Growing Person Centred Therapist
‘Helping the client to feel safe enough to know what they know and feel what they feel’ (Van Der Kolk 2017)
‘We need to feel safe enough to expand, explore, grow, learn, transform’ (Foscha 2016)
My name is Anke Jones. I am the Person-Centred Therapist (BACP registered member), working with Virtual School in Cheshire West and Chester 2 days a week.
Person-Centred therapy, also known as person-centred counselling, adopts a humanistic approach. It focuses on ways in which individuals perceive themselves consciously. Person-centred therapy is non-directive and “optimistic”, believing in the client’s ability to move forward at any stage in their life.
I have worked with young people and adults for over 20 years as a Dance/Drama Specialist and a SEAL / Wellbeing Co-ordinator (inclusive of facilitating targeted Transition work), supporting targeted Mental and Physical Health Promotion work in and out of education. I completed my MA in Clinical, Person-Centred Counselling in 2017. This enabled me to combine and integrate my skills, knowledge, and experience in a more targeted way.
I believe in the young person’s ability to change, develop and grow. They deserve to be heard and understood.
The sessions give young people much needed time and space to identify and apply own solutions to challenges, in order to become “unstuck”. This is one of the positive outcomes experienced.
The aim of the therapeutic work is to support referred CIC to access their education more effectively. The sessions are trauma informed and attachment friendly, offer a positive, trusting, healthy, boundaried and time-bound therapeutic relationship.
Within an agreed and regularly reviewed time frame, I accompany the young person on their journey, within a safe and confidential space that offers time to reflect on progress, express their own thoughts and feelings, as well as time to process their lived experience. The sessions also offer an opportunity to problem solve. The young person has autonomy, is encouraged to use their voice and hear themselves back. They are at the centre of the therapeutic work and, if helpful to them, I work with their schools (key members of school staff) and with the system around them (in partnership and holistically).
For more information on the referral process, please see the attached power point named, Virtual School Emotional Wellbeing Panel.
Support offered, as well as information regarding the referral process to schools (education settings) supporting Cheshire West and Chester CIC and PLAC can be found via the links below.
