Rate Keely Strange

I work in the disability sector within many universities in the UK ,working on a 1-2-1 basis, helping to support study and maintain the day to day work life balance. Supporting in all aspects of learning and life. Working with a full spectrum of barriers including depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD and many more.

In the few years this has been remote via telephone, Skype or Zoom.

Since qualifying as a counsellor, I have continued to work for myself facilitating 1-1 counselling. The aim of the work is to provide a warm, non judgemental environment for clients to explore their feelings and emotions within a safe environment.

I also do this role in my day to day employment where one of my responsibilities is the welfare of all employees, be that a quick ‘chat’ or a more serious talk. The outcome for clients and my colleagues is that they understand and manage their own emotions and behaviour more effectively to increase their self-awareness with the aim to enhancing their life/work environment.

I am dedicated and committed to my work through an agreement to a contract so that boundaries are held. I have witnessed the benefits of my interventions and have seen positive changes, growth and development and find it rewarding in ‘making a difference’. This has continued by challenging and offering support to go that extra mile to meet individual needs and being able to provide empathy.

Within the University’s I support students who have extra needs to work through such challenges as anxiety, panic ADHD, autism and many other challenging illnesses, both mental and physically, I work towards supporting and being there so these talented people can work towards degrees, masters and doctorate etc.

I worked telephone counsellor for many years speaking to clients and being able to walk with them through their journey, using empathy and being able to really hear and listen to my clients without visually seeing them. This is a challenge but rewarding and a wonderful way of working, it pulls on all skills of counselling as one of the senses is not in use.

I also provided counselling in a clinic when the resident counsellor is on annual leave/sick, in this capacity I work in a face-to-face person centred way.

My job in payroll sees me sole in change of the weekly pay, calculating all employees’ basic pay, overtime, sickness etc. It is my responsibility to make sure this is correct. As well as other accounting duties, such as bookkeeping.

I have worked within addiction both drink, drugs etc. Where I managed my own client workload administration, review and solution focus methods.

I have gained much knowledge and experience in all my work having dealt with a vast complex of issues;Relationships, domestic violence, abuse, self-harm, OCD, depression and anxiety, anger management, loss and grief. With my interventions, I have assisted clients and students in accessing their feelings and emotions helping them build confidence. Through therapy skills, I have been able to demonstrate the core conditions to help clients grow and reach their full potential. The feedback received from clients, is that I am approachable, am easy to talk to and that I have the ability to be able to keep calmness in any difficult situation.

I see clients at my home and offer home visits. I understand the importance of my own safeguarding and have procedures in place.

I respect confidentiality, data protection and information sharing.

Being a member of the BACP and am an accredited member of NCPS, I work with the Ethical Principle Framework as a guide to work ethically.

I attend regular fortnightly supervision due to the nature of working with vulnerable people, where I raise any concerns. I plan and prepare for my meetings to enable me to manage, evaluate my caseload and reflect on my work. I am flexible with the hours and days I can work.

I have 100's of counselling hours accumulated over the last 8 years of practice.