Canterbury Counselling Bob’s Profile
• Canterbury • Kettering • Milton Keynes • Rushden • Bedford •
• Relationship Specialist • Marriage & Couple Counselling & Coaching • Anger Management Specialist • Anxiety & Depression Specialist •
Contact Details
Tel: (No Land line at the moment)
Mob: 07847637764
Email: Bob@TonicTalk.co.uk
Personal Philosophy:
Although counselling may often seem to be a form of crisis management, it can be much more than that. Counselling is concerned with being human and relating to other people on the basis of your own understanding of what it is to be human. In my counselling practice I attempt to help people get in touch with themselves so that they are better able to make sense of their experience and relate better to others. This is a matter of both mind and heart, as well as self and experience. But there are no ready made formulae that offer a step by step procedure for doing this. It is, rather, about coming to greater awareness from the confusion and bewilderment that you might find yourself in. I believe cultivating awareness is the key not only for helping us resolve personal problems; it is also the means by which we can find greater fulfilment in our lives.
Spiritual Philosophy: Buddhist
Experience:
- Began counselling clients in 2011
- Hundreds of Client Counselling Hours
- Experience in counselling Adults both male and female, of differing social, economic and ethnic backgrounds.
Relevant Education and Qualifications:
- Diploma Counselling
Other Qualifications:
- MA (Master of Arts degree: Religious Studies)
Counselling Agency Experience:
- Tariki Trust
Other Relevant Experience:
- Meditation teacher
- Yoga Teacher
Approach / Model:
- Integrative Buddhist and Jungian Psychotherapy
Governing Bodies:
- Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
Ethical Guidance
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Personal Summary
Bob Chisholm has a life long interest in personal growth and psychological development and became a counsellor because of his great interest in human experience and strong belief in the possibilities for positive change. A keen student of psychology and Buddhism, Bob has trained with the Tariki Trust in Leicestershire and holds a diploma in counselling and is pursuing further training with Tariki in psychotherapy. He is particularly interested in bringing Buddhist insights regarding self formation into his counselling practice. Before embarking on his training in counselling, Bob taught yoga after spending a year in India learning under Sri Pattabhi Jois. He is also a dedicated practitioner of Buddhist meditation. Bob holds an MA in Religious Studies from the University of Kent at Canterbury and continues to read widely in psychology, philosophy and religion. He has contributed book reviews for the magazine Self & Society and he is currently co-editing a collection of articles on the relationship of spirituality to psychological experience. He has been invited to deliver a paper on the topic “Buddhadharma as Psychotherapy” at the UN sponsored 2014 Vesak Conference of Buddhist scholars in Vietnam in May.
Although his approach to counselling is firmly pragmatic, Bob believes that remaining curious about human experience is one of the key things that helps counselling to succeed. “Everyone has a unique life story,” he says. “But each person’s story can be understood better by cultivating a wider, more general appreciation of what it is be a person.”
Why Counselling
Why should you try counselling? Maybe because you are experiencing some emotional difficulty that might involve work, relationships or family, or perhaps you feel depressed, confused or angry about yourself or the situations you often find yourself in. Or maybe you just need a safe place to talk to find out what it is that is really troubling you. Counselling should provide a safe, receptive environment so that you can address your problems with a feeling of security and trust. By finding a secure place of trust, you can reach a deeper level of awareness from which your problems can be addressed. In fact, the suffering that brings you to counselling can be an opportunity for personal growth and psychological development. But you might still wonder: how does counselling (and psychotherapy) actually work
A Therapeutic Relationship of Trust
If you decide to come for counselling you probably want answers and solutions for your problems, which is only right. But if it succeeds in providing a place of emotional safety, counselling can help you find answers you might not have expected or believed possible. Counselling should enable you to adjust and adapt; ultimately, it should help you grow so that you can live more fully and authentically. But this often involves making some discovery that you could not have known about beforehand. Trust is essential for such discoveries to occur. You must know that your counsellor is ethical, reliable and committed to your welfare. And your counsellor must believe that you are open to making discoveries that can lead to meaningful change. The relationship of trust between you and your counsellor is what makes such discoveries and changes more possible. Though making positive changes may not always be easy, it is certainly worth the effort.
The Way it Works
Counselling usually takes time and commitment, but as with any relationship of trust it begins by the counsellor and the client getting to know each other. In your first appointment you can express your reasons for coming to counselling and what you hope to get out of it. The counsellor will also explain his approach and answer any questions you might have about counselling. Although in this particular service there is no written contract, you both will agree on such things as when, how often and how long you will meet and what the fee will be. But counselling really finds traction once these preliminary matters have been settled and your issues can be addressed in some depth. After a few sessions you should then be able to tell if your counsellor really “gets” you and can help you address the issues that made you want to try counselling. If you would like to see if counselling might work for you call 07847637764 for a consultation.