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Become the Key to your Distinct Transformation
Private Counsellor Dean Richardson MNCPS(Accredited Registrant).A male counsellor, creating distinctly effective therapeutic-relationships… together.Professional Standards Authority Registration: #NCS15-02454.
An Established Counsellor celebrating his 26th year
(incorporating 17 years of Video Counselling)
My mother used to say: ‘…it’s impossible to hate anyone whose story you know.’ ~ Jennifer (‘Jenny’) Finney Boylan.
Counselling Services
In addition to Dean’s specialist focus on Private Counselling for Blokes (A local shoulder men lean on), Counselling for LGBT Couples (LGBT Relationship Conflicts – new website) and Managing Unwanted Sexual Behaviour in Men (Assistance in transforming distressing sexualised thinking & behaviour), Dean’s core counselling services invite you to opt for the service that suits your primary needs…
Individual Counselling
Something personal to work through? Something private?
Grow to trust your therapeutic relationship with experienced counsellor: Dean Richardson, working through personal matters towards closure. For one-on-one counselling.
Therapeutic framework core: psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural approach and eclectic.
Couple Counselling
Severe relationship conflicts? Difficulties together?
Work through couple conflicts using curiosity with experienced relationship counsellor: Dean Richardson. He becomes a part of your distinct relationship until you make him redundant.
Therapeutic framework core: systemic (Milan Assoc), psychodynamic & eclectic.
Group Counselling
Difficulties in your group? Can’t work together?
Group counselling for 4 to 8 people. When your distinct group has to figure out new ways of relating. Business teams, polyamorous relationships, friends/house-mates.
Therapeutic framework core: systemic, Foulksian/group & facilitative.
LGBT /Q Counselling
Need a specialist Ally in LGBT Counselling?
Unlike heteronormative counsellors, Dean specialises in counselling with lesbian women, gay men, bisexual, sexuality-questioning and fluidity. Distinctly more than just an ally.
Therapeutic framework core: as above plus personal research.
Best Counsellor for Me?
I bet you’re thinking: “I’m searching for private counselling, but who will be the best counsellor for me?”. You may be concerned with mental health or emotional health; you might be seeking to boost your confidence, deal with a matter you’ve kept secret for years, or manage a recent trauma. No matter… you’re looking in, around and near Havant and may be frustrated thinking: “there seems many counsellors to choose from!”.
So why would you choose Havant Private Counselling as possibly the best local private service for your distinctive needs?
Because – it turns out – there’s one remarkably simple answer to this conundrum.
Are you ready…?
The best counsellor for you is (drum roll)…
…the one you get on well with… TA-DA!!
Seems simple, but this is the core of effective counselling: the relationship between you and your counsellor, working together, affects the therapeutic work; becomes transforming.
In case it’s not clear, I’m not suggesting a relationship where everyone avoids disagreements with each other (e.g. the counsellor says “oh yes, absolutely!” to everything the client says); effective relationships learn to tolerate & make use of both agreement and disagreement, there’s congruence to be found in conflict if the counselling alliance is to be meaningful.
And, of course, the counsellor’s qualifications, experience, practice, experience with mental health & emotional health and psychotherapy theoretical framework (the concepts employed that inform how the counsellor is thinking) are important factors in your decision too. Yet, these qualities (or, in some cases, lack of!) can pale into insignificance when you simply don’t get on well with each other; even should you both be unable to negotiate forming a therapeutic alliance together.
This website will help you make an informed decision about if I, Counsellor Dean Richardson MNCPS (Accred/Reg) of Havant Private Counselling, might be the right private counsellor especially for you.
Plus, this website helps with your decision, you’ll also learn you how you make your initial appointment so that you and Dean might find out together if he’s the right private counsellor for you. (Or click now to go straight to: How to Begin at Havant Private Counselling).
What is Counselling?
Counselling is a “talking therapy”. You have conversations about your problems with a trained professional. You can have conversations with your counsellor about difficult feelings, managing a difficult life circumstance or event, or about being puzzled over your behaviour.
At Havant Counselling, your conversations will invite queries from your counsellor. The counselling relationship you’ll build (through weekly, private sessions) will grow to help you to make important changes to your life. You might explore troubling – even terrifying (if you wish) – thoughts and feelings.
Therapy work may be as shallow or as in-depth as you need – because Dean Richardson has the experience in listening to, and working with, the things you wish to talk about; he welcomes any subject you have.
What Counselling is Not.
Counselling is not a service where you’ll be told what to do to resolve your difficulties.
No: “just do these three tasks and everything will be become fine again!”.
Private Counselling mines with a more effective set of tools: your own creativity, inspiration and insight (acknowledging that you might need a little time before this gets going).
Also, in couples counselling, the counsellor is not an adjudicator (nor referee). You aren’t there to prove to him that you’re right and (therefore) your partner is wrong.
Counselling is co-operative and investigative. It’s done through conversation at weekly sessions… going at your pace… and together with your counsellor.
How to Benefit from Counselling.
Maybe look at it like this:- your counsellor becomes the passenger in your car journey. He’ll go with you where you need to drive – whether the journey is scary or straightforward, familiar or strange, whether you both discover a better route, whether the journey is long or short, is done in stages or all in one go.. and other collaborative approaches.
You won’t be alone.
The journey is completed together until you reach a good-enough place to stop, both go your separate ways.
(See also: “How Many Counselling Sessions will I need?”).
Locations Served from Havant.
Havant Counselling is dedicated to serving local areas of Hampshire such as Portsmouth, Petersfield to Waterlooville, Cosham to Southsea, Southampton to Chichester, and anywhere in between and beyond. During the 2019 pandemic, Havant Counselling transitioned into an online service. Now serving the entire United Kingdom, providing specialised counselling to anyone in Great Britain who has access to a video device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, PC, Mac, etc.).
