What’s it like to be on clinical placement at The Awareness Centre? Here’s what some of our placement therapists have to say
Having a placement at The Awareness Centre gave me a great opportunity to develop professionally and at the same time to grow as a person.
A clinical placement at The Awareness Centre is not for the faint hearted! However, if you wish to embark on an exciting journey to develop your skills, knowledge and experience, this is the place for you. Just six weeks in and I am up and running with a full case load; the range of clients and presenting issues provide a wealth of learning opportunities to hone your skills and gain confidence in your creative abilities as a counsellor / therapist. Weekly group supervision with Michaela McCarthy is equally challenging and rewarding. In an atmosphere of dynamic and intellectual case discussion, Michaela’s authentic guidance, coupled with a no-holds-barred approach ensures valuable support and learning. This is enhanced by the multi-disciplinary backgrounds and therapeutic modalities of the members in the group. As a newly qualified Integrative Psychotherapist I can truthfully say that this placement has exceeded all of my hopes and expectations as I consolidate my learning and prepare myself for the next stage of my career path.
I am completing my MSc in counselling and psychotherapy and have been on placement for 18 months. Being at TAC, has given me a combination of an excellent support structure and access to rich, varied and complex client work. Not only has the placement provided me with long term client work, but also an opportunity to work with the renowned psychotherapist Michaela McCarthy as my supervisor. The learning gained in supervision has ranged from how to implement good practise management to an exploration of deep counter-transferential work and the implications this holds for client work.
I am currently into my first two months of my new placement at TAC. It is a safe place with a warm ethos for people who are looking for long term therapy with either low cost clients or NHS clients. I am working with low cost clients and have found the structure, venue, and other therapists superb.
I was offered a placement at The Awareness Centre, Clapham, having heard excellent reports. This has definitely proved to be the right choice for me. Here I have the opportunity to work with both short-term clients within the NHS setting and more long-term within the ‘Low Cost’ service they offer. The learning here is second to none and has enabled me to grow and develop my therapeutic skills within a safe and supportive environment. TAC provides excellent supervision, (you cant beat Michaela… she is the best!!) help and support. The staff and team are knowledgeable and encouraging. I personally find the whole placement process to be a careful balance of professionalism, growth and personal autonomy. I would highly recommend TAC for your Psychotherapy placement.
I have found my clinical placement at The Awareness Centre to be invaluable. What a great opportunity to gain such professional experience! I have dealt with long and short term clients from
a variety of backgrounds with a wide range of issues. This has helped me developed counselling skills and knowledge. The weekly group supervision sessions with other therapists from different
theoretical orientations are insightful and are enriching my training. Michaela is inspiring and very supportive. Her warmth, authenticity and sense of humour create a relaxing atmosphere that
allows me to share my concerns freely and get the help and learnings I need to grow as a person and as a therapist.
Working on placement at The Awareness Centre’s Low Cost Counselling Service and also in the NHS at a GP’s surgery doing short term work has given me fantastic experience. I have worked with a wide range of clients on a variety of issues which has enhanced my clinical practice and has proven to be an invaluable learning opportunity. The two hour group supervision sessions are a great way to receive support and also have given me an insight into the different therapeutic approaches of my peers.
I have been supervised by Kelly Garrett who is understanding and comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience. I am developing my understanding of transference and countertransference within the therapeutic relationship. The standard of supervision at TAC is excellent
I have been working on a counselling placement within the NHS counselling service at The Awareness Centre (TAC) for the past 7 months. There are plenty of interesting and diverse client referrals and it has be a unique experience for me in my develop as a practitioner. Working in a GP surgery has enabled me to learn the IAPTus system and work as part of a clinical team. I would highly recommend TAC to anyone who is looking for a placement as it is a very energetic, structured and competent training environment to support you in accumulating your clinical hours.
Kelly Garrett provides excellent supervision. Her intuitive nature is able to quickly hone in on the key issues, and her direct communication style allows for productive exploration. There is always a firm theoretical underpinning to Kelly’s interventions, as well as a holding, experienced view regarding ethical and risk considerations. Kelly also takes into account what may be going on personally for the counsellor that may be impacting work with clients; when appropriate, she encourages sharing and processing personal material so that counsellors are better positioned to keep this out of the counselling room. Such ‘whole individual’ supervision also allows for a closer connection among Kelly’s group participants.
