Phone: 07860 530934
Nicola Furbisher, Counsellor & Coach MNCS (Accred Reg), MBACP(Reg), MNCP
Hello, and a warm West Yorkshire welcome.
This site offers a little bit of information about me, about what I do, and how we might work together, but please don't hesitate to call or email if you need further information. I am a qualified therapeutic counsellor, a Registered Accreditant of the National Counselling Society, a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy and a member of National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists..
I offer warmth, genuineness, acceptance and a safe space to help you cope with your distress and pain, working with and alongside you, to help you find a way through. I see clients across the West Yorkshire region and beyond on an open-ended basis or for an agreed time period - and I aim to tailor sessions to your needs and life to ensure you get the best out of our time together.
Our sessions can be weekly or fortnightly and I can make home visits in certain cases.
Sometimes, and only with the full approval of clients, I am accompanied by Mabel my cockapoo. She is well-trained, well-behaved and non-shedding.
I work with men and women (aged 18 and over) face to face, online or by telephone and am fully flexible to work around your diary. My face to face work takes place in my counselling suite in the beautiful setting of the Grade 1 listed Tong Hall, Tong Village (BD4 0RR)
Online? I can use whatever platforms work for you, and am currently using Teams, Google Meet, Skype, WhatsApp and Facetime. I also offer telephone counselling.
I understand, of course, that some people don't have a safe place or a place where they feel they have enough privacy for these, and in these cases I can offer support via email or via a 'chat' function.
Whatever your situation, we can find away to help you get the support you need.
Please feel free to look around the site, and then, if you think I might be able to help you, please call me on 07860 530934 for an initial chat, or email me at nicolafurbishercounsellor@gmail.com - it's an important step on your journey to putting yourself first.
If the phone is switched off do leave a brief message (I might be with a client) and I will call you back as soon as I can.
With warmest regards
Nicola
My Story
Not Leeds, not Bradford, but perfectly in between.
My name is Nicola Furbisher; and I am a qualified and experienced psychotherapist and counsellor supporting people who are struggling and in distress.
Often they have things going on in their life that have become overwhelming, maybe too hard to deal with on their own. Often they feel lost, broken, and can’t find a way through.
Sometimes people need support due to events that have happened in their life, and sometimes because of things that are going on for them now - be it health, family or age-related issues.
I offer a warm welcome, an open heart and time and space to be with them, to walk alongside them for as long or as short a period as they need.
If you feel you would like to work with me I pledge to be real, open and entirely trustworthy, working with you working at your pace to help you be where you need to be.
I have worked with men and women suffering from trauma, grief, anxiety and depression, and with those who have suffered mental, physical or sexual abuse. I also help people with low self-esteem, and those who are suffering from work or family-related stress.
Alongside my private work I have been a volunteer counsellor at Leeds Mind and at Support after Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds (SARSVL).
I worked at Mosaic II, a charity specialising in providing support for people who have been affected by sexual abuse, and also worked with the Palm Cove Society in Leeds which supports vulnerable and traumatised adults trying to rebuild their lives after fleeing violence and slavery.
I am an Accredited Registrant of the National Counselling Society; a member of the National Council of Psychotherapists and a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and fully signed up to their code of conduct and ethical framework.
I had a different life before all of the above.
Previously I was a journalist for 30 years and, latterly, the Editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post & Managing Editor, Yorkshire Post, where I completed a graduated from a Senior Management Development, Leadership & Coaching programme.
I’m a Yorkshire lass. I lived in Brussels for several years, I love being by the sea and I have a passion for driftwood and beachcombing, and making things with my findings.
I had a special boy called Thomas who died in 2008. I battled on, I thought I was fine. I wasn’t. A wonderful counsellor helped me - and, in being so wonderfully helped, I found a new path.
I appreciate this is a lot to take in but I believe a life that has seen great challenge has made me a better and more empathic counsellor. Please contact me if you think I can help you. I promise warmth, acceptance, and a space for you to be whatever you need to be.
Therapy with me
Therapeutic counselling gives you time and space to consider and reflect what is going on for you. It's not about me telling you what to do (though perhaps we can together challenge perceptions, behaviours and harmful beliefs), and it's not about me advising you or making suggestions about what you might do differently.
No one knows you like you - and together we explore different ways of understanding yourself and how you relate to those around you.
Sometimes it's about looking at harmful behaviours or beliefs about yourself, looking at your feelings, your thoughts about your worth and esteem, about finding part of you perhaps you have never acknowledged or didn't even know existed.
Sometimes people need support due to events that have happened in their life, and sometimes because of things are going on for them - be it health, family or age-related issues, such as the menopause.
Above all, be assured this is your session and you are front and centre of it. I bring no agenda; no 'plan of action' - but together we can make important and lasting changes in your life.
I am integrative in my approach which means our work together can take many directions and will be specifically tailored to you.
I believe that a lot of pain we endure in our present life comes from things that happened to us when we were younger; and when our issues are about present day difficulties it can often be the case that our approach and resilience is affected by our lack of self-belief, self-worth and self-esteem.
