and online. We can openly consider what might be going on for your clients and explore this without judgement. I am open to working with the different ‘languages’ of different approaches and ways of working with clients.

I am interested in systems and how individuals interrelate to themselves, others and to their environment. Because of this, I find Hawkins and Shohet’s Seven-eyed supervision model helpful in my supervisory work. Most importantly, it puts the client at the centre and sets them within the context of the counselling and supervisory processes that are working to support them.

The Seven-eyed model also considers the relationships between client, counsellor and supervisor, the interventions used and the connections of each to the systems within which we all exist.

In addition, I hold in mind Proctor’s tasks of supervision to encourage, to teach and to manage. These are the functions of supervision but the doing is only a part. The being is crucial too. So my supervisory practice offers a place where your feelings and ideas around your clients and around your own personal processes can be explored without prejudice.

I have a CPCAB Certificate in Therapeutic Supervision and supervise the work of trainee and qualified counsellors in my role as a youth counselling coordinator for a national sexual health charity. I have also worked as a counselling manager in schools where I supervised counsellors working with the pupils.

I am based in Grove Park. If you are interested in working with me, please get in touch. 

Is your school, college or organisation ready for change?

From September 2020, Relationships Education in primary schools and Relationships and Sex Education in secondary schools which will be compulsory. This will enable children and young people to be properly informed according to government guidance to help them make better and healthier choices around relationships both real and online.

Many schools and colleges already provide this but for those that don’t or need to do more, maybe I can help.

I am an integrative counsellor and supervisor. In my current job coordinating the youth counselling service for a national sexual health and HIV charity, I run workshops on relationships and sex education including healthy relationships, sexual health, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV awareness and contraception. I have experience working with people with long-term health conditions such as HIV and those exploring their sexuality, gender identity and relationships.

I have also managed counselling services in schools and run workshops, group counselling and group activity sessions on topics such as relationships, diversity and difference, change and transition and emotions and emotional resilience.

I am passionate about living in a more inclusive world where diversity and difference is celebrated. I want to use my skills as a counsellor and educator to help inform and support individuals and organisations with this, be it LGBTQ+ discussions or training on sex related issues.

I offer schools and other organisations workshops and consultative support on relationships and sex education. For groups and businesses, I offer corporate and continuous professional development workshops on relationships, difference, sexuality, sexual health and HIV.

Please contact me via phone or videoconferencing so we can discuss how I can help with your training requirements.