David Spivey Integrative Counselling and Coaching with soul
creating a space for courage, compassion, insight and playfulness
Counselling and Coaching for individuals and couples
Welcome and thank you for visiting David Spivey Counselling and Coaching.
I am a highly experienced, qualified integrative counsellor and coach registered with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) I am also DBS certified. I work with men and women, individuals and couples online and in person near Turriff, Aberdeen. I also work online internationally.
I qualified in Integrative Psychosynthesis Counselling in 2008 at Re-vision College, London. A UKCP and BACP accredited institution. I started working with clients in 2005 during my training and I have had a private practice working with couples and individuals since 2008. I bring vast life experience and comprehensive and ongoing academic study and CPD to my work. My clients come from a diverse range of backgrounds and life experiences and my specialisms are working with men and couples.
The men I support are at different stages of life, often in transition, who are trying to understand their identity, roles and find a sense of meaning in a confusing, challenging and often polarised world. When asked how they are feeling men will often look blankly, uncertain how to respond. Historically men have not been taught the language of emotions, feelings and empathy, yet increasingly they are expected to know, usually by their partners and children. I work with you to locate and speak from your unique, authentic, soulful and heart centred voice to create a life more in tune with your souls purpose, whatever that might be.
The basis of couples work is that their are two people in relationship each trying to meet their conscious and unconscious needs often by playing out their unresolved childhood story. By understanding and working with the individual needs and the relationship dynamics, growth, awareness and the meeting of personal needs can be possible without the need for negative behaviours such as control, coercive behaviours, complacency and infidelity. When this cannot be achieved within the relationship then the work can be to facilitate the ending.
‘I’ve already had a couple of sessions with David and he is very easy to talk to and to open up to’ BH
Please read on to find out how I can help you.
HOW CAN COUNSELLING AND COACHING HELP?
We are often too close to our difficulties to be objective and find a way through, friends and family may want to help but despite their best intentions may offer advice and also lack objectivity, or you may be alone with no one to turn to. My role is to be impartial, objective and support you to find your own unique voice and path.
My approach to counselling and coaching is humanistic (which means relational) within a transpersonal framework (which is beyond the person. This allows for metaphor, symbolism, dreams, images and stories) I integrate my counselling and coaching skill set with a soulful perspective and tailor our sessions in a way that meets your needs.
Alongside my private practice I have worked within the Health and Voluntary sector for and with charities and local authorities that supported homeless young adults, addicts, ex offenders, and carers. My roles included Support Worker, Team Lead, Trainer, and Service Manager. Prior to training as a therapist I had successful careers in retail and the construction industry as a multi trade and business owner.
I have practiced meditation, mindfulness, and yoga for over 30 years. I have co facilitated the 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme. Over the past 3 years I have started to learn and practice somatic movement. I have written and delivered training programmes to charities and local authorities on diverse subjects such as Compassion Fatigue, and the Use of Imagination in Therapy. All this knowledge and experience supports me in our work together.
Integrative Psychosynthesis is a transpersonal approach to counselling and psychotherapy. The work brings together Body, Mind and Soul and Spirit in a synthesis of all of who we are. It was developed by Robert Assagioli who was a student of Jung. The work is supported in it’s thinking by the work of Gestalt, Person Centred, Family Systems Models, Ecotherapy and other humanistic therapies. In short all of who you are is welcome and has a space in our work together.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning but you can start where you are and change the ending” — CS Lewis
People come to me for support with a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common that can be helped through counselling and coaching:
Feeling depressed, stressed or anxious
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Financial difficulties
Problems with confidence or self esteem
Anger management
Difficulties at work or retirement
Finding meaning to life
Transition and threshold moments in life
Compassion fatigue and burnout
A PROBLEM SHARED...
Many people face difficulties in their everyday lives but find it difficult to engage or find a way through. Counselling gives us a set of tools we can use to gain a better understanding of what is causing the problems or resistance and how you can move forward in managing or resolving them.
