Ken Clarke Counsellor
MSc MBACP (Accred)

Ken Clarke Counsellor MSc MBACP (Accred)Ken Clarke Counsellor MSc MBACP (Accred)Ken Clarke Counsellor MSc MBACP (Accred)

Ken Clarke Counsellor
MSc MBACP (Accred)

Ken Clarke Counsellor MSc MBACP (Accred)Ken Clarke Counsellor MSc MBACP (Accred)Ken Clarke Counsellor MSc MBACP (Accred)
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Therapy

What is counselling?

What is psychodynamic counselling?

What is psychodynamic counselling?

Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing.

You should expect one or a series of confidential, professional appointments of 50 minutes

Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing.

You should expect one or a series of confidential, professional appointments of 50 minutes in length in a suitable private setting.

I am an experienced psychodynamic counsellor and psychotherapist.

Further info: What do counsellors and psychotherapists do?

What is psychodynamic counselling?

What is psychodynamic counselling?

What is psychodynamic counselling?

Psychodynamic counselling seeks to relieve mental suffering by uncovering the patterns of thinking; feeling and behaving which are hidden beneath the surface but reveal themselves in the relationship with the counsellor. You will talk about your current situation but we will also think about your past and childhood. This uncovers informat

Psychodynamic counselling seeks to relieve mental suffering by uncovering the patterns of thinking; feeling and behaving which are hidden beneath the surface but reveal themselves in the relationship with the counsellor. You will talk about your current situation but we will also think about your past and childhood. This uncovers information and knowledge that can be used to develop new ways of thinking and behaving.

 

Does counselling work?

What is psychodynamic counselling?

What issues can you work with?

I believe there is very strong evidence that counselling helps people understand themselves. This is both from my personal experience as a therapist but also from academic research evidence.


The current research evidence indicates that counselling can be an effective intervention for arrange of presenting issues, from common mental health 

I believe there is very strong evidence that counselling helps people understand themselves. This is both from my personal experience as a therapist but also from academic research evidence.


The current research evidence indicates that counselling can be an effective intervention for arrange of presenting issues, from common mental health problems, to personality disorders, substance misuse, and long term health conditions, and that it can be utilised successfully with various client groups. Different counselling interventions are reported to have comparable treatment efficacy, and can have greater clinical effectiveness than usual care and other forms of treatment such as pharmacotherapy. Counselling also has the potential to be a cost effective intervention when compared with the available alternatives.


The BACP has carried out a lot of research and provides good evidence that can be found here: Evidence for counselling and psychotherapy.


Evidence for Psychodynamic counselling:


"Empirical evidence supports the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy. Effect sizes for psychodynamic therapy are as large as those reported for other therapies that have been actively promoted as “empirically supported” and “evidence based.” In addition, patients who receive psychodynamic therapy maintain therapeutic gains and appear to continue to improve after treatment ends. Finally, non psychodynamic therapies may be effective in part because the more skilled practitioners utilize techniques that have long been central to psychodynamic theory and practice. The perception that psychodynamic approaches lack empirical support does not accord with available scientific evidence and may reflect selective dissemination of research findings." 


Shedler, J. (2012). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. InPsychodynamic Psychotherapy Research (pp. 9-25). Humana Press.

What issues can you work with?

What issues can you work with?

What issues can you work with?

I am comfortable working with a very wide range of issues. I am particularly experienced in dealing with the following: 

  • Depression 
  • Anxiety 
  • Trauma and recovery 
    • including sexual abuse as a child or as an adult
  • LGBT+ and sexuality 
  • Men’s mental health

If your particular concern or issue is not listed here, please call me to discuss if it is som

I am comfortable working with a very wide range of issues. I am particularly experienced in dealing with the following: 

  • Depression 
  • Anxiety 
  • Trauma and recovery 
    • including sexual abuse as a child or as an adult
  • LGBT+ and sexuality 
  • Men’s mental health

If your particular concern or issue is not listed here, please call me to discuss if it is something I can work on with you. I have experience in many areas and have worked with a diverse range of people and issues.

Equality and Diversity

What issues can you work with?

Equality and Diversity

To me equal opportunity means I recognise and respect the different and equal needs of individuals that I work with. I aim to be accessible and promote my counselling service on a fair and equal basis.


I have experience of living in communities of incredible richness and diversity. I am strongly committed to recognise and support the diver

To me equal opportunity means I recognise and respect the different and equal needs of individuals that I work with. I aim to be accessible and promote my counselling service on a fair and equal basis.


I have experience of living in communities of incredible richness and diversity. I am strongly committed to recognise and support the diversity of the people I work with. I am committed to equal opportunities in all the services that I offer. 


