WELCOME
People come to counselling for many different reasons. Sometimes life feels unsatisfactory or perhaps overwhelmingly difficult. You might feel stuck, confused and don’t know where to turn. There could a wish to make a new start but you might not know how to go about it.
This is when counselling can help. I will listen to you in a confidential setting without making judgements and help you to explore your concerns and find a way through.
Counsellors don't give advice but I will help you find your own inner strengths, resources and solutions. I will use my theoretical knowledge, skills and experience so that you can make choices and sort out problems, leading you to a more satisfying and meaningful life.
Whether you have come to my website via your own search, my professional body, which is the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), a friend's recommendation, suggestion of a healthcare worker or perhaps your employer, why not contact me to discuss how I can help. If you’re interested but feel unsure, take a look at my FAQ page. Alternately, you can email or call for an informal, confidential discussion.
I look forward to meeting you.
Karen Stainsby
ABOUT ME
I am a qualified and experienced counsellor and counselling supervisor and have been providing therapy for almost thirty years. I hold BACP senior accreditations in counselling and supervision and am BACP registered. These recognise the achievement of high standards of professionalism, knowledge, ethical practice, experience and development. As a member of BACP, I abide by its Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, hold professional indemnity insurance, and am committed to my ongoing personal and professional development.
My counselling work is underpinned and supported by many years of experience in the private, statutory, voluntary, medical and academic sectors. This is coupled with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of human psychology and breadth of experience gained through working with a wide range of clients’ concerns and problems. I tailor my therapeutic approach to each client's particular character, situation and difficulty, offering a variety of approaches to help them. My work is highly regarded both by my clients and colleagues. Having helped clients in the past, some return after several years with a new difficulty they would like help with. I feel very privileged to have met and supported many different people from various walks of life with their difficulties and challenges.
I have experience as a corporate trainer and have also designed and delivered courses to trainee and qualified counsellors, supervisors and other health-care professionals. I have extensive experience in curriculum design and examinations as well as writing and reviewing publications about therapy, supervision and personal development.
COUNSELLING
People might come to me for counselling because they:
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are depressed, anxious or stressed
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feel isolated
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have relationship problems
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face redundancy, unemployment or other work difficulties such as work/life balance or role-change
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are bereaved or are experiencing other forms of loss (including loss from many years ago)
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struggle with a problem, face a difficult decision or dilemma
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live with a challenging health issue
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have a habit they would like to change
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live with a phobia
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feel concerned about their own or others sexuality
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experience problems arising from abuse or bullying
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have reached a stage of life that feels difficult
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wish to explore and discover their potential, enhance self-development, creativity or find more meaning to life
I offer short and longer term counselling with appointments for adults during office hours (Tues-Thurs) working in a dedicated therapy room in a peaceful and private garden-setting in Woking, Surrey. I accept referrals from individuals, therapists, GPs, EAP schemes, social workers, support workers, HR departments, managers, self-help groups and any other interested organisations. Please note that I can only arrange appointments with the potential client (not with someone else on their behalf).
SUPERVISION
I provide supervision to newly qualified, established and very experienced practitioners who work with adult clients. I hold BACP senior accreditations in both counselling and supervision, am registered with BACP and have a Diploma in Supervision from Cascade.
I work in a dedicated therapy/supervision room in a peaceful and private garden-setting in Woking, Surrey.
Within the safety of our collaborative supervisory relationship, I offer a balance of support, learning, understanding, encouragement and appropriately-placed challenge. This helps my supervisees further develop their professional knowledge and practical skills as well as maintain and build upon their ethical mindedness, decision-making and risk-management skills (all necessary in resolving therapeutic and practice dilemmas). Providing a 'safe harbour', my supervisees can bring material from their practice and about themselves that may at times feel very difficult for them.
I use the supervision model developed by Inskipp and Proctor which encompasses the three supervisory tasks:
• Normative - ethical and best practice issues
• Formative - skills development and theoretical learning
• Restorative - practitioner wellbeing, resilience and self-care
I am the author of various BACP Good Practice in Action resources which are intended to support practitioners by providing information on good practice, principles and policy within the context of BACP's Ethical Framework. These resources cover topics such as supervision, the supervisory relationship, confidentiality, record-keeping, practitioner self-care, safe-working, fitness to practise, managing workload, accountability and candour, mental health and retirement from the counselling professions (see bacp.co.uk/gpia). I also contribute articles to Therapy Today and provide ethical responses in its Dilemma column.
If you are interested in finding out more about supervision with me, please email me. I also offer a free 20 minute phone consultation to discuss how we might work together.