Florence Akehurst

I am married, a mother of three children, all now young adults, and, thanks to both my personal and professional experiences, I am bilingual and have a deep awareness of different cultures, having lived in four different countries, including nine years in England and the US, the former being my adopted country by marriage.

 

My life has provided me with multiple opportunities to broaden and develop my horizons, knowledge and activities.

Following my initial medical and secretarial training, I worked as a bi-lingual managerial assistant for a number of years in the energy and banking sectors, before deciding to refocus my activities towards special educational needs for children with disabilities, working in Brussels and London. This change of direction was strongly personally motivated by formative experiences I had when young.

During my later years living in Paris and London, I chose to strengthen my knowledge of the English language and culture by studying English, Linguistics and English History at ESSEC Business School, London University and in Paris.

Returning to France 12 years ago, I initially worked for a charity for the homeless, before taking the decision to focus my work and training on the family, couples and young people. I work with an organisation which provides summer camps and other sessions throughout the year for young people, couples and families and trained for three years as a Family Counsellor.

 

This journey and its multi-faceted experiences have awakened in me a strong sense of the inexhaustible riches of our relationships, but also their complexity, including their cultural dimension.

 

In addition to my private practice, I also work part-time for the Département des Yvelines in the “Service Enfance-Famille-Santé”.

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My Qualifications and Training as a Therapist

Professionally trained as a Family Therapist by “Couples et Familles”, Paris.

Member of the « Association Nationale des Conseillers Conjugaux Et Familiaux » of France (ANCCEF)

 

Additional Training :

- Transactional Analysis

- Non-Violent Communication

- « Internal Family System » Method

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My Specialist areas of therapy

 Bi-lingual ENGLISH/FRENCH, I counsel couples or adults and young people individually.

 

My specialist areas of therapy are:

• Couples with mixed cultural backgrounds

• Expatriation and repatriation

• Teenagers and young adults

• Parenting

• Managing family situations where a member of the family has a disability

• Sexuality, maternity, arrival of a baby in the family

• Family planning therapy in addition to the support provided by medical establishments

 

How do I work ?

My first objective is to establish a relationship of mutual trust, which enables the individual people, couples and families I support to explore each situation in depth in a confidential and respectful environment.

 

I base my approach on different theories and methods, adapting to what is most helpful and suitable in each situation. For my listening attitude as a Therapist, I take inspiration from the work of Carl Rogers, a Humanist Psychologist, who invites the Therapist to be themselves in order to create a sincere counselling relationship based on trust, called “congruence” or “authenticity”.

 

As a result, my professional listening is characterized by empathy, benevolence and reassurance. This is my main professional tool which I use in a systemic and analytical approach. This operates as a sort of echo chamber, through which you can hear your own remarks and thoughts fed back to you more clearly. With my humanist approach, I am convinced that each person has within themselves the answers to their questions and challenges. My job is to help you shed light on them.

 

Successful counselling, in my view, is one in which there is a BEFORE and an AFTER. My commitment to each person is to do everything possible so you can really observe an AFTER which enables you to move ahead in a new way.