Haydn Forde

Therapist Directory Listing Category: Psychotherapists and Counsellors

About the Therapist

About the therapist:

I was born in Trinidad and Tobago and from an early age through platonic play, I began to explore my queer identity (without realising it), both by myself and via the games with close childhood friends. Later in adolescence, while there was a profound internal "knowing" of my emerging identity around same gender attraction, externally it was very challenging to negotiate this emergence in the homophobic context of Trinidad and Tobago society of the 70s and 80s. However I eventually found my "tribe" and we supported each other through the joys of community and the deep scars of both external and internalised homophobia. These important friendships have weathered the decades to this very day. Having been extremely active in the "Trinidad theatre scene" I came to the UK to audition at Drama Schools and trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After graduating in 1991 and having worked professionally in various settings, I decided to stop acting in 1999, as I was keen to develop my life in other ways. I worked for the Terrence Higgins Trust's THTDirect Helpline and the taste of offering phone-based therapeutic support led to me to undertake at least four major therapy trainings over the next two decades (see below). Alongside this journey, I also gained significant experience working therapeutically within the Queer Community: Dramatherapy workshops with - "Wise Thoughts", self described as "a pioneering LGBTQI+ BAME Arts Charity based in Haringey "Loving Men +" which "was set up in 2003 to support queer men to cultivate satisfying and fulfilling inter-personal relationships". I facilitated several Dramatherapy based group workshops at their annual Loving Men at New Year events. I was also fortunate to work with and learn from Dennis Carney, who set up "The Black Connection" at PACE which was "London's leading charity promoting the mental health and emotional well-being of the LGBT community". The Black Connection was a monthly group specifically for Black Queer Men. During my counselling Training at Re-vision, my placements included "London Friend" at King's Cross and "The Metro" based in Greenwich - both LGBTQ+ settings. These were conscious choices as I was keen to gain experience working therapeutically for a community which I was a part of. The lasting legacy of this work is that currently, approximately 70% of my private practice comprises of clients who identify as Queer.

Sexual identity:

Gay
Queer

Gender identity: Non-binary

Gender history: Not as assigned at birth

Non-monogamy: Yes

Intersex: No

Neurodivergent: No

Personal pronouns: he/him/they

Qualifications - Links to websites:

BACP - British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Find a Therapist (psychotherapy.org.uk)

BADth :: Find a therapist

https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/haydn-forde

www.indigo-counselling.com

Qualifications - Additional:

Award	Awarding body	Year of award
Diploma of Associateship in Professional Acting Degree of Bachelor of Arts	Guildhall School of Music and Drama	1991 2001
MA Dramatherapy (Sesame)	Central School of Speech and Drama	2006
Dip Integrative Psychosynthesis Counselling Dip, Integrative Transpersonal Psychotherapy	Re-Vision	2015 2020
Dip Gender Sex and Relationship Diversity	Pink Therapy	Ongoing

Experience and approach:

Professional Qualifications/Experience - Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Dramatherapist, Supervisor I initially obtained my BA Hons Acting (GSMD); this led to an MA Dramatherapy (Sesame), HCPC registration, an Advanced Diploma in Creative Arts Supervision; Dip, Integrative Psychosynthesis Counselling and Integrative Transpersonal Psychotherapy - both from Re-vision. I am BACP registered and a Full UKCP member, With qualified clinical experience since 2006 - I've facilitated both individual and group Dramatherapy for patients on the acute wards at the Maudsley Hospital and for those accessing the outpatient services. I also have extensive experience working in both Mainstream Education and Schools which specialise in Neurodiversity for Roundabout Dramatherapy. At the Awareness Centre, I worked as a counsellor on their low-cost counselling service and within NHS settings providing time-limited counselling for patients accessing the IAPT service. Alongside my private practice, I currently work as a Dramatherapist in acute adult psychiatry for the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. Publication RIVER: CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AS A TRINIDADIAN DRAMATHERAPIST WITH AN EVOLVING PRACTICE IN THE UK https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02630672.2009.9689773 Personal Approach as a Therapist 'There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you' - Maya Angelou I draw on Gestalt, Jungian and Psychodynamic approaches and work with the healing potential of the therapeutic relationship. We can look at your unique story and explore how patterns set up in the past might manifest in the present and if necessary we can explore spiritual perspectives alongside grounded therapeutic skills. My past experience as a Dramatherapist means that I can also offer creative interventions, through Myth/Story, Improvisation and Movement. As a therapist living in Southwark and of African Caribbean heritage, I can also work with themes of race, culture, sexual identity, difference and diversity as it might be relevant to your individual story and within the therapeutic relationship. I have worked with clients who have experienced difficulties with :

Stress
Relationship difficulties
Panic Attacks
Anxiety
Bereavement
Sexuality
Gender identity
Redundancy
Living with HIV
Abuse
Depression
Addiction
Racism
Bullying

I'm also in the process of pursuing a Diploma in Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) Therapy from Pink Therapy. This is "A year-long specialist training course exclusively for qualified mental health professionals focusing on working with therapy clients of diverse genders, sexualities, identities, relationships, lifestyles and practices. This can form part of psychotherapy training – the missing link for mental health professionals working with LGBTQIA+ clients" - Davies, D. (2024) "Pink therapy Diploma in Gender, Sex and Relationship Diversity", Available at: https://pinktherapy.org/diploma/ (Accessed: 4 August 2024)

Approaches: