Deborah Trott

I am a psychodynamic counsellor working in private practice in the North Cotswolds near Moreton in Marsh.

Counselling offers an opportunity to talk about the issues you are struggling with in a safe and confidential space with someone who is experienced and trained to listen to you. We are all individuals and people come to counselling for a variety of different reasons. It can be helpful to share your thoughts and feelings with a counsellor who is non-judgemental and will work with you to think together about the problems you are facing or the issues that you are trying to make sense of.

I qualified from Gloucestershire Counselling Service (GCS) with a diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling (training accredited by the British Psychoanalytic Council) and then took a post-graduate Associate year gaining further training in Time-Limited Psychodynamic therapy. I have worked for GCS for several years in their adult service (a BACP accredited service) providing both open-ended and time-limited counselling for men and women. I am experienced in helping clients with a variety of issues including stress, depression, anxiety, work or relationship-related problems and trauma. I have completed the CRUSE Bereavement Foundation Course and am experienced in working with bereavement and loss.

In addition to my private practice I have also worked for Gloucestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (GRASAC) and have trained in Understanding and Working With Sexual Violence (accredited training with OCN). I work with women and men who have experienced sexual abuse both recent and historic, including childhood sexual abuse. I am a qualified Independent Sexual Violence Advisor, having completed the Rape Crisis England and Wales nationally accredited ISVA training, and support survivors of sexual abuse who are going through the criminal justice system.

I mainly use a psychodynamic approach to counselling but will also use a person-centred approach when working with survivors of sexual abuse. Psychodynamic counselling looks at unconscious processes, the beliefs we hold about ourselves, our defences and the motivations that drive us that we may not be aware of, which sometimes emerge in dreams. I believe that past experiences, particularly those of childhood, influence how we feel about ourselves and the patterns that we repeat in our relationships with other people. Looking at experiences from the past can help us to understand our present difficulties and explain why we behave and feel the way that we do.

When working with survivors of sexual abuse I use a person-centred approach which focuses on building an empathic relationship to help empower and support survivors to regain control over their lives. I work from a trauma-informed perspective and put safety and wellbeing at the forefront of the counselling work. I have extensive experience in working with the symptoms of trauma including panic attacks, flashbacks, PTSD and dissociation.

I offer one to one counselling on a once or twice weekly basis. Regular sessions last 50 minutes and are usually on the same day and at the same time each week. Counselling can be open-ended or time-limited. You can either agree a set number of counselling sessions at the outset and focus on a particular issue or begin counselling and see how you progress before deciding how long you wish to continue. You determine the pace of counselling and we can regularly review your progress and your thoughts and feelings about the work we do together.

At your first session I would like us to meet for an initial assessment. This is an opportunity for you to see if you feel that we would be able to work together and to ask me any questions you may have about counselling. It is also an opportunity for me to understand what has brought you to counselling at this point in your life and of your expectations for the work. This initial consultation is also charged at £50 per session.

Counselling sessions are completely confidential and it is important that you feel able to speak freely about your issues. I adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and in accordance with this all my client work is supervised by a trained and experienced supervisor.

The fees for counselling are subject to review each year. Currently the fees are £50 per session. Fees can be negotiated in cases of financial hardship and this can be discussed at the first session.

Wherever possible, appointments will be rearranged in the event of a client’s ill health or unforeseen circumstances but missed appointments are payable at the full fee.

Face to face counselling sessions will take place in my peaceful, private consulting room in the village of Blockley with beautiful views overlooking the North Cotswolds countryside. I also offer counselling sessions by telephone or video call using Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Skype.