DONCASTER RELATIONSHIP/COUPLES/MARRIAGE COUNSELLING. SEXUAL ISSUES/ PORN AND SEXUALLY COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS COUNSELLING SERVICE

Why choose me, Steve Keegan as a starting point for Counselling?

I am qualified to Post Graduate Diploma level both as a Relationship/Marriage Counsellor and specialist Psychosexual Therapist with several years experience to date working at Relate, the NHS Substance Misuse team and in private practice.

I also hold a Diploma in Drug and Alcohol Counselling and I am qualified to deliver Behavioural Couples Therapy as recognised in NICE Guidelines and used within the NHS to address drug and alcohol problems within relationships. I am a practitioner in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) which is very effective in treating anxiety and depression.

I have attended many courses in addition to my University qualifications to further my knowledge and expertise which enable me to offer a very high level of practice to my clients and I continue to complete on-going professional development to further improve my knowledge and development.

My style of counselling

My aim within counselling sessions is to help you understand yourself and assist you to work through some of the personal and complex problems you face. Problems that you cannot always resolve through discussion with your partner, friends or family. My style of counselling incorporates CBT, Systemic and Psychodynamic theories.

Within my couple/individual counselling sessions, I work with individuals or couples to explore relationship issues including; communication problems, past relationship difficulties affecting the present; trust and jealousy issues; parenting problems; work difficulties; grief; childhood sexual abuse; loss and affairs.

I also offer a structured program of therapy to treat porn and sex addiction.

I also offer Bereavement Counselling which after all is closely linked to bereavement and the relationships with the loved one and the complications associated with death, grief and mourning.  I am a qualified Bereavement Counsellor with a CRUSE Bereavement qualification which I gained after studying for a four month period in 2009.

Bereavement Counselling: £45 per session.

I am based in Cusworth, Doncaster. South Yorkshire.

MENTAL HEALTH & ITS EFFECTS ON A RELATIONSHIP: I understand having worked for the Community Mental Health Team for a decade with the NHS in Doncaster and also having delivered counselling to many clients experiencing mental health problems in East Yorkshire through a Relate contract the huge impact it can have on a persons ability to function effectively and communicate within a relationship. I have also undertaken a range of continuos professional development courses to keep my practice up to date in the complex field of mental health.

I am a Associate Member of The College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists(COSRT) which is the professional body in the UK for Relationship Therapists and Psychosexual Therapists..

Below is information to help you decide on the right therapy for yourself but please contact me to discuss your specific issues.

Couples/Individual Counselling

Fees: £45per session for individuals
Fees: £60 per session for couples.

Fees are payable by bank transfer.

The issues that I address within couple counselling sessions relating to clients relationships can be extremely varied. Below are some of the issues that we look at within sessions:

Arguments
Commitment to the relationship.
Communication difficulties
Sexual disagreements
Trust and jealousy issues
Affairs and betrayal
Problems with parenting
Feelings of loss and despair when the children leave home
Trauma
Abuse
Domestic Violence ( Discreet appointments can be arranged )
Low self esteem
Separation and divorce
Bereavement
Depression
Loss of identity
Problems with sexuality
Issues with step families
Retirement concerns
Work related problems
Adapting to chronic illness and disability
Past relationship issues that are affecting the present one.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive. Please feel free to contact me regarding any concerns that you may have within your relationship.

Sexual/Porn Addiction

Fees: £60 per session.
Assessment and formulation one off fee: £80

Sexual addiction, as with any addiction, is a pattern of behaviour that preoccupies an individual, affecting both their physical and their psychological wellbeing. The individual experiences himself/herself as out of control and unable to stop his/her behaviour despite negative consequences. Examples of this might be:

Spending too much time on the pursuit
Stress and depression
Denial of there actually being a problem
Loss of interest in hobbies or social life
Feelings of anxiety and irritability if unable to engage in the behaviour
Engaging in the harmful behaviour
Spending more money than you can afford to.
The behaviour taking precedence over personal relationships and work commitments
Having to lie to family, friends and colleagues about whereabouts and finances
Concealing the amount of money spent on funding a problematic behaviour.
Stealing money or borrowing money, but having difficulty repaying the debt.
Here are some questions that you may want to think about:

Why did the behaviour develop?

When did the behaviour start and what was going on at the time?

What stressors and problems are you trying to avoid?

