Ms
Barbara Riddell
Complex PTSD & Trauma Counsellor
I specialise in working with people who have experienced Complex PTSD, as a result of adverse events that happened in their childhoods and which are affecting their lives as adults.
Availability confirmed 6 days ago
About me and my practice
Most of us associate trauma with events such as war, robbery, being in an accident or something like a hurricane or earthquake; it describes something overwhelming, frightening, even life threatening. When the effects are so severe it affects your everyday functioning this is when it is called PTSD.
There is also something called Complex PTSD which occurs in people who have been subjected to violence, abuse or neglect in childhood, for instance abuse of any kind, neglect or witnessing domestic violence, having parents who are addicted to substances and so on. Not everyone who experiences these things will go on to develop Complex PTSD.
While you cant change the past, you can put an end to the emotional pain that has robbed you of living life to the fullest. Counselling is one of the talking therapies that can help you do that. I will work with you to help you move on from your past, to feel empowered, to go from being a victim to a trauma survivor.
Experience
My own journey
I was a crazy, mixed up kid who went on to become a crazy, mixed up adolescent. I began to have problems in my teens with eating disorders, depression and phobias. By the time I was in my 30s I was an alcoholic with severe mental health problems and spent many years rattling around the NHS mental health system going nowhere. However, I was lucky enough to have therapy, both NHS and private, and eventually the fog began to clear. I got sober, my mental health stabilised and I returned to work. I originally trained as a substance misuse worker and that gave me an insight into some of the problems at the bottom of addiction frequently, issues from childhood and I began to recognise my own traumatic past. I went on to qualify as a counsellor and I saw more and more how the past was affecting my clients lives as adults. ACEs as they are called (Adverse Childhood Events) can have a profound impact on our lives mainly showing up in behaviours that are not helpful eg arguments with partners and colleagues, addictions, self harm, depression and so on. I am now trained in a Level 5 qualification in trauma therapy which has equipped me to work with people in a way that will help them to identify why the past is causing so much pain in the present.
My counselling training was integrative, which means I can draw on a variety of counselling theories to help people make sense of their worries. I am a highly experienced counsellor who has worked with a whole range of issues, including addictions (alcohol, drugs and gambling), anger management, domestic abuse and people who are coming to terms with their sexual identities in the LGBT+ community. I have also worked extensively with people diagnosed with complex mental health conditions, such as bipolar and borderline personality disorder.
Qualifications
I am trained to Level 5 in Therapeutic Counselling and hold a Level 5 Diploma in Somatic Trauma Therapy. I am also a qualified substance misuse worker.
Professional Membership
Registered Member MBACP (Accred)
Professional Register
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Verified by Counsellingo on Saturday, 30 September 2023
Fees
£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone session (10 mins)
When I Work
I work online only using the Whereby.com platform
Video Platforms
Whereby.com
Area
Surrey
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