Finder

Specialises in

• Counselling

• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Psychotherapy

About me

Mark Howkins, BA Hons, MA, MSc (Psychotherapy), a UKCP-Accredited, BACP-Registered counsellor/therapist.

I have 10 years and 5,000 client hours of post-qualification experience, gained variously from private practice, third sector organizations and working within the NHS.

PLEASE NOTE, for practical reasons I'm currently providing ON-LINE COUNSELLING ONLY, though I would add that since 2016 I've trained and built up substantial experience using Teams and similar on-line platforms. I don't regard this as an inferior mode of therapy – rather, in being time-effective and flexible in a modern world, it is an inclusive and levelling form of psychological support, entirely consistent with the original aim in the 1950s of reaching as many people in need as possible. I offer all clients a free one-hour session that would not count as part of a BUPA allocation and leaves them with the choice between working with me online or continuing to search for the right counsellor and the right approach – a very worthwhile search, as I see it.

The clients I support present with a wide range of conditions, from those recently arising within work or social environments to deep-seated problems related to historical abuse. As well as working with depression, anxiety, eating disorder, self-harm, phobias, low self-esteem, anger, conflicted relationships, etc., I have undertaken many long-term interventions with clients and patients whose lives have become dominated by complex PTSD. Much of my work has been with survivors of severe trauma. I work with enduring mental health problems, including personality disorders, psychoses and addictions, and with developmental disorders like autism. I also support clients struggling with ME/CFS etc. who often need to manage pain more effectively.

Although trained in, and still heavily influenced by, the Person-Centred tradition in counselling, I also draw upon a range of other psychotherapeutic approaches, including CBT, EMDR, Mindfulness, Existential Therapy and basic Neuroscience. I see individuals, couples and family groups, young people as well as adults.

I see myself as a committed professional, with high ethical standards and a caring, open approach to clients. Responses to my work from fellow professionals and, most importantly, clients themselves are very positive and reflect the beneficial changes I have helped people make in their lives.

Areas of interest

Individuals; couples; groups; adults; young people; mental health problems; emotional problems; depression; anxiety; stress; phobias; ME/CFS; OCDs; addictions; anger control; stable psychoses; self-harm; eating disorders; self-esteem; trauma; sexual abuse/trauma; probation and prison work; work with interpreters; pre-trial therapy.

Specialist interests and expertise in the following physical conditions

• Pain management