Mark O’Connell Dipl POP (Zurich/RSPOPUK) Dipl FT (Plymouth University) Dipl AA (Family Futures Consortium)
I specialise in process oriented psychology with children and families and work on the Essex / Suffolk Border near Manningtree, which is accessible from East Anglia and London.
I am qualified Process Oriented Psychologist (UKCP registered) offering psychotherapy sessions for adults, children, families, parents and couples, as well as various group workshops for the public and for professionals for their development. At present it is possible to book sessions but only on Fridays as I also work full-time for the NHS as a Senior Practitioner and Child & Family Worker.
My main training is in Process Oriented Psychology an awareness based psychotherapy, and i also complement this work with good understanding of attachment based / neurological approaches, and traumawork.
In therapy sessions I work with respect to who you are, and your life experiences, and where your growth and development is trying to emerge. As Process Workers we are trained to carefully follow the client’s process, and that is a central ethic to the work. Sessions can be light or deep, meaningful, joyful, fun, fast, slow, meditative, verbal, moving, involve movement, involve no movement… it depends uniquely on you! Often we will be working on things which are disturbing or important to you in your life, and to find the flow of your path through those things.
Process Oriented Psychology also known as Process Work was developed by Dr Arnold Mindell who is strongly influenced by the life work of C.G. Jung, Quantum Physics, and Taoism. He developed the idea of Dreambody work which presupposed that dreaming and dreaming patterns exist not only in our night-time dreams, but are also mirrored in our bodily experiences such as symptoms. This early Dreambody theory has now expanded to a very comprehensive approach emphasizing bringing a differentiated awareness to processes or feedback in the unique ways in which they present. Process work is an awareness-based approach that can be applied to working with children and families through accurately tracking and unfolding information in both intentional and unintentional communication and behavioural signals.
Please email me at popmoc@googlemail.com or you can ring and I will return your call at 01206 230425
Adoption & Fostering – information for contracting Social Services or Local Authorities
I am very interested to offer my services for therapeutic packages for children, adolescents and families in the field of adoption and fostering. I have a great deal of experience and training in this area, having been practising over 17 years as a therapist with a great deal of work in residential children’s home, and more recently working as a senior practitioner with a South Essex CAMHS service. I also have two transnationally adopted daughters.
I recently trained with Family Futures Consortium over two years in London, and am familiar with the wide range and complex issues involved for children who are adopted. My practice is creative and uses many methods aligning themselves to the needs of the client. I have a very wide spectrum approach including play/creative therapies, attunement facilitation, relational work between child/carer, life story work, facilitating the complexities around contact relationships, group/family work, grounding and nature-based approaches to wellbeing, meditational techniques for improved regulation. My focus is on the overall wellbeing of the child within the surrounding family and system within which they live. I can happily provide a Curriculum Vitae to show the breadth of my experience and practice.
I can offer in-depth assessments, but I am particularly interested in developing and delivering packages of support towards deepening the resilience, wellbeing and sustainability of the lives of children and parents involved in fostering and adoption.
As I run my own very small private business (The Apricot Centre for Sustainable Living – CIC) I am able to offer highly competitive packages of support, and I am aware of and committed to the importance of liasing and communicating with yours (and other services where appropriate consent is given). I have met many Social Workers who struggle with receiving very little feedback concerning work done with their children and families.
I would be most happy to come and meet with your or your team if you have the beginnings of an interest in what I can offer.
Best regards,
Mark O’Connell –
Dip Process Oriented Psychology (Research Society for POP Zurich 1996)
Dip Family Systems Therapy (Plymouth University 1994)
Dip Adopton & Attachment (Family Futures Consortium 2010)
Process Oriented Psychology was developed by Dr Arnold Mindell and uses ‘field’, dreaming and Taoist nature –based approaches in engaging with children and family difficulties.
