As a practitioner, I have engaged in many years of clinical practice. My clinical work has supported a wide range of emotional issues and I welcome referrals within most areas that I consider within my competency.
I work ethically and with integrity and I am committed to abiding by the ethical frameworks of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the National Counselling Society, within both of which, I am an accredited member.
I place great emphasis on the relational importance within our work together and I aim to provide the environment that builds a therapeutic relationship that feels safe and secure in which you are able to share your innermost thoughts and feelings.
I do not see my client’s as a label, I see you as a person who is experiencing disruption to your sense of wellbeing and who maybe seeking support to work with this difficulty. For a time, I am able to join you on your path, to walk with you and use my specific skill set to support and empower your process.
Our work will aim to find a way forward that feels right for you.
I welcome both professional and personal referrals. https://michellevickers.co.uk/referral-form-adult/
There are specific areas in which I would consider myself to have additional knowledge as I have committed to undertaking additional studies and many hours of additional work and training.
Please find specialist areas of my practice below:
Complex and/or early trauma and the longer term resulting impact
I am and experienced therapist with working with early trauma and in supporting the longer term effects of experiencing traumatic experiences.
I work with post traumatic stress and flashbacks, both acute (events) and chronic issues (longer term)
I have specific qualifications to work with children and young people and I believe that this knowledge of early development, enhances my ability to understand and work with the longer term effects of dysfunctional early years or dysfunctional relationships.
I am currently training in the practice of EMDR to develop my supportive skills further.
Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Obsessive thinking, Phobia’s and Clinical Depression
I have worked with panic and anxiety symptoms for over twenty years and my work has lead me to offer this support to client’s all over the world. My aim has been to uphold the importance of promoting understanding of how this may impact individuals within services and how their place of work may respond to this.
My passion to work with anxious symptoms came through personal experience. I developed my website all of those years ago to support others and the link for your own reference is www.itsjustafeeling.co.uk.
Back in those days, there was no internet and it was much more difficult for people to make sense of these feelings and to understand what was happening to them. The website used my own story with the aim of promoting awareness in others during their journey and my intention was to help others to remove some of the fear and bewilderment that is associated with these symptoms, and to empower them to find their motivation to work towards restoring a sense of wellbeing and calm.
Today, I remain passionate about this work and the website remains accessible to all.
In addition to supporting clients to unpick the many layers of their own anxious symptoms, I use my personal and professional knowledge to train other professionals and support service awareness.
Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse
Domestic disturbance, dysfunctional relating patterns, early trauma and abuse are areas that can easily impact us all. The legacy left from traumatic experiences and dysfunctional relationships can have a massive impact, negatively affecting the ability we have to relate to ourselves, others and the world. The sense of self can feel suppressed and lost and these negative patterns can repeat within a cycle that can feel difficult to break free from.
This does not have to be the case, it is possible to find the right therapist, and receive the right support for you.
I have personal experience of growing up within a dysfunctional and abusive family, I understand the impact this can have on longer term wellbeing. This lead me to complete numerous studies and a Masters degree specifically within Domestic and sexual abuse. It is my intention to utilise my skills to support those impacted by oppressive relationships and abuse of any kind.
I strive to accept you as you are and to offer you an environment of connection, non judgement, safety and security. My role will be to enable you to work through your experience within your own time.
“It is possible for the sun to still shine, as it can always find a gap in the clouds”
I have significant experience of supporting these areas of therapy with children, young people and adults. My work also involves supervisory work with other practitioners who are practicing with clients impacted by domestic and sexual abuse as well as providing advisory work to both private and voluntary services and influencing the commissioning of specific services.
Pre and Post Bereavement and Terminal Diagnosis
You may anticipate a loss, or have experienced the death of a loved one. Maybe you have received a terminal diagnosis and are not sure how to find some way of coping and adapting to this news.
My work has lead me to spend years of my practice based part time within a large hospice where my role was to support adults, children, young people and families both pre and post bereavement, and to support those who through receiving a terminal diagnosis, were navigating their wellbeing during their last years/months of life.
This can be one of the most difficult times that anyone can face. These are times when one can most need to talk but through reasons of both fear and love, it can remain difficult to speak to the people who matter the most to us due to the barriers that serious illness or death/dying create.
It can help to speak with a therapist who remains unconnected from friends and family and can remain impartial, holding no judgement. I am experienced bereavement therapist and I am able to support individuals who are experiencing overwhelming, distressing and difficult emotions.
My Clinical Practice
I work on a face to face basis from a welcoming therapeutic space. In addition, I am able to offer my services to client’s from a wider geographical area through the online platform zoom.
My preference for therapeutic work with couples is to work in person rather than online if possible.
I adhere to the Ethical standards of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the National Counselling Society of which I hold accredited membership status with both.
I attend regular Supervision which is a requirement of my role, I am DBS checked and I am fully insured.
I accept both professional and private client referrals. I look forward to welcoming you, please find the process for attending therapy with me below:
The Process
Please find the process for beginning counselling sessions as follows:
Stage 1
The initial assessment meeting
This is where we get an opportunity for you to meet me and to be in the space/room where we will work together. There is an opportunity for you to ask any questions that you may have with regards to attending therapy while also allowing me an opportunity to explore what the difficulty that may have guided you here, and so that I can understand how best to support you.
Once you have decided that you would like to continue with therapy, and I feel that I have the level of competency and skills to support you, I would then talk you through our working agreement and ask you to sign this. There will be a copy for you to take away. For client’s working online, I would send this via email to you.
It is an ethical requirement of my role to work only with an agreement in place.
Stage 2
Following our initial meeting, we would then commence our sessions together.
Session Fees as follows:
Initial Assessment session
£50.00 Duration 50 minutes
Psychotherapy Sessions
£55.00 Duration 50 minutes
EMDR Sessions
£60.00 Duration 60 Minutes
Emotional Freedom Technique Session
£60.00 Duration 50 minutes
Couples Therapeutic Work
£75.00 Duration 60 minutes
