Kerry Batten

 Counselling & Psychotherapy in Bedford

Kerry Batten

 Counselling & Psychotherapy in Bedford

CALL 07976465055
CONTACT ME BY EMAIL

Enabling growth and wellbeing, one conversation at a time.

I provide a safe, non-judgemental space and environment

My name is Kerry Batten. I am a registered member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work to their Code of Ethics and Standards of Good Practice. I hold full professional indemnity insurance, an enhanced DBS check and am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.


There are times in our lives when things can become overwhelming and difficult; we might feel anxious, depressed, confused, not understood, and sometimes we may not know how to make things better.


I provide a safe, non-judgemental space and environment where we can explore your past and present experiences, your thoughts and your feelings in a way that leads to fresh perspectives, growth and improved wellbeing.


I work with individuals and with couples and other relationships, providing support to explore the patterns of relating that may be shaping experiences, both with ourselves and others. We may think together about how past and present relationships connect, and about the ways communication with ourselves and with others can become clearer over time.


I offer a chance to reflect on the difficulties or problems you are experiencing with someone from outside your day-to-day life, trained to listen and support. Together we can explore your situation in a way that leads to fresh perspectives – and perhaps a new understanding of yourself.

ARRANGE YOUR FREE CALL

What issues can counselling help with?

People come to me for help with a wide range of personal and relational difficulties. Here are a few of the more common areas people bring to counselling and relationship therapy:

Anxiety and depression

Bereavement and loss

Cancer and chronic illness

Identity issues

Life changes and transitions

Childhood trauma

Sexual abuse and sexual trauma (including childhood sexual abuse)

Post-traumatic stress and complex trauma (CPTSD)

Sleep difficulties and insomnia

Redundancy and work-related difficulties

Relationship and family difficulties

Affairs, infidelity and breaches of trust

Sex and intimacy-related concerns

Stress and burnout

Personal development, self-esteem and understanding of self

I have a particular interest and experience in working with people to understand and explore work-related stress and demands. I also specialise in women’s issues such as pregnancy, infertility, navigating life changes, menopause and female illnesses including cancer.

Types of therapy I offer:

  • Psychodynamic
  • Relational
  • Time limited

Clients I work with:

  • Young people
  • Adults
  • Older Adults
  • Couples and other relationships

How I deliver therapy:

  • Long-term face-to-face work
  • Short-term face-to-face work
  • Online therapy
  • Telephone therapy

Initial session

Choosing a counsellor can be a challenging experience. An initial session offers the opportunity to begin to get to know each other in a comfortable and confidential space. I will ask some questions about what has brought you to counselling at this time, how you are feeling, and any hopes you have for the work we will do together. This initial session lasts up to 90 minutes.


Couples and other relationships


For relationship work, my approach is to begin with an initial joint session of up to 90 minutes, followed by one individual session with each of you (50 minutes each). We then continue with fortnightly 50 minute sessions together as a couple.

Fees and payment

  • Initial individual session (up to 90 minutes): £65
  • Ongoing individual sessions (50 minutes): £55
  • Initial relationship session (up to 90 minutes): £100
  • Ongoing relationship sessions (50 minutes): £100


Sessions are paid for in advance via bank transfer.

ARRANGE YOUR FREE CALL

Availability:

  • Monday-16:00-19:00
  • Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday-09:00-19:00
  • Friday and Saturday-09:00-14:00

Location

I offer face to face sessions from a dedicated consulting room at my home in Bromham (Bedford) and online or telephone sessions nationwide. I currently see clients from Bedford, Kempston, Olney, Luton, Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas.

My professional experience is wide and varied

Following significant life changes of my own over a decade ago, I began to specialise in coaching, and self-development before qualifying as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist.

Having worked in education and school improvement, I have led organisations, large teams and individuals to achieve outstanding outcomes for children and young people.


Alongside paid work, I have had numerous non-paid roles-from volunteering with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust on their helpline for several years, to working with the Samaritans.

Qualifications:

  • Advanced Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling - The Counselling Foundation
  • Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling - The Counselling Foundation
  • Foundation Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling - The Counselling Foundation
  • Certificate in Couple and Relationships Therapy, The Grove Practice
  • Certificate in Clinical assessment - WPF London
  • 16PF Certification - OPP
  • Myers Briggs Certification - OPP
  • NLP Practitioner - Change Intelligence
  • PGCE - De Montfort University
  • BA Hons in English and Drama - Bishop Grosseteste University

Client Testimonials

"Kerry cultivated an environment of trust and acceptance, enabling me to delve into my most difficult emotions and experiences. Her unwavering support and non-judgmental approach gave me the strength to navigate this challenging journey, even during its darkest moments. Knowing I had a constant ally in Kerry empowered me to persevere through the entire process, regardless of how daunting it sometimes felt."

"I had counselling for a few months with Kerry and it was a very positive experience for me. The problems I had been going through stemmed mostly from my childhood along with other family problems that had recently been upsetting me. I now feel I am better able to cope with my circumstances and challenges. Counselling with Kerry has helped me to think more clearly, look after myself more carefully and recognise when I am struggling with historical feelings."

"I want to sincerely thank Kerry for helping to settle and centre myself in a period of absolute trauma for me. I enjoyed the relationship we built and felt able to talk openly about things. She challenged me at times to think about things differently and look deeper within myself for answers and I’ve learnt a lot about how my past has affected my present."

"I booked to see Kerry as I was finding it difficult to move on from my husband having left me after 52 years of marriage I had become an emotional wreck. I felt comfortable talking to Kerry from the start and she helped me realise that I was suffering from an emotional trauma and grief, and all my feelings were and are valid. I would certainly recommend Kerry to anyone needing therapy."

"I contacted Kerry during a low period in my life and despite being nervous making the initial call I was immediately put at ease. During our meetings Kerry helped me open up and understand my thoughts and feelings and how these have negatively impacted me. Once I had started to understand these Kerry helped me to put in place strategies to manage these moving forward. I am grateful for the help and support she gave me at a difficult time and would recommend her to anyone feeling that they need some support to move forward."

"Kerry provided a warm empathetic and safe space for me to understand and make sense of the events that had fundamentally changed me as a person. I was at a very low point with quite frankly no idea how to get myself out of this dark place. Never judging she helped me to explore and reflect on these experiences. Explaining the workings of the body and mind and exploring different coping strategies, Kerry allowed me the space to gain a new perspective allowing me to move on in a much more positive way, with a better understanding of myself. I would definitely recommend Kerry and thank her wholeheartedly"

Get in touch

Feel free to contact me via email or the ‘contact me’ section of this website to arrange an initial session. You can also call me on 07976465055 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me directly. Alternatively, I offer a free 15 minute introductory telephone or Zoom call so you can find out a bit more about counselling and the way I work.

All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential.

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