07709 059801
ABOUT ELLIE
My name is Ellie Finch and I’m a qualified and experienced counsellor.
I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of East London. Being an Integrative counsellor means that I tailor the approach I use depending on your individual needs and I work alongside you on your journey in a non-judgemental and compassionate way.
I'm an Accredited Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists and am bound by their code of ethics.
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I started my counselling career at ChildLine in 2009. I qualified as a social worker at masters level with the Tavistock Clinic in 2012 with a focus on child and adolescent mental health, working with children, young people, parents and families. I then gained my post-graduate qualification as a counsellor and psychotherapist in 2015. I have worked as a counsellor in schools, a young people's counselling service and a women’s centre. I currently work for Relate as a couple and family counsellor as well as running my own private practice working with children, young people, parents and families.
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I have developed an innovative online service engaging children in counselling through video games, such as Minecraft. I provide consultancy and training to professionals and organisations who wish to use video games within their own practice. I'm currently being supported by the University of Cambridge Judge Business School to create a social enterprise to train other practitioners to use video games therapeutically.
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I have years of training and experience but I am always learning; I learn from my clients all the time and endeavour to always be conscientious, empathic and honest in my work.
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I am committed to providing an anti-discriminatory and equal opportunities service to all people regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or disability. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make my service more accessible to you.
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND REGISTRATIONS AND TRAINING
I strongly believe it is important that potential clients understand what my qualifications and registrations involved so that you can make an informed decision about working with me. So, here’s some information about my qualifications, experience, registrations and training.
Counselling Training and Registration
ACCREDITED REGISTERED MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF COUNSELLORS AND PSYCHOTHERAPISTS (BACP)
I'm an Accredited Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and am bound by their code of ethics. The BACP have three membership levels: Member, Accredited Member and Senior Accredited Member. To become a member you have to have completed an accredited BACP training but you can have just started out in practice. To become an Accredited Member of the BACP, I had to have been in practice for more than three years, completed 450 hours of supervised practice over three to six years, with at least 150 of these after completing my practitioner training and been supervised for at least 1.5 hours a month throughout this period. I had to demonstrate high standards of training, competence and experience, as well as personal awareness and understanding of how the way I work helps my clients. I also had to have completed and graduated from a BACP accredited course, or professional counselling or psychotherapy training that included at least 450 hours of tutor contact hours, over two years (part-time), included a supervised placement as an integral part of the training, covered theory, skills, professional issues and personal development, required an assessment of my competence at the end. For more information about the BACP’s accreditation process go here.
Online Therapy Training and Registration
PROFESSIONAL MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNSELLING AND THERAPY ONLINE (ACTO)
I am also a Professional Member of the Association of Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO). To be a Professional Member of ACTO, I completed 120 hours of training in working online and via telephone with an ACTO Online Training Provider and was externally assessed in my competence to work online. You can find out more about the ACTO Membership levels here.
Social Work Training and Registration
REGISTERED MEMBER OF SOCIAL WORK ENGLAND
I am a registered member of Social Work England which regulates social workers in England. I abide by their professional standards and complete continuing professional development (CPD) each year to maintain my registration. To become a Social Worker I completed a 2 year Masters training where I wrote my dissertation on Engaging Children and Young People in Online Mental Health Services.
2013-2015
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN INTEGRATIVE COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
University of East London
Training Placements:
Place2Be - School Counsellor, London
Women's Centre, London
2010-2012
MASTERS IN SOCIAL WORK
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and University of East London
Masters Dissertation on engaging young people in online mental health services
Training placements:
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and Adolescent Service at the The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
Camden Multi-Agency Liaison Team (MALT)
Stars in the Sky - Dating Agency for Adults with Learning Difficulties (as featured in the Channel 4 TV series 'The Undateables')
2005-2008
BA (HONS) SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY
University of Cambridge
2020-2021
ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN ONLINE AND TELEPHONE COUNSELLING
Counselling Tutor (accredited by ACTO - Association for Counselling and Therapy Online)
This is an 120 hour course which meets the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) core competences that practitioners need to have to work online and over the phone with clients
2012-2014
ADVOCATE, CASE WORKER AND COORDINATOR OF VOLUNTEERS
The Children's Society, New Londoners Project working with young, destitute asylum seekers
2009-2010
CHILDLINE - PHONE AND ONLINE CHAT COUNSELLOR
ChildLine, London
2021-2022
RELATE CERTIFICATE IN FAMILY COUNSELLING
12 training days over 12 months as well as a supervised placement within a Relate Centre
2020-2021
COUPLES THERAPY TRAINING
12 day training over 6 months with The Centre for Relational Couples Therapy
2020
DEVELOPING SKILLS IN COUPLES WORK
Tavistock Relationships Summer School
2020
YOUTH GAMBLING AND GAMING AWARENESS EDUCATION PROGRAMME
The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM)
2020
GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT TRAINING
Cruse and Winston's Wish
2020
REFLECTIVE PARENTING - INCREASING MENTALIZING IN THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP
Anna Freud Centre
2020
THE IMPACT OF COMPLEX MEDICAL CONDITIONS & SERIOUS ILLNESS ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE & THEIR FAMILIES
Naomi Moore, The Sunflower Network
2020
ONLINE HARMS & ONLINE SAFEGUARDING
Cath Knibbs, The Sunflower Network
2020
QUALIFIED PROREAL FACILITATOR
ProReal