pure counselling

Hello,

My name is Sinéad, it is lovely to meet you virtually.

Professionally, I am a fully qualified and registered Counsellor and Psychotherapist; I am proud to be a RNIB Accredited Sight Loss Counsellor. I am also the founding director of Pure Counselling & Psychotherapy Ltd.

With a career that started in education, I am passionate about wellbeing, growth, development, and helpful change. I enjoy empowering individuals through knowledge, understanding, and a range of helpful tools and skills.

I adore the work I do. I am honoured to have supported a great number of amazing people to live more fulfilled lives. What a privilege it is to get to witness and facilitate meaningful transformation on a day-to-day basis. 

How I work

I am a fully qualified Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist. This means that I can tie together a variety of approaches to suit your needs and personality type. I am a people-person: clients appreciate my friendliness, enthusiasm, empathy, understanding, intuition, and my ability to help them relax into the therapeutic process. 

My first degree was in Human Biology. Areas of study such as, genetics, neurology, endocrinology, biochemistry, pathology, physiology, and epidemiology have given me a keen interest and understanding in how the complexities of our mental health can be impacted by a combination of biological factors, our environment, and our relationships as we develop. Where appropriate, (such as with trauma and grief) I gently underpin therapy sessions with simple to understand, psychoeducation: helping you to understand and support your feelings, reactions, and behaviours on a physiological and emotional level. 

I offer cultural competence and equality in all areas of my work. I have had the great pleasure of living and working overseas for many years. An experience which has given me first-hand experience of being ‘other’, and needing to negotiate languages, cultures, and structural systems that have been learned later in life, rather than assimilated from birth.

How I can help you

  • I can work with and support you with:

    Anxiety, Depression, Low mood, Low self-esteem, Low self-confidence, Neurodiversity, Family issues, Relational issues, Betrayal, Trust issues, Attachment difficulties, Stress, Trauma, Loneliness, Transitions or new life stages, Sadness, Anger, Hopelessness, Frustration, Regret, Shame, Fear, Professional issues, Perfectionism, Self-acceptance, and more.

  • I have particular skills and interest in:

    ·      Bereavement and Grief (including anticipatory grief)

    ·      Couples/relationship Counselling

    ·      Counselling for Parents

    ·      Counselling for Teachers and Educational Professionals 

    ·      Counselling for Counsellors and Student counsellors

    ·      Counselling for Older Adults and Elders

  • My area of expertise is:

    Bereavement counselling, psychotherapy, and support following the death of a baby or child (of any age or gestation). 

    I have had the great honour of supporting hundreds of bereaved family members following the death of their baby or child. My lived experience offers a deeper level of understanding of this unique type of grief, and what it is to negotiate life love after loss. I recognise the deep impact grieving a much-loved child can bring and dedicate a huge part of my work improving bereavement counselling services for bereaved families.

    I have worked and continue to work with international, national, and local charities and organisations to provide meaningful, bereavement support and psychotherapy for grieving families, when they need it most. Including leading and delivering a pilot study on group bereavement support for The Lullaby Trust, in collaboration with ISPID, Harvard University, and Boston’s Children’s Hospital. 

    I have provided and continue to provide training and workshops for families, volunteers, and professionals both in the UK and overseas. I have written many resources for this unique type of bereavement and grief. I am media trained and have appeared on podcasts and written guest articles and blogs for counselling organisations, such as the BACP. 

Qualifications and Training

Qualifications

  • Level 5 Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (FdSc Distinction)
  • Level 6 Human Biology (BSc Hons 2:1) 
  • Level 7 Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
  • Level 3 Integrative Counselling Skills
  • Level 3 Psychology

Counselling Training

  • Online and Telephone Counselling
  • Mental Health First Aid
  • Counselling for Sight Loss Accreditation 
  • Domestic abuse and sight loss
  • Narrative Therapy for Grief
  • Compassion focussed Therapy for Trauma
  • Compassionate Inquiry
  • Internal Family Systems 
  • Grief after Suicide 
  • Women's Traumatic Grief, Bereavement and Loss
  • Grief Treatments and Interventions
  • Biology of Loss
  • Ethics and Personal Loss
  • Transgenerational and Inherited Trauma
  • Intergenerational Trauma
  • Anxiety Certification
  • Working with the Menopause 
  • Relational Life Therapy 
  • Couples Therapy (Intensive) 
  • Healing in Couples 
  • Intimacy and Infidelity in Couples
  • Mixed Erotic Orientations
  • Facilitating play in high-conflict couples 
  • Treating Narcissism in Relationships 
  • Various trainings on working with neurodiversity

You wouldn't be the first

 Struggling to work out my name?

How to pronounce Sinéad

Shi-NAY-d 

Examples of famous Sinéads

  • Sinéad O’Connor
  • Sinéad Cusack
  • The one from B*Witched (showing my age)!