Bernadette Bampfylde

Hello, and welcome to my profile. My name is Bernadette, and I am a fully qualified UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) accredited psychotherapist, with a Diploma and MA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. I offer individual psychotherapy for adults in Bath. Please feel free to contact me to arrange an initial session.

Whatever your wound or life struggles, I aim to provide a safe, consistent, confidential, space where you can explore and reflect on your current circumstances or past issues at a comfortable pace. I intend to offer you a healing experience, but I am also passionate about helping you grow and develop in new ways.

I endeavour to offer an empathetic, non-judgmental acceptance and an honest approach to our work together where you can feel valued, respected, and validated. I intend to treat you with the sensitivity, compassion, and understanding needed to facilitate your trust in the process. 

We all face challenges and difficulties at times in our lives. You may feel like you are completely lost and disconnected from yourself, and this might feel too overwhelming to bear alone. Maybe your past is holding you back and you have realised that something needs to change. Perhaps you are going through a crisis and need support to help you cope, or you may wish to explore some aspect of your experience more deeply. Whatever the reason, seeking therapy is a courageous and positive choice to make.

Psychotherapy can help you develop deeper awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behaviour. It can strengthen your connection with yourself and help you understand how you relate to others. Within a supportive and trusting therapeutic relationship, you can explore the past, gain insight into the present, and take greater control of your future. While this process may sometimes feel challenging or painful, learning more about yourself can also be enlightening and rewarding. Psychotherapy can offer a fresh perspective, helping you find the clarity and serenity needed for meaningful change.

How I work:

• I currently offer both short-term and long-term psychotherapy.
• I work face-to-face, online on Zoom or over the telephone.
• I offer weekly 50-minute sessions. 
• I work Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 9p.m. in a peaceful and quiet location, South of Bath (BA2 2QU). I also work in central Bath (BA1 2BN) on Mondays and Tuesdays between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• My current fee is £60.

Approaching psychotherapy for the first time can feel like a daunting prospect, and for psychotherapy to be helpful, it is important that you feel comfortable with me. I therefore offer an initial introductory session, giving us the opportunity to decide whether we would like to continue working together. During this session, we can discuss how we might work, your reasons for seeking therapy, what you hope to gain from the process, and any questions you may have about psychotherapy or about me.

I work warmly and collaboratively, placing you at the heart of the therapeutic process. As an integrative therapist, I draw on a range of therapeutic approaches, combining theories and techniques in a way that best supports your individual needs and circumstances.

I place great importance on a therapeutic relationship built on trust, respect, and openness. Together, we can explore both the dynamics between us and the ways you relate to others in your life. This relational and collaborative approach can help you develop new ways of connecting, become less defensive, and relate to others more openly and authentically.

About me:

I am a fully qualified, UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) accredited psychotherapist, membership number 2011166680. I am also a member of the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling (BCPC). My clinical work is regularly supervised by a UKCP practitioner. Furthermore, I am bound by and fully adhere to the BCPC and UKCP codes of ethics and good practice guidelines, which are available on both organisations’ websites.

As part of my commitment to ongoing personal and professional development, I regularly undertake CPD, including further reading and participation in workshops, conferences, and training programmes.

I believe psychotherapy should respect and honour each person’s values, beliefs, and perspectives, while recognising that individuals vary widely in terms of ethnicity, social class, culture, sexuality, and gender identity. I aim to acknowledge and engage fully with your beliefs and unique identity. With over eight years of clinical practice, I have supported people of many ages, cultures, and backgrounds through a wide range of life challenges. Some of the areas I have experienced working with include:

• Abuse 
• Addiction
• Anxiety 
• Depression 
• Stress 
• Low self-esteem 
• Neurodiversity 
• Trauma  
• Disordered eating 
• Dissociative states 
• Personality disorders 
• Loneliness and isolation 
• Loss and grief 
• Fertility and menopausal struggles
• Mid-life transition 
• Sexual and relationship issues 
• Sexuality and gender identity 
• Career-related issues 
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 
• Shame and guilt 
• Self-harm, and suicidal ideation

Alongside my psychotherapy training, I have volunteered as a counsellor specialising in addiction and substance misuse, and as a befriender at a carers’ centre, supporting parents and carers of adults and children with additional needs, disabilities, and long-term medical conditions. I have also worked for many years with children and young adults in education, where I have had training and experience with neurodiversity, including autism and ADHD. I also hold an Advanced Certificate in Neurodiversity-Informed Practice and welcome and affirm all neurotypes in my work.

I am enthusiastic about my work and feel privileged to accompany individuals on their journey towards positive change, growth, and empowerment.

• Bachelor of Education in Biology with QTS. University of the West of England, 1998.
• Foundation in Psychotherapy & Counselling. Bath Centre for Psychotherapy & Counselling, 2016.
• Master of Arts and Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. Middlesex University in collaboration with Bath Centre for Psychotherapy & Counselling, 2024.

Individual: I offer weekly 50-minute Psychotherapy sessions. £60