Dave Searle - Sessions in Hove, Brighton & Hove, East Sussex

Therapist Directory Listing Category: Psychotherapists and Counsellors

About the Therapist

About the therapist:

Hello, I'm Dave, thanks for visiting my profile. I am cisgender gay man and my pronouns are he/him. I positively identify as a gay man and have had lived experience of feeling loved and accepted for who I am, and that I belong, and the opposite experiences of feeling isolated, alienated, alone and not accepted. I am passionate about diversity and inclusivity and have first hand knowledge of how living a non-heteronormative life can impact mental health, relationships and quality of life. Everyone is unique, complex and has difficulties in their life.

In my work with LGBTQ+ clients, I have worked with clients struggling with their mental health, their relationship with their partner, the boundaries of their open relationship, their use of chems / chemsex, sexual desire, sexual performance issues, loneliness, loss, bereavement, relationship with family, coming out, deciding whether or not to have children, dealing with discrimination and phobia, trying to meet a committed partner, self image and self esteem issues as well as many other issues.

Whether you have a specific issue, a life event that has had a big impact on you, or a more general sense of not feeling 'ok', counselling can help. I am a warm, compassionate and friendly therapist offering a judgement free and safe space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings.

I understand that making the decision to start or re-start counselling can be a difficult one and finding the right therapist for you is critical to its success.Whether you have a specific issue, a life event that has had a big impact on you, or a more general sense of not feeling 'ok', counselling with me can help.

Sexual identity:

Gender identity: Male

Gender history: As assigned at birth

Non-monogamy: No

Intersex: No

Neurodivergent: No

Personal pronouns: He/Him

Qualifications - Links to websites:

I am a member of BACP which is the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy, a professional association for members of the counselling professions in the UK. This is important as I am bound by both their Ethical Framework and Professional Conduct Procedure which centre on ensuring I work professionally, safely and ethically with my clients. BACP Profile: https://www.bacp.co.uk/therapists/384387/dave-searle

I currently offer sessions in-person in Hove, Brighton & Hove, East Sussex (covering BN1, BN2, BN3), online (Zoom) or by telephone. For more information about me, my experience and FAQs please visit www.davesearlecounselling.com - you can also message or email me with any questions or to book an initial session.

Qualifications - Additional:

Award	Awarding body	Year of award

Experience and approach:

I have experience working with adults of all ages, backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations.

I am a qualified integrative therapeutic counsellor. An integrative approach brings together different elements / approaches to therapy which best fit you and your therapeutic needs as the client, rather than one fixed approach for everyone.

My integrative approach puts the relationship between counsellor and client at the forefront of the work. As well as talking about what is going on for you in the present day, we might explore your past and/or what is happening on a subconscious level, in order to enable you to understand yourself and your feelings better.

I won't tell you what to do or give you advice but I will support you in exploring what will help you to, for example, change how you think, relate more effectively to others or think more positively about yourself. Counselling is about working together to help facilitate growth and change for you. My role is to help you find the answers for yourself. In a session we will talk about whatever you bring, and explore what is going on for you. In addition to my integrative training, I am a sight loss counsellor, accredited by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and a BACP accredited Person-Centre Experiential Counselling for Depression practitioner - which I incorporate into my integrative approach as appropriate. I have previously worked as a a counsellor and assessor for mental health charity Mind, as a student counsellor at London Metropolitan University and on the helpline for Stonewall.

Approaches: