Counselling for Adults, Children and Young People
Susan has worked with all ages since 1997, addressing issues such as anxiety, attachment, trauma, depression, relationships, loss and bereavement, self-injury and OCD. She is a BACP Accredited Therapist who has a proven track record of helping people. She is experienced at successfully treating clients with a wide range of issues.
Do you know a child or young person who is experiences difficulties that it is affecting their quality of life? Susan is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable counsellors for children and young people in the South West. To date she has helped thousands of children and young people.
Her degree in Childhood Studies and a teaching qualification underpin a thorough understanding of child development. These inform her practice, alongside a long list of other counselling, animal assisted and creative therapy qualifications. Her experience and knowledge ensures effective, bespoke counselling of children, young people and adults.
Individual and Group Supervision
Clinical supervision supports you and your staff, underpinning the effective management of both workload and mental health. Since Susan’s training at Bristol University in 2001, she has supervised counsellors in private practice and schools.
Susan has also supervised teachers, teaching assistants, social, emotional and mental health professionals and Thrive practitioners.
Her specialisms are in children and young people, animal assisted therapy, equine assisted therapy and walk and talk therapy.
Her extensive work background enables her to have a very realistic and supportive approach to supervision in these settings.
Therapeutic Interventions for Social and Emotional Support
Do you have a child or young person (up to 25 years) who isn’t functioning in school, college or work as well as they could be?
The therapeutic interventions are suitable for people struggling with anxiety, low mood, lack of confidence and school avoidance. The sessions develop and increase, self-esteem, self-regulation, communication, interpersonal skills and confidence.
In these sessions children and young people will work on their goals with the support of a young counsellor in training. Together they will be engaging in activities such as, art, animal assisted learning, dog behaviour and training, horse care, photography and gardening. The courses fall in term time and run in 6 week blocks. Susan will work with you to assess children, young people and implement action plans. Please get in touch to check availability.
She is also a Family Coach and Consultant and offers 6-week programmes supporting parents in understanding their children’s behaviour and how to repair the ruptures.
Training
Susan has given numerous talks and trainings on working creatively with children, stress and mental health, animal assisted therapy, therapy outdoors, attachment, trauma, neuroscience, children’s behaviour, anxiety and depression and many more.
Consultancy
Susan is the SEMH Lead at a primary school and mentors children back into the classroom, avoiding the need for exclusions. Her therapeutic alternative provision also supports and empowers children who are reintegrating to school. Susan’s comprehensive understanding will help you with attachment and trauma issues, behaviour issues, training and policies.
Addressing Sexually Harmful Behaviour | The Gift
Susan has experience of working with children who have displayed challenging reactive and sexually harmful behaviours. The Gift intervention – practised by Susan – is for children in Somerset and was developed by senior social worker Jock McShik and Educational Psychologist Sarah Sutton. This specialist way of working can help children who display these behaviours, re-educate them and prevent offending in future.
Walk and Talk
Some people find being outside safer than having therapy in a room. Alder Barn is spoilt for choice of where to can walk or sit and reflect, and so can offer outdoor therapy to those who feel they would benefit from being outdoors.
For professionals, Susan offers the opportunity to learn more about what is involved with taking your therapy practice outside. They also host a regular network meeting for therapists interested in walk and talk therapy.
Young Artists
Susan is developing an ongoing therapeutic art programme for young people aged 14-19 who may be experiencing anxiety, depression, self-injury and trauma, and as a result do not attend school.
You don’t have to be an experienced artist to get involved; the programme is designed to provide holistic therapeutic support and develop confidence while addressing the issues of mental health. Susan will work with schools and colleges to ensure that the programme supports the young person’s return.
Stable Routes
Susan has created her own therapeutic programme to enable clients of all ages develop confidence, self-regulation and self-esteem. Through her training and experience as an Equine Assisted Therapist and Trainer, Susan will have her horses assist her with the therapy and draws upon evidenced-based approaches to achieve the therapy goals. This way of working is especially effective for children and young people. Susan works with schools, local authorities and private clients.
Animal and Equine Assisted Therapy
With its unique mix of animals and therapy, this popular route for adults, children and young people to access support often proves a successful alternative to counselling in a room. Currently it is unregulated, so finding someone who has the experience and qualifications to manage the depth of social, emotional and mental health issues is not straightforward.
A good question to ask is does the person hold the professional mental health qualifications to help you or your child without the animal present? Susan has the training and the competencies as well as being an accredited member of BACP, reassuring you that you or your child is in safe hands.
Volunteers
Susan has had many practitioners volunteering for her, including placements for student counsellors from a number of colleges. Counselling volunteers must be members of BACP, have their own indemnity and public liability insurance and monthly supervision. The volunteers offer low cost counselling for Alder Barn Therapy.
Other volunteers can support children and young people with the Eco and Animal and Equine Assisted Therapy, Mindful Art and Photography and Walk and Talk events. If you would like to know more about volunteering or a counselling placement then please get in touch.
Fees
Counselling £65 an hour
Counselling Children and Young People £85 an hour
Supervision £97.50 an hour and a half
Therapeutic Interventions for Schools £65 an hour
Young Artists session £120 (2 and a half hours)
Animal Assisted Therapy Session from £65 (1 hour)
Equine Assisted Therapy Session £85 (1 hour)
Stable Routes Programme £100 (1 hour and a half)
Online Counselling Session £65 (1 hour)
Therapeutic Sessions 6 x 1 hour sessions - £390
Workshops – please contact for individual price
Consultation – please contact for individual price
Alder Barn Therapy
Talk to the Team
To talk to Alder Barn Therapy about booking a counselling session or creative therapy, or to discuss volunteering, please contact the team today.