Claudia Nielsen

WHO I AM

I have had a long and interesting life which has given me a rich perspective on what it means to be a human being.

Born in Brazil of German parents, I have been in the UK for over 50 years. I am a mother and grandmother.

In my early life I worked in business but my strong interest in what it means to be a human being drew me back to psychology, which I had studied in Brazil, and in the 90’s I was awarded an MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Regents College – City University). This was followed by another MA in the Study of Mysticism and Religious Experience (University of Kent) which allowed me to explore another life-long interest, spirituality. My PhD work was on the under-researched area of therapist's views on personal mortality and ideas of post-mortem consciousness and the influence on the work with clients. In addition I have a post grad diploma in Applied Hypnosis from UCL (University College London).

I have been working as psychotherapist for over 30 years which includes 13 years in a medical practice in the NHS. I now work solely in private practice.

HOW I WORK

My training was integrative, which means that I have studied most of the major modalities. As happens with all professionals, I have over the years developed a particular way of working which is congruent with my understanding of human nature.

My approach recognises four basic dimensions of a human being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. All four are considered as either foreground or background aspects in the process. The work is an exploration of what is preventing the client from being empowered to be the person they are meant to be and finding options to free themselves from those shackles.

I work with all issues, and see all aspects of life interconnected. Whether it is anxiety, depression, panic attacks, relationship problems, a weight issue, phobias or low self esteem, I see it all as part of a bigger picture and will work with it as such.

I use hypnosis when appropriate and by mutual agreement. In hypnosis a person experiences an altered state of consciousness which enables a safer, quicker exploration and potential resolution of burdensome difficulties. In what I call ‘inner work’ we use feelings in the body as guide to explore a troubled emotional landscape and also to find respite and resolution.

THE WAY I SEE IT

I see life as meaningful and living as a learning curve with every success and every failure an opportunity to grow, by which I mean becoming more the person we are meant to be, and developing our potential within those parameters.

Things becoming difficult - when we feel stuck, helpless, angry, and sometimes cannot control our destructive behaviour - are alarm bells carrying a particular message which needs to be heard, understood and acted upon. I see it as part of my job to help with this understanding by guiding a meaningful exploration. Other areas of work are those involving making sense of unexpected crisis, loss or painful experiences.

It is my belief that there are some things in life over which we have control and others over which we do not. In knowing how to distinguish them and change that which we can change and accept that which we cannot, lies liberation and wisdom. Identifying those and adjusting creatively to what is needed is also part of the work.

PRACTICALITIES

Although it is difficult to predict how long therapy will take, I find that sometimes it can take months, sometimes years but never years and years and years.

During the process, there should be a distinct feeling that even if tough at times, it is being helpful.

Once we have both agreed that it is time to end, it is understood that clients can come back at any time for either further regular work, or for ‘consultancy’ type sessions, to address particular issues.

I work with individuals and with couples.

Sessions typically are weekly and last one hour. If cancellation is necessary, I require a minimum of 24 hours notice, more if possible. Fees are £100 for individuals and £130 for couples per session.

PROFESSIONAL BODIES

I am accredited by UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) and a member of BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) and am bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice of both organisations.

I am also a member of BSCAH (British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis) the ESTD (European Society for Trauma and Dissociation) and IAPC (International Association of Psychology and Counselling).

THE NEXT STEP AND CONTACT DETAILS

Following the first contact by phone or email, we have an assessment session in which I will hear the background and presenting problem. I will then make a summary of what I have understood and explain what my approach would be.

This will give us both an opportunity to evaluate the road ahead and make a decision accordingly.

I am based in Hertford (although the post code is Ware) and see clients in person and also online.

Email

Phone: 07831 242 141

PRIVACY NOTICE

This privacy policy governs the manner in which I use and maintain information collected from clients using my service. For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018, the data “controller” is Claudia Nielsen. My Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) registration number is ZA460787.

This privacy policy applies to the practice, website and services offered online, by telephone or within my private practice. I hold the information on the basis of ‘legitimate interest’ as per GDPR qualifications.

(Clients seeking therapy will be issued with a paper copy of the Privacy Policy at their Initial Assessment which contains the following information & they will be asked to sign that they understand & agree with how information is collected, stored & held before therapy can commence.)

• Name
• Address, email, phone number
• Occupation
• Presenting issue
• Life history
• History of physical and/or mental conditions
• Medications
• GP name and address
• Client expectation from therapy

How I store information:

Notes pertaining to sessional content are kept digitally in my personal password protected computer. First session written notes are kept in a locked cabinet.
Email: Email correspondence is kept in my personal domain IMAP account.
Texts: Texts are stored in my password protected iPhone.
Website: No personal information is stored on my website.

• Agreement and Privacy Policy statement signed by client. (client is issued with a copy at commencement of counselling & copy held by the therapist for reference.)
• Assessment form
• Client sessional notes - kept indefinitely as reference should the client decide to come back in the future.

• Supervision: I attend monthly clinical supervision with a peer group to ensure my practice remains safe & ethical.
• Therapeutic Will: client’s name & contact details will be shared with my Therapeutic Executor so that in the unlikely event of my sudden death the client can be contacted should they still be in therapy with me. My Therapeutic Executor will sign a confidentiality agreement document.
• Emergencies: If the client’s health is in jeopardy I may share their details with a healthcare service such as GP or Mental Health Crisis Team.

• Right to Access: The client has the right to ask for a copy of their personal information, free of charge, in an electronic or paper format. They also have the right to ask me to amend or change any incorrect information about them.
• Right to be Forgotten: The client has the right to ask me to erase any information that I hold about them. This includes the personal information that is no longer relevant to original purposes, or if they wish to withdraw consent. In all cases and when considering such requests, these rights are obligatory unless it’s information that I have a legal obligation to retain.