I have worked with many clients who have suffered significant trauma in their lives and exploring body and mind responses after trauma and looking at coping strategies can be a large part of the work we do together.
What's most important, is that our relationship will be at the heart of how we work together to help you work through the issues you bring. You are most welcome to call me to discuss how we might work together before making an appointment.
Career and Leadership Coaching
Effective coaches don’t tell you what to do, or advise you how be successful in your own life, or show you how to lead your team or organization.
Rather, they support you in identifying your available options, weighing the benefits and risks and creating a path forward.
I aim to empower you to become the best version of yourself in all areas of your life.
Clients have said that coaching sessions with me has led to them feeling more confident and more comfortable with who they are, and how they are, and that this has led them to feeling more confidence in their leadership skills and decision-making abilities.
A good coach can help you get a clearer perspective about your goals and dreams, and about what you're capable of doing in order to achieve them.
I want the best for you, but I am a neutral third party. I will be open and honest with you, and walk alongside you as you reflect on what you want to change, or achieve, and let you know what you're doing that's supporting your intentions — or getting in your way.
Finally, and most importantly, I can teach you new ways of thinking and operating, new skills that will allow you to better reach your goals.
New: Sand Tray Therapy for Adults
I've recently introduced Sand Tray Therapy into my work as an option for clients who feel it will be helpful to their healing.
Sand Tray Therapy is a form of expressive therapy that allows a client to construct their own microcosm - their world - using miniature objects, figures (human, animal and fantastical), elements of the natural world and symbols, in sand.
The newly-created microcosm then acts as a reflection of the client's own life and allows them the opportunity to resolve conflicts, remove obstacles, and to connect to their inner being and recognize the beauty of their own soul as they begin to accept themselves.
It's a lovely, powerful form of therapy - and one that many clients find helpful when they find it difficult to connect with their feelings or to voice difficult emotions within them.
The counsellor monitors and observes the stories to gain insight into people’s inner lives and access their challenging and traumatic experiences.
This way, the therapist can help them heal and move forward.
Through sand tray therapy, a person can return to past experiences in a safe and contained environment and become an active agent in the experience.
Through the therapeutic process, sand tray therapy can improve a person’s resilience, self-esteem and decision-making skills.
What you need to know
I am committed to providing therapy in a welcoming, safe, non-judgemental and confidential environment.
I hold a current Disclosure and Barring Service certificate and have insurance cover in association with my profession.
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and fully adhere to the organisation's ethical framework.
I have regular continuing professional training and, like all ethical counsellors, work with a supervisor to ensure I continue to develop my knowledge, experience and understanding.
What to expect
Our first meeting will give you a chance to explore why you feel therapy might be right for you and what brings you to counselling.
I understand it can be a real challenge taking this first step, but I will support you and make the process as easy and as relaxed as possible for you. Above all it's important you feel safe and held in the counselling space as we get to know each other.
There will be some information to gather such as your details and any history or circumstances that are relevant to you seeking therapy, and we can establish if we feel comfortable working together. If I feel you would be better served with a different kind of psychological support I can help you find someone else and offer support with the referral.
We can also use this session to discuss what times and days would be easier for you to attend and discuss how we might work together. You might have lots of questions, and this is a useful time to look at your hopes and expectations.
The first meeting also allows you time to reflect on whether counselling is the right step for you at this time, and I will support you in whatever you decide to do.
At the end of this session, if we are both happy to proceed, our work together can begin.
Fees
- An Individual 50-minute face to face/online psychotherapeutic counselling session: £60.
- A 30 minute individual coaching session online (for clients who would like regular mental health check-ins, coaching and support): £45
- A couple's counselling session of 1.5 hours: £120 (please inquire re waiting list)
- A 1.5 hour sand tray creative therapy session for adults: £90 (please inquire for more information)
- I offer trainee counsellors and full time students a reduced fee of £50 per session
For businesses seeking group coaching and leadership coaching please email nicolafurbishercounsellor@gmail.com with your requirements and to arrange an initial discussion.
My fees take into account the my level of professional experience and training; administrative costs plus the insurance, supervision and professional BACP, NCS and NCP membership I undertake to ensure clients receive the best possible trusted ethical service.
Payment kindly to be paid in full by bank transfer in advance of the session or by card immediately at the end of each session.
Our work together..
For your reassurance and safety
As an ethical counsellor our first session will include going through and signing together a client-counsellor contract which explains the boundaries of our work together. Here is my sample contract. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss further.
Client-Counsellor Agreement
I am a Registered Member of the of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Council of Psychotherapists and an Accredirted Registrant of the National Counselling Society, and have significant experience in providing therapeutic counselling. I am committed to offering you a safe, respectful, non-judgmental and confidential space for you to explore your experiences and feelings. Information about you is treated with strict confidentiality (see limitations to confidentiality below) and complies with the ethical framework, policies and procedures of the BACP and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).This agreement is for the benefit of both of us to help us establish and sustain a healthy therapeutic relationship. The details included are guidelines to ensure you know what to expect and to ensure the counselling relationship is as beneficial and respectful as possible.
