Better Help for LGBT Couples - Nationwide Counselling
Is there Better Help for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Mixed-sexuality couple relationships seeking counselling support? Or do British LGBT/QIA+ couples & groups have to make do with general, local counsellors? Right here is something much more suitable, bespoke and accessible for OUR same-sex, queer, intimate couple relationships. Let's discuss getting better help for our most intimate partnerships in the hands of a British-based specialist. A real-life, LGBT-relationship counsellor!Better Help for LGBT/QIA+ Couples
If the primary goal of LGBT Couple Counselling (that’s us!) is to help gay men, lesbian women, bisexual people, and those in mixed-sexuality relationships, what kind of help must be in place that’s better for LGBTQ couples and groups than a simple generalised counselling service? Something much more effective.
This distinct couples counselling service is for your distinct partnership. It’s not a one-size-fits-all service. There are no instructions that, if you follow to the letter, promises to cure your relationship conflicts for you.
This is a better counselling that develops a bespoke approach alongside you. Many of my clients respond better to an alliance than to a manualised approach. This helps because the therapy becomes designed around your relationship’s distinct conflicts and relationship struggles. You take away something valuable and you won’t go through this process alone. I will there with you every session, helping to transform triggers and arguments into helpful knowledge.
Taking Things One Step at a Time
An overview of how LGBT relationship counselling works, starts with encouraging curiosity…
- Curiosity (initiated through Counselling)… leading to → New Information.
- New Information… leading towards → New Options.
- New Options… leading towards → Negotiating / Making New Choices.
- New Choices… leading towards → Transforming the Relationship (through informed empowerment).
- Transformation Underway… the partners are developing affective behaviours that address relationship conflicts (and may choose to leave counselling).
Curiosity allows us to discover new knowledge. New information provides us (and our partners) with new possibilities, which leads to us making some new (or newer) relationship decisions. When new decisions are made, the behaviour of the partnership can begin to change. When the partners' relationship is much more under their own management (again), they will recognise it's time to leave counselling.
Better Couple Therapy via a Systemic Approach
Let’s look at the core of what’s on offer via LGBTCoupleCounselling.co.uk :-
- Your Counsellor – Dean Richardson MNCPS (Accred/Reg) – has over 25 years counselling experience.
- Dean has qualifications in Family Systems therapy (which helps us to understand where a relationship is going wrong) and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (which helps us to understand some of the glitches a person may develop).
- Dean has practiced Video Counselling long before others added it to their portfolio during “Lockdown” (17 years in fact).
- Dean is an actual gay couple counsellor (think about it!)
- Dean specialises in counselling for gay men, lesbian women, bisexual, asexual and mixed-sexuality partnerships.
Spot any distinguishing features, yet, that make this a better service for your relationship’s distinct needs?
BONUS: this is not only better help than more generalised counselling services (charitable, commercial or private) in the UK offer. Couples using this process actually continue their own therapy after they leave counselling. They establish their independence from the counsellor and eliminate expectations of needing future “top up” sessions (as if they’d somehow run out).
Better Video Counselling Reaching you UK Wide
A common assumption is that “in-person” counselling is better than video counselling.
OK – let’s think about this.
Perhaps it’s the unfamiliarity with video conference technology like Zoom or Skype.
A long time ago, people considered in-person conversations far better than telephone calls. After all, on the telephone, you can’t see the person you’re talking with! People had to discover how the new technology helped better than the previous ways.
Nowadays, you can reach the better couple counselling for your distinct relationship without having to leave home, or when you and your partner are in different locations.
Modern Day Telecounselling
In the modern age, video counselling – especially in the hands of someone with years of experience – can make remote therapy a breeze. You have the same theoretical frameworks (which inform the therapist) in place. You’re all able to talk to each other in real-time. We use equipment that most people have nowadays (Laptops, Smartphones, home broadband connection).
For many LGBT+ couples and groups, Zoom and Skype video counselling offers much better help and experience than travelling to their counsellor’s office once a week.
Physical Office Location
When counselling at a counsellor's physical location or office:-
- You leave home half-an-hour (?) early.
- You drive to the area, find a parking space, pay for parking, leave the car & walk to the consultation room.
- You wait in the waiting room (or outside locked gates) until the appointment time.
- You work for 50 minutes.
- Finally, you leave the counsellor's office to make the journey back home.
Real-time Video Conferencing
When counselling using real-time video technology:
- You sit in front of your computers (tablets or smartphones) around 5 minutes before the appointment time.
- When the session begins, your video kicks in and the counsellor appears.
- You work for 50 minutes.
- At the end, you put the kettle on 👍🏻.
Is Britain-Based Better than Abroad?
Some non-British counselling services want your business.
You’re reading those adverts on Facebook & Google. The service looks interesting, but there’s something a little disconcerting that you can’t quite put your finger upon.
- Could it be the spelling errors? (“Counselor” instead of “Counsellor”)
- Could it be the phrases used to describe counselors (sic) that seem unfamiliar to a British audience? (“Licensed Counselor” – which isn’t a phrase UK counsellors use).
The adverts seems to suggest they will offer you a form of better help than others closer to home.