He (David) has very good insights and always asks the right questions to help me put my self into perspective. BH
A GOAL TO BE ACHIEVED...
Most people work with a coach because they have a set goal or outcome they would like to achieve however some people are in transition and are not clear of their goal, outcome or how to move forward. I have the experience and knowledge to work with both sides of the spectrum.
Coaching can help you to put together realistic steps, goals and objectives to support you to reach your chosen outcome. In addition there is an accountability that may not be present when “going it alone”.
Making better, healthier new choices…
By working together I can help you gain greater insight into the difficulties you are facing, help you to understand why you act or react to them the way you do and support you to make better, healthier and more informed choices moving forward.
CONTACT ME
Please contact me by email or phone if you you would like to book a counselling or coaching session or if you have any questions or queries about how counselling and coaching works.
I offer a free initial 15 minute consultation. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling or coaching, whether it could be helpful for you and as importantly whether I am the right person for you to work with.
MY LOCATION
I work from a private space in my home in a quiet village near Turriff, and see clients from Aberdeen, Inverurie and Aberdeenshire.
I will provide exact location details when we arrange our sessions.
FEES & AVAILABILITY
- Counselling sessions for individuals last 50minutes, usually weekly and cost £50.
- Counselling sessions for couples last 60 minutes and cost £60
- Coaching sessions last 60 minutes and cost £75*
*It is usual to put a package together for our coaching sessions depending on your requirements. This will be discussed and agreed in our initial contract.
I currently have some availability so please phone or email me to discuss your requirements.
Please note that if you want to cancel an appointment I require 24 hours notice. If we cannot reschedule the same week then the full fee is payable. I accept payment in cash or by bank transfer.
In visiting my website you have already taken the first step...
It can be scary and confusing making the decision to contact a counsellor or coach. In my experience there are many reasons why a person will continue to struggle with a situation such as poor mental health, financial difficulties, relationship problems, family and personal crisis, beyond what may be seen as healthy.
Ask yourself this question ‘Why now?’ and let that inform your decision to seek counselling or coaching. That may be your second step towards improving your life.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you’ve imagined” — Henry David Thoreau.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Counselling is helping you to find meaning by understanding your past and how it impacts and informs your present life. This will support you to make more informed choices and decisions in the future. Whilst counselling can be short term, depending on the needs of the client it can also be medium to long term.
Coaching is about helping you to understand what you want in life, and how to set and achieve goals. It is primarily focused on your present and future.
How long our work together lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth and variety of issues you are facing and the outcomes you are looking for. For some 6-8 sessions may be enough to address the issues, for others a more open ended approach may be required.
At the start of our work together we will explore your reasons for wanting counselling or coaching and agree a way forward, this will be reviewed throughout our work.
All relationships experience periods of difficulty this may be for many reasons such as affairs or betrayal, financial or family problems, illness, job loss or bereavement and sometimes we need a mediator, a person outside of the relationship to support both parties to have a voice and to find common ground to move forward.
However there are also times when it becomes clear that a relationship has reached its natural end. At these times I can work and support you both with the separation and ending.
In my experience for counselling to be effective it needs to be a weekly commitment so that the momentum and engagement with the work can be maintained.
Coaching has a slightly different quality and the time between appointments may be longer depending on what goals or outcomes are to be achieved.
My aim is to offer an initial appointment within 2 weeks of our first contact. If we agree to work together we would arrange our sessions at the same time each week at a time that is convenient for you and where I have availability.
The simple answer is no. Some people like to attend face to face and find value in being present at the sessions in-person. However the events of the last few years have shown us that working ‘online, in-person' can be as effective and usually more convenient.
Perhaps working with the right counsellor or coach for you is ultimately more important than being constrained by geography or time zones.
Everything that is said within the counselling/coaching room is confidential , this is one of the main ways counselling/coaching differs from talking to a friend or relative.
Once you are comfortable with the format of our sessions and the safe space they provide you will find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value, maybe even a relief.
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