Our Team
We have numerous counselling volunteers available, both qualified counsellors and trainee counsellors. Trainees are studying at least to Diploma level qualification in counselling and are authorised to practice and indeed must practice as counsellors in order to qualify as counsellors.
We have more than 20 counsellors, both qualified and training, available variously trained to offer the following therapeutic approaches:
Helen Mason
Helen is the Managing Director and Counsellor of both adults and children/young people.
Helen is a qualified counsellor with specialist training in:
working with children and young people, anger-management, bereavement (including bereavement by trauma, by suicide & by the death of a child), Psychology BSc., suicide & risk assessment, suicide & young people at risk, essentials of transactional analysis
When you contact Open Minds it is likely you will speak to Helen who will book you an appointment with an appropriate counsellor
E-mail: open-minds@hotmail.co.uk
Craig Sobiecki
Craig is the Head Counsellor and Counsellor of both adults and children/young people.
Craig is a qualified counsellor with specialist training in:
working with children and young people, anger-management, drugs awareness, suicide & risk assessment
Craig is also responsible for supporting students on placement at Open Minds
John Garner
John is a Counsellor of both adults and children/young people in addition to providing Hypnotherapy and remedial massage.
John is a qualified counsellor with specialist training in:
NeuroLinguistic Programming, Hypnotherapy, Remedial Massage
John provides NLP and specialises in working with those with anger-management issues, phobias and compulsive behaviours but can also provide generic counselling.
Avis Straw
Avis is the Finance Officer for Open Minds.
Avis has worked with children and young people through working with Youth Services and charities and community groups and has many years experience in finance work in the voluntary and community sector.