Jacob Bevan

My name is Jacob Bevan and I am an integrative counsellor offering counselling sessions online.

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), which is a professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists practising in the United Kingdom. This means that I adhere to an ethical framework that informs my work, making sure that I practice safely and ethically, in the best interests of any client.

Being an integrative counsellor means that I work with Psychodynamic and Person-Centred concepts.

By using psychodynamic theory, we can look into elements of the past to gain a better understanding of how we have developed over time; what has influenced our decision making or choices in life, thereby gaining a better understanding of how we arrived at who we are now. Using this approach, we can better understand our subconscious thoughts and understand what they mean or could perhaps be trying to tell us.

Person-centred is more based on how we see ourselves in the here and now: working on our own self, and in some cases, how we are seen by others.

I am keen to explore how we see ourselves and how we relate to others, whilst acknowledging that there will be challenges in our lives that can inhibit our growth and our understanding of ourselves. I offer clients the opportunity to explore their thoughts and feelings in different ways that they may not be used to.

My practice is based on my own experiences of therapy, meaning that I work on developing a therapeutic relationship as the first part of therapy, to better understand the person in front of me, which then allows us to be more comfortable exploring challenging areas of life. Without this base, it can be extremely difficult to develop trust and understanding, and can hinder progress.

Sessions will be conducted at the same time, weekly, unless agreed otherwise.  Payments will be by bank transfer and payable before sessions to keep the slot available. Missed sessions must be paid for in full, unless 1 weeks notice has been given regarding absence. 

Holiday dates will be communicated in advance and the therapy will continue after such breaks.

Sessions are online and the platform is negotiable, although Google Meets is my current standard.

First sessions can be uncomfortable for clients, and the same can be said for therapists as well: after all, we are both meeting someone new. The first session is really an assessment of suitability, not just for me to assess client suitability, but also for you to see if I am suitable for your needs. Questions are always welcomed, especially when it comes to your options or expectations of therapy.

It is a normal length session of 50 minutes, but in particularly complex cases, this can extend into a second session if agreeable. I tend to use the first session to introduce myself and my way of working, as well as giving an outline on expectations of therapy (from a therapists and clients point of view), and negotiate a working contract. Nothing is formalised without both of our agreement, and there is no obligation to continue after the first session.

If clients do wish to continue therapy, then a deposit covering the final 2 sessions will be payable: this is to cover any planned / unplanned endings.