Markwick Counselling & Veronique Briant

Markwick Counselling offers couple counselling, relationship therapy and individual therapy to adults all over the UK via Zoom and phone.

Veronique Briant MBACP (Accred) provides a warm and encouraging environment for clients to reflect on their current situation - what brings them to therapy - and consider where they would like to be in their future. Along the way there are opportunities for practical goals; building self-awareness and recognising unhelpful patterns. Veronique’s specialism is relationship therapy - both individuals and couples. She is a registered psychotherapist with AXA Health Private Insurance. Her accredited status with the BACP signifies a further level of experience, development, integrity and knowledge.

Why have counselling?

You do not necessarily need be in distress to benefit from counselling. Many clients choose to have counselling to consider various life options, transitions and sometimes just to 'tune-up.'  On the other hand, for whatever reason, you may have reached a critical point in your life where you would benefit from a safe space to talk through what's happening. You set your own goals and regular reviews ensure that the sessions are providing what you want. Clients start the journey of self-discovery - identifying what is important to address and research options for a happier future.

Specialisms

• Relationships, communication and family issues

• Couples: staying together / considering separation

• Issues surrounding partnership, family, roles, affairs & infidelity

• Career stress and work: change, redundancy, work/life balance

• Mid-life questions: empty nesting, menopause, retirement and finance

• Addictions, ACOA (adult children of alcoholics/addicts) coping behaviours, self-harm and codependency

• Isolation, intimacy, communities and beliefs - identity and roles - creating a sense of self

• Anxiety, depression and stress

• Support surrounding change and transition; coping with change

• Short term/solution-focussed work via private health insurance and EAP organisations

• Clinical supervision for both trainee students, newly qualified and experienced counsellors

Please click on the tab ‘FAQ’ (Frequently Asked Questions’) at the top of this page for more information about therapy, the process and what to expect.

Online Therapy

Many clients have enjoyed the flexibility of working online. They can access their sessions from their home or confidential space, and whether they are local, or further afield, no travelling is required. I currently see clients from all over the UK on Zoom.

In order to offer the best possible experience, I have completed an advanced level of online and e-training that meets the 2021 BACP and ACTO competence framework requirements for practitioners who wish to work with clients via online/e-counselling.

For online counselling, I send a Zoom link (which becomes your personal, permanent link for access) and you can attend your session by simply clicking on the link. For couples, I ask that you both join the session from seperate devices in order that you can see each other face-on and this format works really well. For sessions conducted by phone, I call you from a dedicated landline for the duration of your session.

The First Session

Ahead of the first session I will send you a registration form and contract / terms doc. The contract, which we both sign, outlines the nature of confidentiality; my fees & cancellation policy; information relating to my insurance, together with reference and a link to the BACP Ethical Framework.

Sometimes we will have had a conversation by phone too to discuss your needs and any questions you may have. 

During the first session I will check your details from your registration form and take a brief history of your background, current health and what you're looking to achieve. This session is your opportunity to outline what's been happening and the issues you might want to address. You may also want to set some goals for therapy. Often in the first session we will do some work together which will give you an idea of how a therapy session feels and what can be achieved.

Online counselling - privacy notice

For online sessions, I use the online platform, Zoom, which has connectors for encryption built in. Please see: ‘The Facts Around Zoom and Encryption for Meetings/Webinars’. When engaging via video conferencing, we both agree not to use any recording devices and ensure that each venue is private, ensuring confidentiality.

When sessions are conducted by phone I call you from a dedicated landline for the duration of your session. Please let me know if you need me to withhold my number for our sessions together.

Using a phone network and 3rd party provider for online sessions means very occasionally there may be disruption to the service, due to unforeseen circumstances. If any disruption occurs, I will aim to re-connect with you immediately by mobile, text or email to continue and complete your counselling session. Please also consider the speed of your own internet connection and available privacy for your sessions.