Liam McDonagh BA(Hons) DIPSW PGDip Couns CPHP Cert ED Cert Supervision BACP accreditation cert
BACP accredited counsellor
Holistic Therapeutic coach.
Therapeutic supervisor Disability inclusive/LGBTQ+ affirmative/Trauma Informed practitioner
I have 30 years’ experience working with people in various roles -social work, therapeutic mental health practitioner, voluntary sector management, advocacy and as a counsellor. I currently work as a counsellor for a specialist charity for people with learning disabilities and autism in addition to offering private counselling. I am also a qualified therapeutic supervisor.
My approach to counselling is integrative, using specialist skills to meet your unique therapeutic needs rather than a one size fits all approach. We reflect our lived experiences, not simply our behaviour, thoughts, or emotions and my counselling approach works with all of your lived experiences. I start from where you are and work in partnership with you to identify what will help the most. I have worked for many years, prior to qualifying as a counsellor, in therapeutic mental health work (adults) and therapeutic attachment based social work. (adoption).
I am a trauma informed therapist and have specific skills in attachment, abuse, and trauma. I am also skilled, experienced, and qualified in the following areas of counselling: Disability and long-term health conditions, LGBTQ+ issues, Autism, stress and anxiety, family attachment and relationships (including adoption), and grief and loss.
As a Holistic therapeutic coach, I am qualified in a range of holistic psychological therapies. I start from where you are and support you to develop awareness of how you would like to move forward. The approaches I use are effective and are backed by research, client feedback and personal use for overcoming trauma and adversity. I use a framework for coaching based on the Egan approach and integrate holistic approaches such as Meridian psychotherapy (tapping), autogenic relaxation therapy, mindfulness, guided visualization, and holistic stress management amongst others. Coaching is a partnership like counselling and is therapeutic in that it can liberate you from the burdens of your lived experiences and find new ways of being. It is more focused on goals but If you need support with issues that surface during coaching, we can work through them safely. I would always recommend that a client undertakes coaching with a qualified counsellor who is also a coach in order to provide safety and meaningful change. I am a member of the BACP coaching division.
If you need supervision as a counsellor, I am able to offer this. I have a supervision certificate from the Manchester Institute of Psychotherapy. This is a post graduate level qualification and I am able to meet the BACP requirements for offering supervision for qualified counsellors.
Counselling and coaching are charged at £65 per hour. Please book a call back with reception and I will telephone you to introduce myself. This is a chance for you to ask questions and for us both to ensure you will get the best out of counselling/coaching. I understand fully that therapy can only work if a good relationship/connection can be built and you have my commitment to making this happen.
Supervision is 1.5 hours and is charged at £75. If you would like supervision, please contact reception for a call back and we can discuss this further.