About Me
Welcome, and thank you for visiting my counselling website
People often comment on my clarity of thought and ability to get to the nub of an issue. I can often find the right word to capture a feeling or emotion - which is immensely helpful in my work.
I have a strong sense of fairness, honesty and transparency. I have tried to represent those values in my dealings with other people. I have attempted not to mislead or exaggerate in my descriptions, and I use straightforward, everyday language whenever possible.
I have had the good fortune to travel extensively through Europe and North America, which gives me a broader perspective on people and their differences. A belief that cooperation and shared values are more effective than setting people against one another or telling them what's wrong with them.
I am married with two adult children, one of whom has learning difficulties and is autistic.
My Background
I have been a counsellor since 1980; I also had a career in Insurance, starting in 1966. I have worked for Insurance Brokers, Lloyd's Brokers and Insurance Companies in London, the (English) Home Counties and Scotland, eventually rising to a senior position with a medium-sized Insurance Company. The first 15 years as a counsellor ran parallel with my Insurance career, and I believe I was the only person to be a Chartered Insurer and a Senior Accredited Counsellor simultaneously! I have significant commercial, business and counselling experience.
My Training
My first Counselling Training, in 1980, was with Scottish Marriage Guidance, and I continued to work as a volunteer for them for 14 years while also running a Private Practice in counselling.
In 1985 I embarked upon the first Person-Centred Diploma training course in the UK. Staff on this course included Prof. Dave Mearns (University of Strathclyde) and Prof. Brian Thorne (University of East Anglia), and Elke Lambers (Stirling University). All have international reputations - although they are all now retired. In 1994 I completed a post-diploma certificate in Clinical Supervision of Counsellors in Glasgow with PCT Britain. I was also an Assessor of Accreditation for the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) for five years.
Current Positions
In addition to my private practice, I am a Partner in Counselling Workshops and Training LLP, which concentrates on the fields of training counsellors to work with couples and autism.
I was a Board Member of PCE (Person Centred and Experiential) Europe and Honorary Treasurer until July 2023. PCE Europe contains 34 member organisations and and Individual members, throughout Europe.
Published
My website, www.allanturner.co.uk, has an international reputation for being the world's first Person-centred website. Many experienced counsellors say that this website was an early source of reference material for them when they were studying.
My most recent publication is a chapter in the Sage book "Client Issues in Counselling and Psychotherapy", where I discuss Trauma and PTSD from a Person-centred theoretical perspective.
Video Castings
I have been interviewed and presented work on Online Events (www.onlinevents.co.uk) on five occasions.
Conference Presentations
I have presented at national and international counselling conferences in Britain, Europe and the United States on the subjects of couples and autism.
Membership
I have been a founder member or office holder of various counselling Associations over more than 40 years in the counselling profession:
- Taynet Counselling Group. Founder member.
- Person-centred Therapy Scotland. Founder and Honorary member. I have returned to the Coordinating group from 2024.
- British Association for the Person-centred Approach (BAPCA). (Now known as the Person-centred Association). Past Chair and Treasurer.
- Member of the Association for the Development of the Person-Centered* Approach (ADPCA - USA).
- Member of the World Association for Person-Centered* and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counselling (WAPCEPC). - Now changing it's name to PCE Europe. Founder member and past Chair of their Independent election committee.
- (* American English spelling.)
- Member of the Employee Assistance Programmes Association (EAPA) and have served on their complaints committee.
- Treasure and Board Member of PCE Europe from 2018 till 2023.
Get in touch
Please get in touch with me if you have any questions about how counselling works or to arrange an initial appointment. This enables us to discuss why you are considering coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on
if calling from the UK, 07968 321 898 and +44 7968 321 898 from other countries. If you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to talk to you about any questions before we set up an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services. Find out more by reading my Privacy Policy.
© Allan Turner
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