What is your approach?
The Reach Approach is a unique model, which we describe as integrative, holistic and person specific. Not only do we ‘integrate’ the major psychological theories and approaches within our work but we also integrate seemingly unrelated disciplines, which in fact do impact on wellbeing. These include: hydrotherapy, diet and nutrition, metaphysics, epigenetics, orthomolecular medicine, neuroscience and neurotheology, to name a few.
By ‘holistic’ we mean that we work within a coherent mind-body-spirit-environment model, which recognizes that unless the needs of the individual are addressed in all four of these areas, then health, happiness and wholeness cannot be sustainably achieved.
What we mean by ‘person-specific’ is that although we have a very clear model and approach, we always adapt it to the individual taking the journey. In other words we are not fixed as our model is very flexible and fluid – because we know one size does not fit all.
How much do you charge?
Our organisation was conceived on the basis of ‘principle before profit’ and that philosophy has never waned. Even though we’ve enjoyed great expansion we continue to have a ‘conscience driven’ approach, which means we put the value of the person ahead of financial gain.
Costs vary around the country, reflecting regional variations in the cost of living. The hourly rate on average is between £40 and £75, subject to which part of the UK you are in. Telephone, email or Skyping consultations are generally less, at between £35 and £60. Again, there are regional variations.
To put the hourly rates into context, it’s important to state that it costs us approximately £25 an hour to run the practice. This reflects all the usual running costs of an organisation in addition to the hundreds of hours of work that go into the development of our vast library of resources, most of which we are not remunerated for.
That said, we are not fixed around costings and over the years have had individuals who pay us significantly more than the average because they can afford it and respect our principle before profit philosophy, recognising that their contribution supports those who are unable to afford the average rate – we have equally seen many clients who have paid us less than the figures illustrated above.
It is best to determine exact costings with the therapist in your initial discussions.
How long does therapy take?
This has become quite a contentious issue in the world of counselling and psychotherapy because increasingly there has been a movement towards shorter therapy. And although there is some good clinical evidence that short-term intervention can work with some clients in some situations, there is also plenty of evidence that there are some clients who need something more longer term.
We don’t believe in timescales. Experience has taught us that two people can come into therapy, looking for a resolution for their anxiety, and one individual may find their solution in 6–12 weeks and another could take 6-12 months. There are many reasons for this, not least of all the levels of application – some clients and individuals obsessively do the work offered by us and these individuals inevitably get quicker/better results, reaching their objectives sometimes even beyond their expectations.
In addition, we do not believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach because the life-events that have led to one individual’s problem may require greater sensitivity, time and empathy to achieve the desired results. So we do not work to a timetable. We will of course review progress at regular intervals but we’re not driven by the clock.
Finally, it is important to say that it is contact hours that should be measured when discussing how long one has been in therapy, not whether it has been weeks, months or years. Someone who may have been in therapy for a year, attending weekly has literally only had two days of therapy, assuming they went for 48 sessions during that time. It is inaccurate to say that you’ve had years of therapy because it’s how much time you’ve actually spent with the therapist that is the measure of how much therapy you’ve had. The time in between is your opportunity to process your discoveries and learning and put what has been recommended into practice – this will have a significant bearing on the outcome.
Do you work with specific issues?
Yes, most people come with an issue, although they often discover that the presenting problem is not necessarily the problem at all. It is often the symptom. That said, here are examples of some of the issues that we work with:
Anger, depression, anorexia, bulimia, domestic violence, severe mental health issues, conflict resolution, issues of immigration and aslyum, panic attacks, anxiety, abuse, phobias, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, self-harm, confidence building, health issues.
This is not an exhaustive list. When you first make contact, let us know what the problem is and we’ll let you know if we can help. It is unlikely, given the depth and breadth of our expertise, that we can’t help, but should that be the case, given the network and contacts we have, we’ll direct you to the best source(s).
We work on a one-to-one basis as well as with couples, children and families.
We also work with groups of various kinds. Much of what we do is bespoke and is designed to meet the specific needs of those we’re working with. These include:
Personal development groups, training groups, issue focused groups e.g. overcoming anxiety, cultural awareness, managing anger, raising confidence etc.
All groups are conducted with small numbers (usually not more than 8). This is because we have found, with the nature of the concerns we work with, smaller numbers ensure the necessary level of intimacy to make them effective. With some of the training groups we may have as many as 10 participants.
What are your qualifications?
All our therapists are qualified to at least diploma and post-graduate diploma level or equivalent. Many also have in addition, degrees or higher degrees in counselling, psychology, psychotherapy and other related subjects.
More importantly, our practitioners are accredited by the relevant governing bodies, which in the UK are BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) and NCP (National Council of Psychotherapists), CMA (Complementary Medical Association).
