Francesca Raymont
Psychotherapist, Counsellor and Supervisor
Current and previous work history
Along with my private practice I am currently the Counselling Coordinator for a small charitable counselling service and I am the Lead Therapist for a charity offering counselling to bereaved children and families.
During my counselling career I have worked in several different agencies, counselling adults, young people, couples and families. I have worked in a Sure Start Children’s Centre, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and the Youth Enquiry Service.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
I am an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work to their ethical framework. I receive regular supervision in accordance with the BACP requirements.
Counselling Model
I did my initial training in Gestalt counselling and at the same time trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Since my initial training I have gone on to do further training and completed the intermediate level course in Systemic Practice (family therapy) and the Advanced Certificate in Relationship Therapy (for working with couples).
Gestalt is a humanistic therapy. Gestalt therapists believe that people potentially have all the necessary abilities to solve their problems or face their difficulties. However, sometimes they get stuck and need some assistance. I see my task as a therapist to help you see more clearly what your situation is, find out how you are part of it, and experiment with finding new solutions or ways to face the difficulty. Gestalt therapy can also offer a creative way of working, this enables a person to bypass some of their natural defences and boundaries and explore some of the fixed beliefs and patterns that are affecting their present life.
I also have trained in and work with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The core concept of this therapy is that people’s emotional behaviour and reactions are strongly influenced by their cognitions. In other words, their thoughts, beliefs and interpretations about themselves, or their situation, affects their behaviour.
Working with CBT enables the client to explore their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. This then gives an opportunity for the client, with the support of the therapist, to look at ways of changing these thought patterns, which will, in time and with practice, bring about a change in feelings and behaviour.
Systemic Practice, also known as Family Therapy, is a type of therapy which looks at the broader context of a person's family background and the 'systems' that they are currently apart of. I work with either the whole family or a part thereof, to help the family to see the problem they are experiencing as shared, as opposed to assigning it to one family member. This enables problems to be worked through and faced together and alternative solutions can then be found and implemented.
Relationship Therapy training has enabled me to work with couples who are experiencing problems in their relationship whether this is a general feeling that the relationship has drifted apart or whether there is more of an immediate crisis. This training has enabled me to work with couples experiencing a wide range of problems and be able to help couples work things through in a safe and supportive environment. Please see below under ‘Continual Professional Development’ for the specific modules that this training with Juliet Grayson has covered.
Qualifications
• Advanced certificate in Relationship Therapy (Juliet Grayson, approved by CORST)
• Systemic Practice (Intermediate Level)
• Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision (Awarded by CPCAB)
• Level 5 Advanced Diploma In Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Awarded by CPCAB)
• Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (Awarded by the CPCAB)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Levels 1, 2 and 3)
• Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (Awarded by the CPCAB)
• Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (Awarded by the CPCAB)
I am committed to continual professional development and so regularly attend workshops and courses, including:
• Using CBT for OCD (BACP course)
• 'The Real Deal' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Meeting their partner’s needs' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Introduction to working with couples' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Dealing with affairs' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Communication and Difference' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Couples in Conflict' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Sex, arousal and ageing' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Parent-infant attachment and the impact on adult relationships' (Juliet Grayson)
• 'Child sexual abuse: Hope for healing' Positive Outcomes for Dissociative Survivors (PODS)
• 'Working with Relational Trauma: Dealing with Disorganised Attachment' (PODS)
• 'Trauma, Dissociation and Recovery' (PODS)
• 'Working with clients who are suicidal' (E Veysey)
• Drug and Alcohol Awareness
• Trauma training based on the work of Babette Rothschild
• 'Working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse'
• 'Understanding the worried child' (CAMHS)
• Autism Awareness Training (NHS Trust)
• Eating Disorders Training (Jane Hancock)
• Safeguarding Training (Rowcroft Hospice)
Tel: 0784 113 1096