How I Work as a Therapist
I support people to understand more about their issues and to explore alternatives to how they think, feel and act. I often say: '... once the door of awareness is open it is difficult to close it.' Just deciding to do something is the start of any change. Sometimes I have to hold onto that possibility for change when people feel negatively.
Psychotherapy is a higher level of training than counselling. Personal therapy is compulsory throughout all psychotherapy training and I have never forgotten that experience of being a client in how I work with others.
If there are easy answers and quick solutions you will have found them yourself, but if things feel more complex you and I work together to find what you need. Nothing is imposed but sometimes we need to consider questions and conundrums in the work that may feel challenging.
My Background
My long career in the helping professions as an adult care social worker first then a psychotherapist in private practice has given me experiences of many issues.
I first gained experience working with offenders, learning about offending behaviour, contributory factors, and victim impact. My experience included working with substance abuse, mental health, the impact of childhood traumas, and many other issues. Working with people to understand more about their lives and their choices supported people to consider different ways of living.
Working next in Mental Health, I gained good experience of the pressures faced by people trying to improve their emotional wellbeing. I facilitated a community women’s mental health support group for several years. I provided counselling at a GP practice and I worked with a multi-professional Family Therapy Team. Understanding about how people experience stress and strive to improve their mental wellbeing motivated me to start training in psychotherapy.
I became interested in the growing move towards a person centred and rights focus taking place in the learning disabilities field. I liked the concept of “challenging behaviours” that was developing to see people ‘acting out’ as being about 'communication' issues and not pathologising them. This seemed a useful model in life in general. This supported me to understand how people sometimes may struggle to find ways of expressing what they really think and feel.
I was also a Senior Practitioner in social work for nine years managing people and trained in management. I enjoyed supporting others to build their knowledge and skills. In particular I used my longevity as a social worker to support people to manage their stresses in the work and develop their careers.
Training in psychotherapy, my first placement gave me experience of working with alcohol issues and my next with primarily young adults working out a variety of issues in their lives. As a qualified Counsellor and Psychotherapist, I continue to develope my knowledge and skills with the many issues people bring to sessions. I set up in private practice over twelve years ago and later gave up social work. . My background experience supports me in this work and I am always open to my learning and development.
My Training and Qualifications
Accredited as a Gestalt Psychotherapist (under the name of Maria Siepe) with UKCP.
Senior Accredited Registrant as a Counsellor with the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society.
More than three years of Advanced Gestalt Psychotherapy training with Gestalt South West- Gestalt Southwest.
Completed training with an Advanced Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy with Welsh Psychotherapy Partnership in 2017.
I have also been one of the organisers for an annual Psychotherapy lecture in Bristol- Marianne Fry Lectures
Qualified as a Social Worker in 1986 and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council until 2017.
Previously Supervisor and Practice Educator in Social Work.
Certificate in management (UWE)
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