People who are addicted to sex are found in every social class, every religion, and every profession. Sexual addiction can take many forms:

Having little control over the use of internet pornography

Consistent use of internet chat lines

Having numerous one-night stands

Using prostitutes on a regular basis

Exhibitionist behaviour

Feeling compelled to take part in sexual encounters, e.g. dogging.

Sex addiction is similar to other addictions such, for example, drugs or alcohol, in that the behaviour is used to manage painful feelings. People with addiction issues can often identify a pattern or a cycle that they get into. Once emotional pain is triggered; this may be sadness, anger, fear, shame, frustration, core loneliness, etc, the person distances and disassociates himself/herself from the emotion and moves into a trance-like state where he/she pursues the sexual behaviour.

At this stage there is no awareness of negative consequences, and there may be a sense of euphoria at the thought of the sexual behaviour. The sexual behaviour is acted out and can be, but not necessarily, followed by feelings of guilt or shame. The cycle starts again when emotional pain is triggered.

In treating addictive behaviour, it is important to understand the triggers, because this is where the cycle can be broken. It can also be useful to explore the roots of the behaviour in family background. This can give an understanding of the emotional triggers which can start the cycle.

My Experience

NHS

I worked for the NHS in Doncaster for ten years until 2014 as a Senior Drugs/Alcohol Practitioner working with patients using a range of psychological and psychosocial interventions to address various issues including;

Illegal drug use
Legal high use
Alcohol abuse
Relationship problems
Anxiety
Depression
Self esteem
Bereavement

Relate

I worked at Relate for eight years until 2015 practicing as am Individual/Couples Counsellor and as a specialist Psychosexual Therapist. Within this role I worked with a range of clients who presented with relationship issues or complex sexual problems that required specialist knowledge and training in the psychosexual field. I also focused on delivering a Primary Care contract for two years in which I dealt with G.P referrals for patients that presented mainly with anxiety and depression issues. I have recently left Relate to focus on developing my own counselling business working from my home office in Cusworth, Doncaster.

Training, qualifications & experience

Professional Qualifications

I am a qualified Couples Counsellor with an Advanced Diploma from Hull University and a qualified Relationship and Psychosexual Therapist with a Post Graduate Diploma from Hull University.

I also hold a Diploma in Drug and Alcohol Counselling and a Certificate in Health and Social Care from the Open University.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Communication Skills using Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) (Public Health)

Stalking and Harrassment, How to provide an effective response to victims (CAADA Accredited)

Domestic Violence and Same Sex Relationships (NHS)

Certificate in the Management of Drug Misuse (Part 1/ The Royal College of Practitioners)

Advanced Drugs Awareness (Level 3/OCN)

Counselling skills for Drug and Alcohol Workers (Level 3/OCN)

Safeguarding Children (Level 3) (RDASH)

Safeguarding Children/Supervisors Training (APT) NHS

Providing Good Clinical Supervision Training (APT) NHS

Adult Survivors of Sexual abuse (Relate)

Domestic Violence and abuse: Assessment and Intervention (Relate)

Mental Health and Couple Counselling (Relate)

Certificate in Bereavement Counselling (Cruse)

Certificate in Sudden and Traumatic Death (Cruse)

Certificate of Attendance.  Erectile Dysfunction. Performance and Pitfalls

Counselling with a Sexual Focus (Relate)

Working Systemically with Individuals and Couples (Including Men and affairs) (Relate)

Sexuality after illness and disability (Relate)

Depressive Conditions: Working with the impact on relationships and family networks (Relate)

Understanding Rape and Sexual Violence (South Yorkshire Police)

Sexual Addiction and Couples (Relate)

Working with suicidal clients ( Relate)

Working with clients who self harm ( Relate)

Integrating a non medical view of sexual problems in clinical practice (PIPS Conference)

Use of Transactional Analysis concepts in resolving couple difficulties ( Relate)

Thinking about sex, arousal and aging ( Relate)

Equality and Diversity ( NHS)

Safeguarding Adults (NHS)

Domestice Abuse- Identification and Prevention/Safeguarding Children (NHS)

Transgender Awareness (NHS)

Behavioral Couples Therapy ( APT) NHS

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Post Traumatic stress Disorder (APT) NHS

Motivational Interviewing and the stages of change (APT) NHS

Data Protection Training (Relate)
Date Protection Training ( DMBC)
Understanding and Treating Sexual Compulsive Behaviours. (Relate)
Working with Partners of Sex Addicts (Relate)

Professional Membership

I am a Associate  member of the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT)

Professional Insurance

As a professional therapist, I am fully insured by a Professional Liability Insurance policy.