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Counselling

and

learning disability

I have a special interest in working therapeutically with people who are learning disabled, or who have attracted a diagnosis that might affect their ability to work with a counsellor.

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Everyone can benefit from having a safe, confidential environment to talk to someone in.

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People who experience the world differently sometimes find counselling difficult; it can be challenging to communicate and understand the process.

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This is because counselling was not originally designed for clients who have learning disabilities.

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However, with a counsellor who is aware of how to adapt counselling to suit you, and experience in this area, counselling can be as beneficial to you as it is for anyone else.

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I have completed research into counselling adults with learning disabilities, and how the needs of people with learning disabilities and autistic traits can be met within talking therapies.

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Why come to Counselling?

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You might have been labelled with a disability, or have an experience of the world that others struggle to understand. But you might also be struggling with your mental health, understanding yourself or struggling to understand a diagnosis.

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Counselling offers you a safe, confidential environment, with a trained listener to explore all of these issues.

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Who does this include?

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This includes people with a diagnosis of a learning disability. If you are interested in my work with Neurodiversity, click here.

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It also includes people who do not have a diagnosis, but believe they may have traits associated with a learning disability.

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I understand that some people choose not to seek a diagnosis for a number of reasons, and I am happy to respect individual's choice.

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How does this work?

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For the majority of clients this is as simple as booking an appointment. We will meet in the usual way for the usual period of time.

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If you feel a need for longer sessions, we can discuss this.

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If you have additional mobility needs, please let me know and we can discuss how we might adapt to these needs. There are a range of adaptations we can try, although some of these may be limited by my availability.

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If you have additional communication needs, please let me know and we will try to incorporate this into therapy. This could include use of Makaton, written or symbol prompts, Pex cards, or a trusted third party to assist in understanding clients with speech difficulties.

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If you find you have trouble with memory or the retention of memory, please let me know and we will discuss how to work together.

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I am currently unable to offer psychotherapy for clients who are unable to use language. However, I am developing this service for the future.

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Please Note:

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I am a psychotherapist. This means I cannot diagnose learning disabilities or neurodivergence. Whilst waiting lists for assessments can seem long it is important that a diagnosis is arranged by a trained, qualified professional.

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I am not able to cure Learning Disabilities or Neurodivergence. Please seek expert advice from a reliable source before agreeing to any course of treatment/therapy that claims it can do this. There are people/organisations that make claims about being able to 'cure' people with ND or LD diagnoses. Some of these organisations have done harm to people and others have exploited people and families. Before committing time or money to anyone offering a 'cure' it is recommended you talk to your family GP.

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