Intro - Hi

[Nellie]

Hi

I'm a counsellor working in the North West of England, sort of sandwiched between Manchester and Liverpool, which isn't bad really, if I could ever get out to the shops. I've been qualified about 14 years and up until 2 years ago, divided my time between teaching counselling courses and counselling.

I gave up teaching because my dad died and I've taken on a lot of care responsibilities for my dear old mum. I've needed to become home-based in my counselling practice too, but its working out pretty well and I'm fairly busy.

My counselling background is originally person-centred and person-centred expressive therapy, with subsequent post-grad training in solution-focused and integrative therapies. Like a lot of counsellors at the moment, I am considering training in cbt, as it seems to be the 'flavour of the month' right now, but I know that no matter what training I take, I will always work in a primarily person-centred way, with the three core conditions at the foundation of everything I do and say. I suppose I'm becoming a bit of a relic, but hey ho!!!

[Jenny]

Hi Nellie and :welcome: to the forum! I'm glad that you found us and hope that you like it here :)

Sounds like you have a great love of counselling, having taught it and your private practice. Although I'm sorry to hear about your dad and that you've taken a lot of responsibilities on for your mum. I know what you mean about cbt being the flavour of the month - it certainly does seem to be all the rage huh! Good luck with any course that you decide to do

I look forward to seeing you around the forum - and am particularly interested in what 'person-centered expressive' counselling is. Is that like drawing and expressing yourself via drama/play etc?

Ooh and I grew up in Birkenhead! Moved to Surrey when I was 8 so can't remember much of Birkenhead although i can still put on the accent ;)

Jenny xx

[Ashleigh]

Hello. I hope you like it here. You can talk to me anytime you wish.

[Daisychain]

Hello Nellie,

Welcome to hope at sunrise :) It's nice to meet you.

I'm so sorry for your loss :hug:

I wish you the best of luck in your further studies, please let us know what you decide to do :) xx

[Nellie]

Hi Jenny

You were interested in person-centred expressive therapy - and it was developed by Nathalie Rogers (daughter of Carl) using art, writing, movement, clay work etc as a way of facilitating client expression. She has written a book called The Creative Connection.

I was really lucky when doing my Diploma because our tutor had trained in California with Nathalie, so we did a lot of expressive therapy in our PD sessions and residentials.

[Jenny]

Wow that sounds really interesting and amazing that your tutor trained with Nathalie! Thanks for explaining - might look up that book :)

[brighteyes]

Welcome to the forum Nellie. A question about this type of counseling. What do you do with a client that is not comfortable expressing themselves in any of these venues? Are prospective clients screened in any way so you know if they are receptive to this or not?

[Nellie]

Expressive therapy is not something I actively promote and to be honest, I have used it far more extensively working with groups of students as a counselling tutor, than as a counsellor.

There is certainly no screening process involved; it just provides clients with another way to express their feelings, if they wish to use it. It is always up to the client, and mostly, they stay with talking and perhaps journalling. However, some clients find it difficult to verbalise their pain or fear or anger and prefer to draw it. You can say an awful lot with a few jagged swipes of charcoal. It can provide a focus and a 'way in.'

Personally, I really value my experience of using art work to help me learn about myself and how I really feel. It sometimes gets to places that words struggle to describe.

[Jenny]

Hi Nellie,

I'd agree that drawing can certainly sometimes reach places that words can't express. I've drawn a few pictures in my time and tried to write poetry although am not great at either (I guess it doesn't matter how good you are at it though eh)

Sounds really interesting though and definitely another tool in the toolbox for clients who may benefit from this - even if they don't feel comfortable drawing in the session itself they could do it in the privacy of their own homes and show it to the therapist later if this is what the client wants

:)
Jenny

[Jenny]

Just thinking 'out loud' and wonder whether it'd be useful for me to add a subforum here for 'creativity' such as poems, drawings, etc.

:idea:

Will give it some thought - in the mean time do feel free to give me your suggestions :)

[Thumper]

Hiya and welcome :)