Edward Thomas, BACP Therapist - Registered Member MBACP #375851

My Approach

I am passionate about the power of therapy to help improve people's lives and I believe that everyone can benefit from talking therapy. I provide Person Centred counselling based on the Humanistic Existential approach. This mean I believe that you understand your own world best and that it is my job to try to gain an understanding of your world, so that we can work together to gain insights and explore what is important to you. 

I aim to use my skills to help you reflect in a way that can often be difficult outside counselling. The therapy is client-led. I am here to provide a safe, non-judgmental space for you to speak and be listened to. This means that you will have lots of space to explore your thoughts and feelings. This could include me making practical suggestions where appropriate or offering you challenges at times. My focus though, is to empower you.

My Experience

Since qualifying in 2018, I have counselled clients in a variety of settings - in organisations, the third sector and private practice. I am an experienced tutor and trainer, and have delivered courses in colleges and training centres across the UK. In addition to my private practice, I work for a charity providing counselling to people living with cancer. I am also a qualified supervisor and experienced counselling coordinator.

My Training

I hold a CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. I have also completed a Foundation Degree in Counselling and an MA Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice. Further study such as this is an important part of my professional commitment to continually improving my practice. 

I am committed to undertaking regular training as part of my continuing professional development. I have completed training in online and telephone counselling, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), using CBT skills, as well as courses on a wide variety of other topics. I have completed courses in mental health first aid (MHFA) and applied suicide intervention skills training (ASIST).

Areas of Work

I have worked hard over the years to build a warm, welcoming practice where all my clients can feel safe, no matter who they are. I believe that good quality counselling is something which everyone should be able to access and this goal remains at the heart of my practice. Whilst I enjoy working to build relationships with every kind of clients, there are a number of areas where I have gained particular experience. 

A topic I do a lot of work on with my client is self-esteem. Whilst this is a feature of my work regardless of gender, I have found that many of my male clients find safety in speaking to a male counsellor about this issue. I believe that my person-centred approach, with its focus on the core conditions, helps clients to explore this in a non-judgemental space. 

Loneliness is a further area which I work on with many of my clients. Our vulnerabilities to this were considerably more exposed during and in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Lonliness continues to be a big issue for many of my clients and I aim to support them as they grapple with the demands of dealing with a world in which they often feel on their own. 

I also work a lot with student counsellors in training. I enjoy mentoring and I love the perspective I get from working with the next generation of counselling professionals. I believe that exploring theory with trainees as part of their journey to qualification helps me to develop my own practice. This is also something I see in my work as a tutor, supervisor and counselling coordinator - roles which I think aid my counselling skills. 

I am also passionate about improving access to counselling for LGBTQ+ clients. In recent years I have seen my work in this area grow rapidly, as clients seek services where they can be comfortable being authentic. I pride myself on having an inclusive practice which welcomes clients of all gender identities and sexual orientations and in which I provide an LGBTQ+ affirming experience of counselling.