Whatever it is that’s not sitting right with you, ask yourself: is this a service from a Counsellor who is registered in Great Britain? Is it a counsellor who specialises in the relationship needs of LGBT relationships? Is this a counsellor who has been working over Internet Video for nearly two decades and has over two decades expertise in counselling.
If your answer is: YES … you’re probably already looking at this website! 👍🏻
Warning about non-British Online Therapy Services
The Internet makes accessing people living in different parts of the world very easy.
It also makes online services easily accessible.
This means that some commercial therapy services – particularly those located outside of Great Britain – are in the market for your business.
Some of these organisations are not being transparent about where they’re located, nor who the counsellors they provide are located… and they’re not located in the UK.
Educate yourself.
Read my article: “How to spot Online Counselling Services from Abroad”.
*LGBTCoupleCounselling.co.uk is not affiliated with the commercial, USA-centric “BetterHelp.com“ Online Therapy Service (nor any associated organisations including: “BetterHelp UK”).
About Dean Richardson MNCPS (Accred/Reg)
You could choose any couple / group counsellor…
Given that this will be the most intimate and vulnerable you could feel alongside your partner(s), you would want a skilled professional whose experience and specialism you could trust; whose focus would be upon your distinct relationship. Your couple, throuple or group relationship will be in good hands with Dean. He works from Great Britain, is Independent of "box 'em/shift 'em" therapy services, and identifies as a gay couple counsellor. He's also easily payable in pounds sterling! Dean already had an impressive 17 years actual video "webcam" experience - way before the first British emergency began (when suddenly many counsellors added a Video option to their portfolio, having not practised so previously! 🤔).
What makes Dean Distinct
- Dean is sensitive and effective to your sexuality / gender-identity and intimate ways of relating to each other. You'll discover quickly that Dean is an informed member of your own community.
- Dean demonstrates adept skills with lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, fluid, mixed sexuality and same-or-mixed gender relationships having over 25 years' experience as a counsellor.
- Dean avoids taking a the role of "all-knowing expert" (whether requested or projected onto him by the clients). "Experts" tell you what to do, do not learn very well from others, and struggle to adapt to new situations. A couple counsellor must be curious, adaptive, and ask questions from a "not knowing" position so that the relationship in counselling benefits from re-examination.
- Dean speaks plain English (and can swear like a virtuoso if you like, or not at all if you prefer). He works cooperatively with your relationship (no unnecessary silence, or just "hmms...").
- Dean was originally accredited by his first professional body 15 years ago; he is now an accredited registrant with The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society. Accreditation is a valued recognition of a counsellor's substantial experience. Dean is also a member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Union of Great Britain.
- Dean is a British Counsellor working from the South of England. Unlike other counselling services operating from abroad Dean is registered, accredited, insured & supervised from within England (not from abroad).
If any of this resonates with you and your partner(s), you should probably meet with the Gay Relationship Counsellor: Dean Richardson MNCPS (Accred/Reg) via Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp and other secure, reliable video conferencing media.
Dean focuses on LGBT/QIA+ relationships as a specialty in therapy. He works with individuals, couples and small groups. Plus, he's qualified to a postgraduate level (Chichester PG Diploma in Psychodynamic / Systemic Couple Counselling, IGA National Foundation in Group Counselling), and works as a private practice counsellor employing 25+ years experience*.
(*Very Important: not all counsellors have such specific skills for working with couples nor groups. Those who are initially trained to use common "Individual" Counselling skills have no experience in working therapeutically with relationships. Such counsellors may try, perhaps out of misplaced goodwill, to employ "individual" techniques (multiplied by 2) but the couple or group will find that the approach is ineffective. Simply put: it's the wrong approach; your relationship is not part of the counsellor's primary theoretical framework. Remember always to ask your potential counsellor: "what qualifies you to work with our relationship?" and trust your instincts based on what you hear.
Further information to inform you…
Throuple Counselling – LGBTQ+ trio relationships
LGBT Relationship Counselling – Adult Gay, Diverse & Queer Partnerships
Online Video Therapy for Gay Relationships in Real-time
Sex Counselling for LGBT Couple Relationships
Counselling vs Coaching for LGBT Relationships
Therapy Services for Happier LGBTQ+ Relationships
Got a Question about LGBT/QIA+ Counselling?
Come and ask... whatever question you have about couple and/or group counselling for gay, lesbian, bisexual, aromatic, asexual and mixed-orientation relationships you might have, get in touch today to discuss your needs…
Private Counselling Services Designed for the LGBTQ+ Community. Available Exclusively to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, ASexual, ARomantic, Mixed & Queer Couples, and Established Polyamorous Groups - serving the UK Nationwide over Zoom & Skype, plus locations in and around central Havant, Petersfield to Waterlooville, Cosham to Portsmouth & Southsea, Southampton to Chichester, Fareham to Gosport, Hayling Island, Emsworth, Westbourne, Rowland's Castle, stretching westwards to Bournemouth, eastwards towards Brighton & Hove and northwards towards Liverpool, Manchester and Hull. For local residents anywhere in between, across the whole UK, and regularly further afield abroad!