Counselling Qualifications, Experience and Professional Bodies

Andrea Sheehy is qualified and experienced, having worked as a professionally supervised counsellor for over 19 years. The organisations that she has worked for impose a vigorous selection process.

She has undertaken both relationship and personal development work, and is also committed to ongoing training to maintain and extend her existing skills.

She has regular professional supervision to ensure that she is working within the level of her competence and to enhance the quality of the service she provides.

CC Relate

Certificate in Marital and Couple Counselling Theory and Practice. Further training with Relate includes:

• Domestic violence (working with the couple)
• Mental health (couple counselling)
• Counselling within a GP surgery

Certificate in working with Sex, Sexuality and Psychosexual problems (2007)

Foundation Certificate in Transactional Analysis (2004-2005)

The major focus of this one-year part-time course (twenty days of training) was on providing an in-depth awareness of TA and its applications in counselling and other interpersonal fields within the helping professions. As well as considering the major theories of TA and their applications, it also included practical, experiential and skills-development work.

Andrea has also attained the "Official TA 101". This qualification is recognised by the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) and the European Association for Transactional Analysis (EATA) as their standard approved introduction to TA.

She is now in advanced clinical training as a Transactional Analysis psychotherapist.

Dip: Caring Services (Health & Social Care)

Distinction Level. Course content included:

• Psychological Perspectives of Behaviour
• Sociological Perspectives of Behaviour 
• Health education
• Social Policy &Administration
• Caring strategies
• Human growth & development
• Thesis- Counselling in the Community

YMCA

• 1992: young persons counselling course (YMCA)

RSA

• 1991: counselling skills course

Other Training

• Introduction to Solution Focused Counselling (brief therapy)

Andrea has nineteen years experience as a counsellor.

She worked for four years as a young person's counsellor before joining Relate. She spent ten years at Relate, and enjoyed working with couples so much she has specialised in relationship counselling ever since.

She has also worked on a national help line for four years.

As an individual member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy she is bound by it's ethical framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and subject to it's professional Conduct Procedure therein.

Andrea is a member of the Institute of Transactional Analysis, working in accordance with their Code of Practice, and subject to their Complaints Procedure.

Andrea is a member of the European Association of Transactional Analysis, working in accordance with their Code of Practice, and subject to their Complaints Procedure.

Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care

Earlier in 2012, Andrea was awarded the BACP Certificate of Proficiency during a pilot testing scheme, which was trialled by a sample group of eligible BACP qualified counsellors. This means that Andrea is now an early member of the UK's national regulatory body, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). Andrea is proud to be part of this voluntary register.