Contacting me:
I do not offer a crisis helpline service and cannot engage with clients outside of the therapeutic session. However, as part of our work together we can discuss what steps and coping strategies may help you between sessions should you find the counselling process challenging or difficult.
I can be contacted between sessions on my mobile (07860 530934) or email nicolafurbishercounsellor@gmail.com if you need to cancel or rearrange a session. Please leave a message if I am unavailable by phone as I often have it on silent or switched off due to client work.
Please note that to preserve confidentiality I do not respond to any client queries via social media and do not engage with clients via my own or their own social media outlets. I also periodically delete conversations from my phone and email to preserve client confidentiality.
Sessions fees:
An Individual face counselling session with me is £55.
A couple's counselling session is £120 and lasts 1.5hrs.
Sessions with student counsellors are available at a reduced rate of £50.
My fees take into account the my level of professional experience and training; administrative costs plus the insurance, supervision and professional BACP, NCS and NCP membership I undertake to ensure clients receive the best possible trusted ethical service.
Fees are payable by bank transfer.
Online/phone practilities:
If our sessions are online or telephone, I will call you at the time of our session and if there is no answer I will wait and call a few minutes later. If you do not reply I will hold the session for you until you arrive but would ask that you then call me.
If working with me online or by telephone, try to ensure you have a safe and secure place for your session. I recommend you use earphones to increase confidentiality and if you feel you need additional privacy, we can use the chat functions. If you are using a laptop it would be useful to have your mobile phone handy in the event of technical/wifi problems to ensure our session can continue.
If the technology fails I will make efforts to re-establish contact to avoid confusion and us missing each other.
I do not record our sessions and, if there is a specific reason you wish to record a session, please let me know in advance.
Cancellations:
Please give me at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment to enable me to rearrange my schedule. If you cancel an appointment 24 hours before the session, I will require a payment of 50% of the counselling session fee. If you cancel on the day of the appointment the full amount will be charged.
I will always give prompt notice if I am due to be away and cannot make a future session (holidays/Christmas etc) and would very much appreciate it if you could do the same.
Confidentiality
The technology I use (phone and laptop) are password protected and not used by anyone else. Every precaution is taken to preserve security, privacy and confidentiality, however you’ll appreciate I cannot be held accountable in the event of a failure by service providers. The providers I use for online work are: Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, Whereby and WhatsApp.
I am committed to offering you a safe and confidential service and will always strive to guard and support your confidentiality. Ordinarily I will never disclose information about you to anyone else. However, there are exceptions some situations when I am required to consider contacting a third party.
Before I breach confidentiality, I will always aim to discuss a way forward with you, but I must act according to my Duty of Care. Examples where disclosure would be an issue include if:
You were going to make an immediate suicide attempt
You were going to seriously harm someone else
A child was at risk
You were involved in serious crime.
In most cases I would endeavour to notify you of this first, although there are occasionally legal reasons why this might not be possible. I keep your GP’s details in case I need to contact them if I had serious concerns about your health and wellbeing. If online, please do let me know if you would like us to use a ‘safe’ word or phrase if you feel you’re confidentiality is at risk of being breached or you feel unsafe at any time during our sessions due to the presence of someone else in the home.
Privacy:
I keep names, addresses and contact details of my clients secure and password protected.
I use a paper diary for appointments and will use an acronym of your initials to identify you in my diary. If I have your number stored in my mobile, then I will also use this acronym to identify you.
I keep a record of attendance and brief clinical notes of the session, but your identity will be kept anonymous and these notes will be kept separately from any data I have about you.
You can request copies of any information I am holding about you at any time.
Like all ethical counsellors I take my work to a qualified supervisor but will not use your name in order to protect your confidentiality.
Openness and Integrity
I will always be open and honest with you and if, at any point in our relationship, I feel that I might not be the best person to help and support you, I will work with you to find someone who might be more able or proficient to help you. Please be assured this is not a rejection on my part – it is simply trying to make absolutely sure you are receiving the right help and support.
If, for any reason, you feel our relationship isn’t working or providing you with the support you need, I would encourage you to let me know this is the case without worry or anxiety. I completely understand that sometimes the counsellor, the time, or the place, isn’t the right ‘fit’ and I would support you as you explored what other options you might wish to explore.
Complaints
I will always work with you with absolute openness, transparency and candour. Should you have any complaints about our work together I would hope that we could discuss and resolve any issues together.
However, if we cannot reach agreement, you can raise any matter more formally with my governing body, the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and I commit to ensuring you have the relevant information to hand should you choose to follow this route.
Lastly, I am sure you will understand that will not go ahead with a session if a client attends and acts in a threatening, abusive or intimidating manner or if I believe them to be under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
Full Name (client):
Signature (client):
Full Name (counsellor):
Signature (counsellor):
Date:
NB Your signature is taken as an acceptance of these terms
Welcome to your counselling space....
My counselling suite is on the first floor of Grade 1 Listed Tong Hall, a converted 18th Century mansion house set in stunning grounds amongst mature trees and sweeping lawns - a real place of peace away from the busy-ness of the world.