Bath Talking Therapies

About Counselling

Erika Wiesenmueller-Potter, MA, Dipl Counselling, MBACP (Accred.)


I am a fully qualified counsellor and accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, MBACP (Accred.).

I offer long-term open-ended psychotherapeutic counselling as well as short-term solution focused counselling for individuals over 18 in a small, friendly private practice. The practice is located in Central Bath, close to Laura Place.


Qualifications and Interests

I hold a first degree (1982), an MA (1990), and a Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling (2004). I work from a psycho-dynamic and humanistic-integrative perspective. Over recent years I have broadened my perspectives and also developed a special interest in Brief Dynamic Psychotherapy and in the Neurosciences. I am particularly interested in the therapeutic effects of corrective emotional experiences in human development and the emotional brain and incorporate some of the latest research findings into my understanding and work with clients.


Professional Experience

I have worked in counselling for eight years and my range of counselling experience includes working in Higher Education, in General Practice (GP Surgery) and in Private Practice since January 2003.

In addition to seeing clients in my private practice I also work as a student counsellor at the Bath University Student Counselling Service.

To further the profession and training of counselling and psychotherapy I served for three years(2005-2008)as a Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling.

Areas of counselling

I deal with life-transitions, relationship problems and personal issues, self-esteem, depression, loss and bereavement, anxiety, anger and anger management, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, stress and work related issues.


Fees

Individual sessions are usually weekly, at the same time and day, last 50 minutes, and I charge £35-40. Some places with concessionary rates are available and can be negotiated for people in full-time education or on low incomes.


How may counselling help?

People usually come to counselling because they feel stuck, because they are in a crisis, because they cannot solve painful relationship issues or dissatisfying situations in their lives, or they may suffer from recurring problems like anxiety, stress, depressive states, obsessive behaviours, low self-esteem and many more.

By talking about their issues and being met with a warm, empathic, non-judgemental attitude, clients will usually get in touch with buried feelings and develop a better and clearer understanding of their issues.

This type of counselling is usually felt to be supporting and can, over time, enable clients to move on to live more positively. Clients are likely to end up with a better understanding of their past, more compassion for themselves and others in their life, and an ability to be more in touch with a whole range of feelings, including the difficult ones they used to avoid.

Through these internal changes clients often find to their surprise, that by making small adjustments in their behaviour, by paying attention to their feelings, their thoughts and needs, by attributing dissatisfaction or failure in their life more realistically, they can achieve lasting, positive and creative transformations in their lives.