Denise Janet Blake Counselling East Finchley North London

About Me
I am a fully accredited member of the BACP and a UKRCP registered therapist. I have spent many years working in the voluntary sector, for the NHS, Employment Assistance programmes and privately. I abide by the BACP code of Ethics.

I have served on the executive body for the Birkbeck Counselling Association, as a trainer and personal tutor on the Certicate and Diploma counselling courses at Herts and Beds Counselling Association and Highgate Counselling Association. More recently I have worked supervising counsellors as part of their ongoing practice.

The people I have worked with have come to me with many different problems ranging from depression, stress, domestic violence, bereavement and phobias. You may know that you would like some help to thinks about the way life’s problems are affecting you. I understand that the idea of coming to counselling can be a difficult decision.

What is most important is that we work together to help you with your particular difficulties.

I have worked with the elderly as an advisor working with Age concern and running projects for an advice centre in North London helping with housing, benefits, money advice, liaising with social services and local councils.

Prior to this I spent 20 years working in the media on national newspapers, magazines, books and TV in many different capacities, writing, researching, editing and making tea.


What Happens Next
We can arrange a time for us to have an initial meeting which will last approximately 1 ½ hours.  During this session which is called an Assessment, I will ask you questions and get you to describe yourself so you and I get a sense of why you have come to seek counselling. This will also give you an opportunity to ask me questions and decide on whether this is the best way forward for you. There is no obligation to continue but all meetings are confidential. Each subsequent session lasts 50minutes.


Fees
The initial consultation is £55 and fees for subsequent sessions are on a sliding scale ranging from £40-£50 per hour and will normally be discussed and negotiated during the consultation session before agreeing whether to work together on an ongoing basis.


Availability
Appointments can be made for day times and evenings depending on availability.


Short Term or Long Term
We can agree to a set number of sessions (6-18) or look towards more open ended counselling with periodic reviews. As a client you are always free to decide on the duration of counselling.


What Is Counselling?
The world of counselling may seem complex and there are many choices to be made.


Psychodynamic Counselling
Briefly psychodynamic counselling gives a great deal of significance to the role of early experiences shape our psychological development and our relationships as adults. We are influenced by thoughts, desires, fears anxieties and fantasies or imaginings of which we are not always aware-that is unconconcious thoughts which are understood to be always active. Being able to bring these unconscious thoughts to our conscious awareness is seen as a way toward helping a person live a more rewarding fulfilling life. We look at our patterns of behaviours, our defences and this helps to us to make choices about how to live our lives.


CBT
CBT is more solution focussed and during therapy you will learn to look at your thoughts and beliefs and link these to your behaviour, mood and physical reactions. Initially I will ask you to complete a list of your problems that you want to look at and help you to find a realistic goal you would like to achieve. We will look at how you maintain problems by way of thinking, behaviour and life events. You will be asked to carry out ‘homework’ between sessions.


Supervision
Professional Supervision is available for counsellors in training as well as for trained counsellors who are working towards or who are already members of recognised professional bodies. I can offer individual or group supervision and offer a sliding scale depending on whether you are in training or not.