Karen Rees

Karen is a counsellor and psychotherapist working with adults who are challenged by all kinds of concerns, ranging from depression and anxiety, issues around low self-esteem, trauma and relationship difficulties. She works in private practice and as a volunteer counsellor with an organisation that specialises in supporting survivors of sexual violence and has been specifically trained to work with trauma in this context.

Karen studied to achieve a Post Graduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy and Certificate of Higher Education in Counselling skills. She is a registered member of British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy working towards her accreditation. She adheres to the BACP ethical framework for good practice, and strives to demonstrate the BACP counselling values and is commited to respecting human rights and dignity. Karen is now training to work with couples and families with the Institute of Counselling.

In her practice she aims to create a welcoming and confidential space where a person can feel comfortable to explore what is important to them albeit issues from their past; to gain some clarity about their present; to feel empowered and able to make choices about the direction of their future. She works in a relational integrative manner, and adopts an approach that combines elements from a range of counselling perspectives, including Person-Centred, Existential, Psychodynamic and Interpersonal approaches.

Karen has worked both as a teacher, and as a practitioner and a manager with a children’s charity where her main motivation was to improve the quality of relationships in families. Karen’s areas of interest are in Parenting and running parenting groups, Family Support, Advocacy, 1:1 therapeutic programmes for children and Family Group Conferencing. Through my experience of convening Family Group Conferences, she has supported families to make plans to safeguard their children from the negative impact of a number of issues which include domestic abuse, alcohol and substance misuse. Karen’s extensive experience in delivering Family Group Conferences led to a consultancy role with the Family Rights Group, where she delivered accredited Family Group Conference Coordinator training on behalf of the Family Rights Group across the country on a regular basis.

In addition to working as a therapist, Karen delivers the CPCAB Level 2 Counselling Skills Training at the Way Forward Centre, Swansea.

Qualifications

Agored Cymru – 4 Credits at Level 3 – Working in Sexual Violence Settings

PG Diploma Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy

Cert HE in Counselling Skills

PGCE Teaching Qualification

BSc Psychology and Social Policy

Continued professional development

Institute of Counselling – Couple and Family Counselling