Andrea Summers Therapy

Andrea Summers is a counsellor & psychotherapist working in Portsmouth, UK

About me

 

I am trans non-binary and I use they and them pronouns. 

I practice as a freelance counsellor for a charity and have a small private practice currently . I also hold other roles in the community for example within the public sector and and as a lead for trauma informed and care practice for a queer theatre and performance CIC 

I have a keen interest in working in groups and have facilitated for example pre therapy groups and have supported outreach and prevention work around sexual abuse and HIV support and education in the community.

My wider work also includes coaching, mentoring and delivering training. I offer clinical supervision to individuals and groups and trauma informed consultancy  for projects and organisations 

My practice is LGBT+ affirming and I stand and campaign against conversion therapy and practices.

I am committed to continuous learning and developing my practice and the spaces I work in as anti racist and anti oppressive. I regularly access further professional and specialist training to support this and please ask any questions about my experience

I am in regular individual , group and peer supervision.

Qualifications

Specialist training includes:

Membership of professional bodies

Registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists and am committed to working in accordance with the Ethical Framework.

Gendered Intelligence Network of Counsellors and Psychotherapists

Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility

My approach and philosophy

My core training in counselling and psychotherapy is Humanistic, informed by Existentialist theory and philosophy.

For me this means that we can explore and understand ourselves through relationships, with each other and the world. The therapeutic relationship itself is fundamental to this and can offer a space where awareness and potential for change can emerge.

You might come to therapy with a specific issue for example current or past relationships , an incident /event or feelings  you want to focus on. You might not be too sure and value support to be curious about this, explore the meaning your life holds and explore anxieties, uncertainties and possibilities. 

I offer an initial call before we meet, where we can briefly touch on any questions you might have about being in therapy itself, particularly if you haven’t had an experience of it before.

My practice is trauma informed and I have significant experience of working with survivors of sexual violence, domestic abuse and hate crime

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get in touch?

Please get in touch initially using the contact form. I would then suggest we have a brief call to decide if you would like to meet for an initial assessment and to arrange a date.

How do I know this is right for me?

The initial assessment will give us the opportunity to explore more about what you are hoping for and what has brought you to therapy right now.

We can then agree if there is the potential for us to continue working together

I do gather some personal information, and anything it might be important for me to know for example any health conditions or disabilities, any reasonable adjustments you might need and an emergency contact.

How often and for how long?

I offer 50 minute sessions which will ideally happen once each week to allow us to have regular contact and to build a relationship. I am able to work short and longer term and we would discuss this when we meet and then review regularly

How much do you charge?

I currently charge £60 per 50 minute session for individual counselling and clinical supervision

Please enquire for information about group work and for other areas of interest 

I do ask for payment to made 48 hours in advance and you can do this by bank transfer

What options are there to meet?

I am currently working both face to face and virtually using Zoom as a platform.

I am mindful of the impact of Covid and if you have any concerns or questions we can discuss this

I can't make a session - what should I do?

I would ask that you give as much notice as you can if you cannot make a session although I do understand that unforeseen circumstances happen and will discuss any concerns that you have (and any financial implication of missing a session where you have already paid and cannot attend) 

 

Contact me - I am currently experiencing issues with this contact form. Please reach out at andrea_summers@hotmail.com and I will respond

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