Amanda Hollingworth

My early childhood was spent in Switzerland; later I was educated at the Lycee Francaise de Londres in South Kensington, hence the start of my multicultural experience was early, as my friends included American, French, Cambodian, Laosian and Swiss children. I think I learnt then that not all is as it seems, or society wants us to believe it to seem. At a deeper level, we our responses to trauma are the same, however, cultural influences over lay these responses, and mould and influence how we express or repress distress.

My counselling career started whilst living in the Far East in 1980’s. As an expatriate wife with no useful function I completed a basic counselling course run by the fledgling Singapore Social Services. I then volunteered, and worked as a telephone counsellor for the Samaritans in Singapore before returning to the UK and training with Relate as a couple counsellor. I believe my time living in the Far East, and working there as a volunteer for a local charity, gave me invaluable experience, and deeper understanding, of other cultures. When I returned to the UK I again volunteered as a telephone counsellor with the Samaritans, before going on to train with Relate as a couple counsellor. It was whilst I was working for Relate that I trained as a psychosexual therapist.

After eight years with Relate I worked for a large GP practice for 12 years whilst also running a private practice treating patients at the Priory Hospital Chelmsford taking referrals from consultant psychiatrists and GP’s. The diversity of the referrals from the doctors and nurses was a steep learning curve, as I learnt to adapt my approach to the many different patients, some with complex problems.

At present I have a private practice working from my home in the beautiful Suffolk village of Kersey, where it is easy to park outside my house. I am close to Colchester, Ipswich & Bury St. Edmunds.
I work one day a week in Colchester at North & Mid-Essex Mind in their Psychosexual Clinic as a Senior Psychosexual Therapist treating clients struggling with different sexual problems, including transgender clients. I believe my training as a generic counsellor gives me better insight into the broader emotional life of the our clients. I have a particular interest in post natal depression, as after the birth of both my daughters I was a sufferer who received minimal help.
I am an Associate Therapist for the Wilderness Foundation which helps young people struggling with emotional difficulties.
I am an Associate Generic Therapist for Health Assured a employment assist programme company.