David Best

I have over 20 years of experience offering specialist therapeutic counselling support to a wide range of clients through charity work and private practice. My specialist areas include working with children, adults and families living with disabilities including sight and sensory loss, autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and learning difficulties.

I trained in Humanistic counselling and use a holistic approach, bringing together awareness, experience and expression through thoughts, feelings and physical sensations.

I provide a high quality, professional, confidential counselling service to support the emotional needs of all clients. My service is designed to encourage and enable clients to explore, understand and express their thoughts, feelings and behaviour, by providing a confidential therapeutic relationship based on genuineness, acceptance and trust. The counselling relationship is key to facilitate clients to develop and enhance skills, strategies, self-awareness, confidence and resilience, so that they may be better equipped to respond to, cope with and manage the issues and challenges that affect their lives.

Training, experience and working ethics

I trained and graduated from Chichester University with a professional qualification in Humanistic Counselling. In 2001 I set up a counselling service for a charity in East Sussex, supporting visually impaired and blind children, young adults and their families. Through this work I have established many connections with local Education Authorities, Health Services, schools and other organizations.  In 2023 I set up and now run a similar service for a charity in West Sussex. 

Alongside this work through private practice I have gained additional specialist knowledge and experience, working with a wide range of clients and issues. I integrate my skills and methods to suit the unique needs of each individual client. These include, play, music and art therapy, mindfulness and meditation.

Costs

I have a sliding scale between £30 and £50 to reflect the needs and limitations of each individual client.

What to expect

The first session will be an assessment which will either take place at the clinic or over the phone, video call, depending on the needs of the client. The aim of the assessment is to gather information, identify issues and set goals for future work. As part of the assessment we can discuss and sign a counselling agreement that outlines the expectations, boundaries and limitations of the service on offer.

These include confidentiality, number, frequency, duration and location of one to one counselling sessions, cancelations and managing the ending of counselling work. Clients under the age of 16 will need a parent/guardian to read and sign the agreement on their behalf.

Counselling sessions will take place in an appropriate room at the clinic unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed such as telephone or by video call.

Counselling will be reviewed at regular intervals, providing opportunities to reflect upon work and identify any issues that still need attention. New goals can be set and agreed upon by the client and discussed with a parent/guardian when necessary.