Frances Kandler-Singer

I have appointments available Monday - Friday 8am - 8pm

Weekends by separate arrangement 

Motivational & holistic strategies are key components in my approach. 

 I bring a creative, positive, person-centred & practical approach to my work building up confidence, communication & problem-solving skills. I am adaptable & flexible.

My knowledge & experience extends across creativity, spirituality, health & well-being.

I have a Masters’ Degree in Psychotherapy & Healing as well as a Foundation in Dance, Voice & Movement Therapy. I am a life-long yoga practitioner & train with the European School of Tai Chi Chuan. 

I believe that health, well-being & success is based on a deep awareness of the self along with a joyful connection to life. My aim in counselling is to help my client connect with their fundamental creative core & to know who they are & what they enjoy doing.

 I have worked in the field of creativity & emotional health & well-being for over 30 years with various client groups ranging from early years to postgraduate, from school & university student to older adults in school, community & health settings.

What motivates me?

As a survivor of the mental health system, I am driven by curiosity and wonder about the human condition in all its manifestations from great joy to deep sadness; from inspirational creativity to terrifying destruction. Sharing people's journeys is a great privilege as well as a responsibility. My work is regulated, updated & supported by a network of qualified professionals including supervisors, other counsellors & a range of training organisations.

How my approach to therapy can help

I create a safe space in which shared trust and mutual respect lay the foundations for a constructive working relationship. Creating this safety gives rise to the potential for reflecting on your issues in a less threatening way and of refreshing difficult situations with new perspectives & interpretations, returning to daily life with renewed hope and  recharged energy.

What do I bring to the table?

My own life journey has been both challenging and inspiring. I have evolved over time and explored different options. I encourage people to find what it is that motivates them and to look at what stops them fulfilling their goals; what is making them unhappy and what is holding them back? I seek to tap into their creative core and to help realise who they are in a holistic sense. 

What to expect in your first few sessions:

These are some background questions I explore when I begin looking for therapeutic resolutions:

What are your triggers and how do you manage them? These can be difficulties that arise and challenge your certainty about life giving rise to anxiety, depression and other negative states? 

How do you process loss and embrace transition? In other words how do you adjust & move on from disruptions or unexpected events, what do you find difficult to let go of, how do you react to change?

What do you do to nourish your spirit & soul? For instance, how do you integrate Nature into your daily life and replenish depleted resources often manifesting as burn-out, short fuse, anger and emotional tension?

Who are you at this stage in your life? Where have you come from and where are you going? What are your hopes and aspirations? Counselling can give you the confidence to explore identity, cultural roots, gender and sexuality and to question the assumptions of others or challenge self-limiting views that may hold you back.

Training sessions are available Monday to Friday and weekends by arrangement during the day & in the evening.

I believe that health, well-being & success is based on a deep awareness of the self along with a joyful connection to life. My aim in training is to enable clients to connect with their fundamental creative core & to know who they are, what inspires & motivates them; this enhances confidence, communication, resilience & relationships.

I have worked in the field of creativity & emotional health & well-being for over 30 years with various client groups ranging from early years to postgraduate, from school & university student to older adults in school, community & health settings.

My knowledge extends across creativity, spirituality, health & well-being. I bring a creative, positive, person-centred & practical approach to my work building up confidence, communication & problem-solving skills. I am adaptable & flexible. Motivational & holistic strategies are key components in my approach.

As a practising artist, my training courses are mainly experiential taking participants through a reflective process that results in the production of a map, diagram, collage or variations & combinations of these elements.

For example, I have on offer ‘My Life in Five Objects’ & ‘What Shape is My River’ as a 2 hour taster, a half day workshop or a short course over several weeks.

Both are examples of engaging in a reflective process; looking on life as a revelatory journey & as a series of choices; looking at the ups & downs of experience & circumstance; considering how to navigate these &/or apply them optimally.

I also deliver CBT- based self-management and career planning coaching.

Clients are encouraged to focus on their goals & to reflect on both their obstacles & achievements. Each session involves some form of assessment & evaluation covering what participants both expect & experience & what concerns they may have &, when appropriate, stating clear ground rules on working & sharing sensitive & personal information with others.

 Feedback is also an essential element & provides an invaluable source for my ongoing development as well as encouraging participants to critique powerfully & positively. 

BACP Ethical Framework underpins all aspects of these exploratory investigations & experiential processes.