I have worked with a wide range of clients from many backgrounds. I want to provide a positive experience to those of any ethnic or national origin, religion, gender, class, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. My training and ongoing personal development supports my understanding and awareness of the inequalities in accessing good psychological support for people from these backgrounds. 


My counselling room in Thorpe St. Andrew is on the ground floor. There are two small steps into the house and a gravel driveway. if you have any specific requirements please let me know.

How can I contact you?

What issues can you work with?

Equality and Diversity

I prefer if you call and leave a message. I will call you back as soon as I am able, usually the same day. I am also happy to make all arrangements by email. 

Call me: 07985 495432 

This is a confidential number and voicemail that only I have access to. Please leave a clear message with a number to call you back on and if possible the best 

I prefer if you call and leave a message. I will call you back as soon as I am able, usually the same day. I am also happy to make all arrangements by email. 

Call me: 07985 495432 

This is a confidential number and voicemail that only I have access to. Please leave a clear message with a number to call you back on and if possible the best times to call you. 

I can also be contacted on the following email therapy@kenclarkecounsellor.co.uk.

Please let me know a number I can call you back on and a suitable time to call. We can then discuss setting up an initial meeting.

Starting Therapy

What happens in the first session?

What happens in the first session?

What happens in the first session?

I want you to get the most from your counselling. Before we begin we will arrange a time and a day to meet, this will be our regular weekly meeting time. A weekly session is important to provide continuity and stability to our work. I am aware that for some people starting counselling can feel daunting. It is part of my job to help you think about this and work through any difficulties. During the first session I will spend time finding out about you and may ask a lot of questions. We will agree a contract of how things will work and make sure you are happy with the details. We may agree a focus for the counselling, this is particularly important in short term work. We may also agree to work on an open-ended basis if you are looking to think more generally about your life.

Are all sessions like this?

What happens in the first session?

What happens in the first session?

Subsequent sessions will not have so many questions and I will allow lots of time for you to bring your particular concerns. I will expect you to start the session each week and to lead our discussions. I find this allows you to take the direction of the session were it needs to go. This enable you to get the most from each session. However my job is to keep us focused on the agreed area and to not avoid important issues.

Is what I tell you confidential?

What happens in the first session?

Is what I tell you confidential?

Yes, everything you say to me stays between us. However there are some strictly managed limits to this, such as you causing yourself harm. This is something we will discuss in more detail in our first session. Please be assured that I take confidentiality and your privacy very seriously. This is an important part of my professional and ethical framework.


The full text of my ethical framework can be found here:

https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/

Will you tell me what to do?

How much will counselling cost?

Is what I tell you confidential?

Sadly there is no magic fix, I can't prescribe pills or tell you what to do. Instead we will sit in comfortable chairs and you will do most of the talking. I do the listening and then reflect back and interpret what I have heard. I believe this will allow you to understand your past and make informed decisions about your future life.  Counselling with me is a joint effort, we think about what is happening in your life in the present and in the past. You may wish to make changes in your life and this may help you make decisions but I do not tell you what to do. It can however lead to you making better informed decisions about change in your life.

How long does a session last?

How much will counselling cost?

How much will counselling cost?

All sessions last 50 minutes. It is important to start and finish on time and I will be responsible for ending on time. We would normally meet every week.

How much will counselling cost?

How much will counselling cost?

How much will counselling cost?

My current charges are as follows. 


Standard Rates - £65 per session

Low Cost/Student Rate - Please contact me for details.


I currently have some low cost places available during the day. Please call me to discuss this.


How many sessions will I need?

How many sessions will I need?

How many sessions will I need?

It is difficult to be firm about the exact number of sessions until we meet. In our first session we can agree the duration or we can agree to meet for an open-ended period of time. Any agreed number of sessions can be extended after discussion.

I offer both counselling and psychotherapy. I think of counselling as being focused on a particular issue or problem. This is usually for a short term, fixed number of weeks. Psychotherapy has no specific focus and is open ended in duration. What we discuss can change in each session but themes often emerge. It can be a more intense, deeper experience that takes time but can be more rewarding.

In person or online?

How many sessions will I need?

How many sessions will I need?

I offer in-person and online video therapy. Which way you choose depends on your personal situation and requirements. This is something we can discuss before meeting. It is also possible to work using a mix of both methods. However, it is preferable to have our first meeting in person when possible.

Professional boundaries

How many sessions will I need?

Professional boundaries

Professional and personal boundaries are an essential part of my ethical framework. Therapy happens in the therapy room and needs to be contained in that space. All our discussions should happen there. However our paths may cross outside of the therapy room. Particularly if you live locally or we share a community or social group. To ensure your confidentiality and privacy in those situations, it is up to you to decide if you want to acknowledge me or not. I will only respond if you acknowledge me first. We won't have a conversation but simply smile and move on. Please see my digital policy for further information on using social media.

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