As we have practitioners with a wide array of disciplines, many of our therapists have additional qualifications and experience in: nutrition, supervision, management, project management, hypnotherapy, naturopathy, coaching and a host of other relevant subjects.
Where are you geographically?
Our headquarters is in the West Midlands (UK) and the majority of our associates are in the Midlands area. However, over the last decade our reputation has spread around the country and so we have satellites in London, Devon, Cornwall, Cardiff and Edinburgh and this list is growing all the time.
It is because of the growing demand for what we offer that we have begun a Reach Associates Programme (RAP) – formerly known as the Reach Franchise Scheme, which is increasing our accessibility for face to face work around the UK.
As we’ve already indicated, we also offer telephone, Skyping and email consultations and in this regard we are already UK wide. In fact, we have developing initiatives in many parts of the United States, Canada, many parts of Africa and Europe, as well as New Zealand and Australia. With the launch of the Reach Associates Programme, these overseas contacts have already doubled and will undoubtedly continue to flourish.
How can I train with you?
Those who have at least a diploma in counselling and/or psychotherapy (or equivalent) can apply to the assistant director and course co-ordinator (Jo Kilburn) at: info@thereachapproach.co.uk. In the first instance we would want a brief personal bio and a summary of your background, qualifications and experience. Successful applicants will be invited for an interview.
Those who meet the criteria will be invited to begin the course (see the: training syllabus) and pursue our Postgraduate Certificate and/or Diploma in Holistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (HIP). We also run a Postgraduate Certificate in Coaching (Coaching Plus) for individuals for whom this option is preferable.
Those who successfully complete the postgraduate certificate courses will be eligible to become associates of Reach. By becoming Reach associates practitioners are able to operate under our banner, with all the many benefits that brings. Here is a summary of the benefits.
For clarity it should be said that those who successfully graduate are not required to become associates of Reach and can take and use their qualification as they wish.
To ensure that our high ethical standards are maintained, all those who do become associates of Reach will be required to have supervision with a senior practitioner/partner within Reach.
Can you recommend any books?
Yes we can. We would like to qualify our answer by saying that we don’t believe any one book will provide you with all your answers but there are certainly some books that can help you further down that road of discovery, subject to what it is that you are looking for. And for that reason, we have a recommended reading section on the website. Please take a look for yourself. We’re sure you’ll find something that meets your needs. Also your therapist will make relevant and appropriate suggestions as you undertake your journey.
Do you have any self-help resources?
We believe in ’empowerment through education’ and so have developed a psycho-educational approach supported by a plethora of audio-visual and written resources, which have been produced over the last 35 years and continue to be added to monthly. The backbone of our model is our resources.
We do not believe that people can find sustainable solutions without adequate education and practical resources that they can use in their lives. And for this reason, we have invested heavily in terms of time, energy and money to produce hundreds of resources that we are pleased to say have positively impacted on tens of thousands of lives right across the world.
Please see our YouTube channel, the Resources page and our Gift Shop for examples of our work.
Confidentiality
As all our therapists are members or accredited members of one of the aforementioned governing bodies, we are all bound to very clear and specific codes of conduct. Clients can be assured that their issues and concerns will be discussed and explored in the strictest of confidence. If you have any questions or concerns about this you can discuss them with your therapist at any point. Also see: Our Privacy Notice
Making Contact
If you look on our Contact Us page, you’ll see our general enquiries number (0121 769 0321) which should be your first point of contact. You can also contact a member of the senior management team whose details are on that page. Please only contact one member of the team, otherwise it can cause confusion. Whoever you do contact will ensure they address your needs in a satisfactory way. Alternatively you can contact one of the partners on the same page.
Finally….
What we do isn’t magic but it is magical
We do not make false promises. You will see with great regularity our use of the word ‘work’, which implies effort. If you are to achieve a sustainable position, where there is peace, confidence and clarity, then you will have to put the effort in for this to be the case.
It is not enough to read books, attend workshops and even to see a therapist because these things by themselves will not bring personal transformation. It’s what you do in practice that’s going to make the difference. Intentions alone count for very little on the path of personal transformation. So we don’t offer magic here, but what we do offer is magical!
You will have to play your part in order to have that experience. As you can see, we provide literally hundreds of resources in different formats to help, so it will be down to you to get out of this what you want.
Without playing your part you’ll achieve very little on this path, as you can only get out what you put in. Therapy can’t be ‘done’ to you, it’s a collaboration and a process which requires honesty, courage and most of all application. It is our experience that those who do the work always reach their desired destination.
Knowledge + application = personal power. This equation is the secret to your success.