Helen Baker

I work Mondays - Thursdays 8.30am - 7.30pm

I work with individuals and couples online, and face to face from my peaceful and private practice room in Sidmouth. I believe in creating a warm and safe environment from which you can explore the difficulties you face, rediscover your strengths and make changes that will improve your life. My aim is to help you to know yourself, independent from the views of others. This can involve challenging long held beliefs and perceptions and this I do in a supportive and non-judgemental manner. 

I offer a pluralistic approach to counselling based on the principles of Person Centred Therapy (PCT). This means I focus on providing the time and space to explore and discuss the issues which may be troubling you. A pluralistic approach means I have many different styles of counselling available to me for working alongside you including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and other therapies such as psychodynamic theory and transactional analysis (TA). During sessions with me you will be able to explore your thoughts and feelings free from concerns of rejection or judgement.

Many people experience emotional difficulties at some point in their lives. I offer counselling for individuals and couples of all ages, offering short and long term work on issues such as:

Anger Management

Anxiety/Stress

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Assertiveness 

Disordered and Emotional Eating

Family

Health anxiety

Loss and Bereavement

Low mood/Depression

Personal development/Self esteem

Personal Identity

Teenage/Young people's concerns

Unresolved issues from the past

Work place issues

Alongside my private practice, I have been a lecturer at Exeter College, teaching the students enrolled on the Advanced Diploma  and Certificate in Counselling Courses. I have also provided seminars for a holistic health programme, working with clients experiencing emotional and/or disordered eating. I am a qualified supervisor and trained in relationship counselling. I am also trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid and in supporting LGBTQ+ clients.

My previous experience includes: working for the Dorset NHS Steps to Wellbeing service – an IAPT depression and anxiety service for adults; for Arc, an Axminster based counselling service which has a focus on loss and bereavement, and working with teenagers as a school counsellor across a range of issues including self-harm, panic attacks, anxiety, low mood, sexuality and self-worth. 

Our first appointment will be an opportunity to meet each other, explore how counselling might help and to establish an agreement for moving forward. At this stage there is no commitment to ongoing meetings. If you do decide that you would like to continue working with me, we would agree on an appropriate schedule.

Mondays - Thursdays 8.30am - 7.30pm

I provide clinical supervision for counsellors and for other practitioners & professionals who are interested in supervision - whether they are therapists, clinicians, educators or care staff from other fields of work or disciplines.

Both my Clinical and Supervisory practice is informed by the BACP’s Ethical Framework & Professional Guidelines.

The BACP describes the functions of supervision as being to:

Assist in the development of the reflective practitioner

Support the therapist

Maximise the effectiveness of the therapeutic relationship

Monitor/ safeguard the interests of the client

Maintain ethical standards as set out in the Ethical Framework

Our work together will be a respectful, supportive, collaborative style that both enables and gently challenges us, with the aim of facilitating continued professional growth and development. Please contact me to discuss your supervision requirements.

Our first appointment will be an opportunity to meet each other, explore your supervision requirements and to establish an agreement for moving forward. At this stage there is no commitment to ongoing meetings. If you do decide that you would like to continue working with me, we would agree on an appropriate schedule.