David Best - Counselling

Aim of the Counselling Services

I provide a high quality, professional, confidential counselling service to support the emotional needs of all clients. My service is designed to encourage and enable clients to explore, understand and express their thoughts, feelings and behavior, by providing a confidential therapeutic relationship based on genuineness, acceptance and trust. The counselling relationship is key to facilitate clients to develop and enhance skills, strategies, self-awareness, confidence and resilience, so that they may be better equipped to respond to, cope with and manage the issues and challenges that affect their lives.

Training, experience and working ethics

I trained and graduated from Chichester University with a professional qualification in Humanistic Counselling. In 2001 I set up a counselling service for a charity in Sussex supporting visually impaired and blind children, young adults and their families. Through this work I have established many connections with local Education Authorities, Health Services, schools and other organizations.

Alongside this work through private practice I have gained additional specialist knowledge and experience, working with a wide range of clients and issues. I integrate my skills and methods to suit the unique needs of each individual client. These include, play, music and art therapy, mindfulness and meditation.

I attend regular professional supervision and am a member of and work within the ethical framework and guidelines set out by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

What to expect

Inquiries and referrals can be made either by using the online referral form or the phone number that can both be found and accessed through the website. Once contact has been made I will offer an assessment which will either take place at the clinic or over the phone, video call, depending on the needs of the client. The aim of the assessment is to gather information, identify issues and set goals for future work. As part of the assessment we can discuss and sign a counselling agreement that outlines the expectations, boundaries and limitations of the service on offer.

These include confidentiality, number, frequency, duration and location of one to one counselling sessions, cancelations and managing the ending of counselling work. Clients under the age of 16 will need a parent/guardian to read and sign the agreement on their behalf.

Counselling sessions will take place in an appropriate room at the clinic unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed such as telephone or by video call.

Counselling will be reviewed at regular intervals, providing opportunities to reflect upon work and identify any issues that still need attention. New goals can be set and agreed upon by the client and discussed with a parent/guardian when necessary.

Costs

I have a sliding scale between £30 and £50 to reflect the needs and limitations of each individual client.

Enquiries

For questions and enquiries about the services I offer please use the contact form below or call 01323 739530 and ask to speak to David Best.

Counselling Agreement

Please download and refer to the counselling agreement.