Karen Lawrence
BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor & Supervisor
Member of ATSAC
ACTO Professional Register
How counselling works
From your first contact whether by phone, text or email, I am listening and focusing on your worries and concerns, to understand the nature of your distress. As a relational counsellor, I believe in the fours S’s of creating safety, being seen, being soothed, providing stability and additionally making sense of what has happened in in your life. I am passionate that Understanding is the Key. When we get understanding, there can be healing and repair of ourselves and in our relationships. Quite simply understanding brings informed choice and change.
Wrapped around the four S’s is our Agreement to Counselling setting out the terms of your privacy and confidentiality, policies and procedures for your protection and my clinical supervision.
As an integrative therapist; I incorporate a range of methods and techniques from my initial training as a person-centred counsellor being enhanced through Relateni in studying psychodynamic and systemic approaches in working with couples and families. In continuing my journey in professional development, I have gained two Certificates in Sex and Porn Addiction and am committed to working in this field. I am currenting studying Polyvagal Theory learning more about neurobiology and somatic practice in working with trauma.
I blend together all of my knowledge and experiences with compassion, understanding and commitment to your welfare to empower you in your journey in life.
How to begin
In my first contact with you and after carefully listening I explain how I work. Prior to an initial assessment appointment, I will send my Agreement to Counselling for you to read and sign (encrypted for your privacy) together with Client Resources for helpful and useful information when working online. My Privacy Policy is available if you request. Following an initial assessment session(s), we may agree to work regularly for 6 sessions and then assess to see if your needs have been met and whether you would like to continue. You can choose either regular or flexible weekly / fortnightly appointments and either face to face or online.
Sessions are normally 50 minutes unless we agree a longer session of 75 minutes.
Fees
My current fees are:
15 minutes introductory consultation online/tele only: FREE
50 minutes assessment and ongoing therapy appointment: £60
75 minutes extended appointment (by request): £90
INTEGRATIVE
Weaving together different elements from different theories.
PSYCHODYNAMIC
Making links from the past to the present.
PERSON-CENTERED
Valuing the autonomy of the person.
SOLUTION-FOCUSED
Brief therapy involving problem free talk.
SYSTEMIC
Using family systems.
A bit more about me
Having been a couples and family therapist for almost 30 years, 20 years a counselling supervisor and 16 years a sex addiction and porn addiction therapist, I have studied outside of the counselling arena.
One of my most privileged experiences and something I will always draw upon is working with people with terminal illness and their families in Marie Curie Belfast in completion of my Masters of Social Work. This was one of the most transformative life experiences I have had offering me such a deep personal insight into relationships at the most vulnerable of times.
