Heads2gether Counselling
Child, Adolescent (4-25) and Adult Psychotherapeutic Counselling
Catherine Harrison (MBACP 375886)
“whatever your age and struggle, therapeutic counselling can help...”
Why Counselling...?
We all have an innate ability to reach our potential given the right environment. For many reasons this process often becomes interrupted or paralyzed. Children, young adults and adults alike face many pressures today. We can all find it hard to communicate what we are really feeling and experiencing and without this expression things can become overwhelming. We may manifest this in many ways, through our anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, withdrawal, self-destructive behaviours or fear. This can impact our relationships with friends and family and, for children, their education, emotional well-being and development; thus creating disruptive and destructive cycles.
Whether it’s trauma, abuse, bereavement or loss, low self-esteem, identity worries, confidence, resilience and assertiveness, bullying, pressures and issues at school, caring for adults, attachment issues, self-harm, parental illness or separation, change and transition, relationship issues in and out of the home... or something else, effective counselling and psychotherapy can improve the health of our mind and body and improve the overall quality of our life. I offer a safe, supportive environment to get our 'heads2gether' and explore thoughts, feelings and behaviour because ultimately, it is these that determine our life experience.
About Me
Catherine Harrison (MBACP 375886)
Child and Adolescent Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor
I am an experienced and fully qualified child and young adult psychotherapeutic counsellor (ages 4-25) and am passionate about the mental wellbeing of children and young adults.
Because of the experience I have working in both a further educational college and with university clients as well as my private work, I am additionally experienced in and enjoy working with adults of any age.
I'm convinced by the effectiveness of early intervention to best support clients through processing overwhelming feelings and gaining greater understanding, self-compassion and empowerment, which are foundational for emotional health throughout life.
I am Mum to 2 wonderful children and enjoy hill walking with my dog, travel and eating good food with friends. I work privately in Comble Down, Bath BA2 and remotely via Zoom or phone, as well as in a senior school, further education college and with university students.
Experience & Qualifications
My Experience:
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Experienced in age range 4-25 and beyond
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In primary and secondary schools, in a further education college, with university students, an adolescent and young adults' support organisation, and privately
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One-on-one and group work
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Short and long-term counselling
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Experienced in working remotely via video Zoom, phone calls, and text messaging
My Qualifications:
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Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma Counselling Children in Schools (Place2Be, accredited with University of East London)
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Certificate in Therapeutic Mentoring from the Trauma Recovery Centre (TRC)
Ethical Considerations:
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Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
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Enhanced DBS
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Professional Liability Insurance
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Committed to regular supervision and professional development
My Approach
I am led by the client, and work intuitively with each individual, creatively adapting to use different approaches depending on their preferences and underlying needs, but always being underpinned by building a safe therapeutic relationship and being informed by inter-relational processes.
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With younger children I mainly work through using play and creative mediums plus reflections to facilitate validation, expression and awareness of their inner worlds, and this becomes increasingly mixed with talking, practical and strength-building therapies for older children and adults.
As an integrated counsellor my training has majored on both Person Centred and Psychodynamic models, Attachment and Developmental Theories and Neuroscience, as well as drawing on Gestalt, Jungian, CBT and Solution Focused tools.
I am particularly interested in how our bodies, in addition to our emotions, hold painful or traumatic memory and working with this and the related neuroscience to help clients process and gain greater self-awareness as to why we, as humans, sometimes feel and respond as we do. This can then broaden the scope for behaviour changing strategies to be introduced (whatever our age). Thus I seek to work with the whole client to help them journey towards positive change.
What's Next?
I can be flexible and tailor therapy according to individual needs but, with children, initially I like to meet the parent or carer of each child, and offer a half-price no obligation 45 minute meeting for you to meet me and to discuss any needs you or your child may have. This is also a chance for you to see the counselling room and to understand how I work a little more. We will discuss confidentiality and consent which heavily underpin my work and ethical standpoint as I abide by the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice.
At this point if you are happy to proceed we would discuss a suitable weekly time slot for you or your child to come for their 50 minute sessions. If we are working remotely, this will again be tailored according to age and needs.
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If therapy is for your child and they are 12 years (this can be flexible) or older I think it is beneficial for them to be part of the initial assessment meeting and I offer some time together with you and them, and then some time with them alone. Again, if they would like to proceed we would discuss an appropriate weekly time slot.
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Parental sessions: Sometimes as a parent, having someone who is trained in child mental and emotional well-being - and who is separate from your family and wider support system - who is able to think together with you about any concerns you may have about your child, can prove helpful and enable positive shifts.
16 or Over?
Then of course you don’t need parental consent (although in some cases I’m guessing you’ll need their agreement as they’re likely to be the ones paying). We would meet for an initial no-obligation session, terms as stated.
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My fees are £50 per 50 minute session (half-price for the initial 45 minute no obligation parental/client consultation). 30 minute parental meetings or phone calls can be scheduled every six weeks for the duration of the sessions where we would review themes, needs and progress (a 50% charge will apply). Additional parental consultations or full sessions will be charged at £50 per 50 minutes. Concessions for students and others at £42 a session may be available upon discussion.