How different am I from other counsellors?
Distinct Counselling…
We’ll work to create a distinct form of counselling that works just for you. This will (eventually!) require your active participation but to begin with we’ll go at your pace to tell your story.
Some people can feel that they’re at their wits’ end when contacting a counsellor and this is what makes my years of experience distinctly unique: together we’ll begin to discover ways forward. It can seem like magic! And sometimes it just feels very good to talk with someone.
Independent of the NHS…
Our counselling relationship is private so no information is sent to the NHS (e.g. National Program Patient Record) and nothing is given to your GP. I don’t require you to get your doctor to refer you to me (you can make your own appointments) and I’m not tied to any insurance companies nor EAPs (some of whom require reports to be submitted). I have a GDPR Policy that I’ll give to you about how I manage your personal information.
Private means: what you talk about stays with me.
Help in Choosing me (or not)…
Being a fully qualified, insured and registered counsellor / psychotherapist, my first concern is helping you make an informed decision about working with me.
Plus, unlike newly qualified counsellors, those in training organisations and some charities, I’m qualified to perform the initial assessment session(s) with you; you won’t meet with me only to be sent to another counsellor as a matter of rote.
If it seems that us working together might not be helpful then we can discuss alternative counsellors and other options.
On time…
Unlike some health service appointments, I guarantee that every one of our sessions will begin… and end… on time.
No waiting around for delayed appointments, or getting the idea that someone before you is having more time.
Frank, not Evasive…
Some counsellors’ websites (with pictures of candles, oceanic views & tree blossom) could be implying their approach to counselling is a peaceful walk in the park. I’d ask you: how does your recovery from rape, your guilt with a fatal car accident, or your struggles with your sexuality feel? Probably not peaceful.
For those dealing with the more serious of life events it’s good to know that I take a frank, open and respectful approach to your counselling. We can talk about all of the horror and difficulties that you cannot talk about elsewhere… and we’ll go at your pace.
Dean Richardson – Private Practice Counsellor
He is an accredited and registered National Counselling Society counsellor. This means his that qualifications, practice, therapeutic approach, effectiveness, philosophy, ethics and experience were reviewed and awarded the ongoing accreditation recognition according to the Professional Standards Authority via the National Counselling Society: #NCS15-02454
(Dean’s original counselling accreditation was awarded more than 15 years ago via another membership body).
Dean is available exclusively in private practice (not via the NHS nor any Employee Assistance Program/insurance schemes) and works with people on a wide range of emotional and mental health distresses, plus has some special focus areas (which you’ll find dotted around this website).
( * Whilst your doctor may not officially prescribe that you meet with a specific counsellor, it has not been unknown for local Portsmouth area GPs – who have had feedback from those experiencing Dean’s therapeutic effectiveness – to suggest that a patient looks Dean up and makes a direct appointment for counselling).
Trustworthy Video Counselling
Dean has been practising counselling online since 2007 – and that’s likely 17 years more experience than some other local counsellors who are currently hurrying to get online since the latest emergency situation!
Being adept with both Zoom and Skype technologies, it’s reasonable to claim that there are few other local counsellors with such combined experience in technology and counselling who are providing professional, trustworthy, and experienced therapy services over secure video conferencing.
Book your first Session
My Skype/Video appointments are Mondays & Thursdays (~noon to 9pm) and Wednesdays (~noon to 4pm). After agreeing on a weekly session day & time, this appointment stays with you exclusively until we have completed our work (or there’s a clear identified need to change). Sessions times are 50 minutes – but 90 minutes are available for those who want longer sessions.
Counselling Appointments
Considering which appointment time(s) may suit you the best? Choose from the table below and get in contact to make the arrangements…
| Couples & Individual Video Counselling (Zoom, Skype…) | |||||||||
| Monday Appointments: | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Appointments: | This day is not available for bookings | ||||||||
| Wednesday Appointments: | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm |
| Fully booked | |||||||||
| Thursday Appointments: | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm |
| Note: the afternoon appointments are being considered by new clients. | |||||||||
| Friday Appointments: | This day is not available for bookings | ||||||||
| Weekend Appointments: | This day is not available for bookings | ||||||||
TIPs:
| |||||||||
| Day of Week | Times of Day |
|---|---|
| Couples & Individual Video Counselling (Zoom, Skype…) | |
| Mon: | 4pm |
| Tue: | Not available |
| Wed: | Fully booked |
| Thu: | 3pm or 4pm |
| Note: the afternoon appointments are being considered by new clients. | |
| Fri: | Not available |
| W/E: | Not available |
Due to a busy time few appointments are currently available. Cases do conclude from time to time and you're welcome to reserve your preferred appointments for when they become available (get in touch…).
I make your first counselling appointment easy. You’re not committing to additional sessions after the first if you don’t wish to. We’ll discuss further sessions if we both agree that working together seems helpful.
Simply CONTACT ME saying when you’d like to meet. I will confirm that such time is still available and will reserve it for us. Once I’ve confirmed our appointment you will then send me £30 as your refundable deposit, which secures our first appointment We will then meet for our initial let’s-see-how-this-goes session (sometimes called an assessment for counselling).
There is no obligation to continue past the first session if you don’t wish to. If we both find that the session was helpful we will arrange to meet weekly (same time, day and place as the first appointment) until our work is done (or done enough to end counselling).
Sessions are weekly (same day & time) – unfortunately I’m unable to support shift-workers.
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Havant Counselling.
Hours: Mon, Thu, Fri 5pm ‑ 9pm,Wed 12pm ‑ 5pm
