Having worked in MH and psychological services for >40 years (22 of these within NHS MHSs), I have an enormous breadth of experience with people experiencing a wide range of emotional distress, however caused. I have been a Solution Focused (SF) therapist for over 30 years. In addition to working with clients online and face-to-face, I am a trainer of psychotherapists and psychologists in both SF basic skills and also two specialist applications: Preventing Suicide and Severe Trauma Recovery
About me and my practice
I am a highly experienced Member of BACP, working UK-wide and world-wide, online. I have worked with clients within the NHS, charitable and private sectors, helping them to address and resolve difficult areas in their lives, which have been causing emotional distress. I work for EAPs in addition to my private practice.
I am happy to provide Online counselling via Zoom or Skype; or Telephone counselling, whichever is preferred. Email counselling can be provided as a third option.
My approach is Solution Focused (SF) and I work with adults18 - 80+. For those unfamiliar with SF, this is a strength-based, collaborative approach which has a future focus. SF is about solution-building rather than problem-solving. Unlike other forms of psychotherapy that focus on present problems and past causes, SF concentrates on your future hopes and the steps you will take towards achieving them.
The most often occurring issues I treat are: Anxiety, Depression, Strong Suicidal Feelings, Anger Management, Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual, Emotional or Physical Abuse, Stress, Bereavement, Adult Trauma, Relationship Issues, Personal Growth & Development Loneliness, Work Problems, Bullying, Low Self-Esteem, Low Self Confidence, Low Motivation, Unusual Psychological Phenomena and Self Identity.
Sometimes, people come for counselling simply because they are unhappy, cannot quite work out what their concerns are, and want to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
Experience
I began working in NHS mental health services in the late 1970s, working across the whole range of inpatient and community services. It was not long before I saw through the shortcomings and harms caused by the biomedical psychiatric model, being in the vanguard of the community mental health movement of that era. I joined MIND around 1980 and have been a member ever since. Both within and outside the NHS, I have experience of working with the full spectrum of mental health difficulties and see individuals as people rather than as a diagnostic label supplied by others.
On leaving the NHS in 1996, I set up an SF counselling, psychotherapy, training and coaching organisation and have not looked back: www.johnhendenconsultancy.co.uk
While in private practice, I have worked for various EAPs (Employee Assistance Programmes) in the private and public sector.
In addition to 1:1 counselling/psychotherapy sessions, for over 20 years, I have been training both professional and lay workers in many countries in basic counselling skills and specialist applications of SF
Qualifications
BA (Hons) Psychology 1974 University of Sussex
Diploma in Counselling 1996 University of Bristol
Professional Membership
MBACP FRSA
Professional Register
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Verified by Counsellingo on Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Fees
£90 per session
When I Work
Monday to Friday 06:30-16:00
Therapeutic Approach
Solution Focused
Video Platforms
Zoom, WhatsApp, Skype
Area
Somerset
