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About Me

Emma Thatcher
B.A (Hons), M.A, HCPC, UKCP, BAAT.

Registered Art Therapist  (Health Care Professions Council: reg. no. AS16754).
BAAT (British Association of Art Therapists) registered.
Registered Integrative Psychotherapist (UKCP: reg no. 2011184884. Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy College).
IATE registered. 
MA in Arts Psychotherapy from the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education (Distinction).

Approach

I work in an Integrative way; this means I use ideas from different therapeutic frameworks depending on individual need.
This includes:

  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - how our past, unconscious processes and repeating relational patterns impact us.

  • Humanistic (Person-Centred and Gestalt influenced) Psychotherapy - our experience and self-actualisation in the ‘here-and-now’.

  • I believe questions of purpose, freedom, meaning, and how we manage life-stages are also important and am happy to explore clients’ existential and spiritual needs if desired.

  • In a session, art, imagery and metaphor support these frameworks.

My style is empathetic and warm, with an awareness of how identity and social context impact experience. The social model of disability, intersectionality and reflective anti-oppressive practice around issues of difference inform my work. My therapy is supportive of LGBTQ+ issues and alternative relationship styles. 

Experience

I currently work in private practice, seeing a small number of clients.
I also have several years of experience as an honorary arts psychotherapist in the NHS, in inpatient and outpatient services, seeing both individuals and groups. I also have worked in a community mental health setting, working as an art therapist in a women's counselling service and as an honorary counsellor for MIND.

I have experience working with a range of issues, from common life issues, through depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse and experiences of psychosis and unstable mood.

I have a previous background in photography, arts and heritage, the charity sector and user-led mental health.

I am accredited with the HCPC and follow their standards of ethics and confidentiality and have regular supervision with an HCPC registered supervisor. I am fully insured, registered with the ICO and in-compliance with GDPR.

Issues I can work with include

  • Abuse, Anxiety, Attachment disorder, Bereavement, Bullying, Career, Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, Creative Blocks, Cultural Differences, Depression, Disabilities, Discrimination, Domestic violence, Emotional abuse, Family issues, Feeling sad, Gender Identity, LGBTQ Issues, Life Changes, Life Goals, Loneliness, Low self-confidence, Low self-esteem, Panic Attacks, Passive aggressive behaviour, Personality disorders, Physical abuse, Redundancy, Relationship problems, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Separation and divorce, Sex problems , Sexual abuse, Sexuality, Spirituality, Stress, Trauma, Work-related stress.