About me
Background: Alison Collis MSc. BSc. PG Dip. in TA, MBACP
I'm a psychotherapist, coach and supervisor with 16 years experience, before that I had a successful corporate career. I'm qualified and registered which are essential. Just as important is my innate ability to see the best in others, fascination with personal development and the desire to help others overcome difficulties in order to live happier more fulfilled lives. My particular areas of expertise are: resilience; the positive mental health of Individuals and effective communication & conflict resolution between couples and teams.
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I use proven, practical approaches and a deep understanding of what is happening at the psychological level. I hold both a Bachelors and Masters degree from De Montfort University. I am a Transactional Analyst Psychotherapist, a qualified Coach, a Resilience Doughnut Trainer, a Neuro-Linguistic Practitioner, have a British Psychological Society Approved Certificate in Clinical Supervision and have completed Level 3 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy as well as Gottman's Atone, Attune, Attach - Affair recovery programme.
I am a registered member of the Association for Coaching: ALC0816M and the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists: 118342.
Why do people choose to work with me ?
My clients choose me because I provide a genuinely nurturing environment for healing, growth and lasting change. I’m kind, respectful, experienced and qualified. They also appreciate that I follow professional practice ethics & guidelines, I have monthly supervision, I'm insured and I work from safe, confidential premises. I spend about two thirds of my time working in private practice with individuals, couples and parents. My business clients find my knowledge of the corporate world very useful when our work together includes leadership development, organisational transition, team management or business start up. [Read Testimonials]
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Most of my work is face-to-face with individuals, couples and parents at dedicated premises in Nottingham and with businesses across the UK in workplace settings. I also work virtually via teleconferencing & webinar and intensively at retreats and therapy weekends. I have specialist training in Transactional Analysis both as a psychotherapist and as a coach. I have lived in England, Scotland and Portugal and worked throughout Europe & in the USA with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. I have clients in Europe, Africa, North & South America, the Middle East and Australia
What sort of people work with me ?
A wonderfully diverse range of adults of all ages and backgrounds.
Common themes:
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They’re in crisis either personally, in their relationship, as a parent or in the workplace.
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They’re tired of doing the same negative thing over and over again and want to make a positive change.
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They’re confused or frustrated about how their life is turning out and want to understand how move forward with clarity and authenticity.
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They have suffered a traumatic life event and want to heal.
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They’re exhausted with anxiety or stuck in depression.
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They want to reach their true potential and live a more fulfilled life.
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They want to live according to their purpose and have a positive impact on the people around them.
How do I work ?
I put my client at the centre of our work together. The agenda is yours, my role is to help you resolve problem areas and achieve your goals. I'm able to do this because I've had very rigorous training both in psychotherapy and coaching and draw on a broad range of theories and tools to make personal change easier.
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I offer all my new clients a free 'Explore Call' so that they can explain what they're looking for and I can begin the process of understanding them and what they need at the moment. The next step is our first actual session where we agree our focus, timescale, review points and how we will both know that our work together is complete. Essentially, we make a verbal contract and this gives our work focus and allows flexibility, because we can re-contract. It's transparent to both of us.
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I follow the principles and practices of Transactional Analysis (TA) in my work. Over the 16 years that I've used it, I've found it to be extremely effective across the whole range of issues that my clients bring, it's a powerful and a gently respectful way of working. There are a number of TA tools that I use frequently with my clients, they are easy to learn, easy to remember and support positive, personal change.
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I review my clients needs and direct my professional ongoing learning to find additional methods and tools to help. More recently I've added the Resilience Doughnut and Gottman Method Couples Therapy to my core approach.
I also run TransCultural Coaching: for adult third culture kids (ATCK’s), expatriates, global nomads – adding my Intercultural knowledge and practical expatriate experience into the approaches and solutions.
Reviews - Testimonials from clients
Just a few points on the statements below:
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Women are more willing to give references than men (1/3 of my clients are male).
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My policy is to protect the anonymity of clients.
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Some of my clients are willing to speak to new clients before they start.
"Your words and advice mean more than you know. Thank you for helping me through this extremely rich but confusing journey.
You pointed out the good aspects of my personality and your advice will follow me… well forever. I can’t thank you enough for being part of my journey! The right time, the right place! - Thank you Alison.”
"Working with you individually was a really validating experience for me as I was in a position to not only share my personal experiences, I was also open to hear your input. You helped me to realise that I already had all the answers, I just needed to see them, accept them and move forward.”
“Alison provided a vital lifeline to me when I took time out from my career to support my husband’s overseas move to Helsinki.”
"My coaching sessions with Alison were invaluable during our first 100 days in Singapore. She is an astute listener who expertly took me through the transition process and helped me to create a plan for a new environment.”
“Alison has extensive professional knowledge plus personal experience as an expatriate, and this coupled with her gentle manner and expertise as a consultant, facilitator and coach on the issue of moving countries provided the kind of support I needed at a time when I was in transition from one culture to another.”
"The Transition Group came into my life, as a gift, the right time.. after our move from France to Portugal. In my head it was not an engagement, but a necessity for my well being. I enjoy the exchange between you and us, the camaraderie that we have created, the support and the good ambiance. I feel blessed to be part of an excellent group like ours! "
The only way I can describe this experience would be transformative. I came to you expecting very little, but hoping that even just that little would allow me to get some clarity and peace of mind. What I have received from these sessions is so much more than I could have hoped for. Your patience, compassion combined with the frameworks you used were just what I needed. Yes, it took some work on my part to implement some of the ideas, but to be honest, once I understood them I was able to apply them almost instinctively, oftentimes without even knowing it. In every area that is critical to my happiness, I have seen marked improvements and gained greater insight into myself, my relationships and my work. You asked me a question early on in the process: what do you deserve? I was, frankly, stunned by the question because for so long, I hadn’t really focused on my own wants and needs. I know the answer to that question now and I thank you for asking it and helping me find my way to answering it.
"Alison supported and guided me through my journey from anxiety and worrying about everything to the destination of believing in my capabilities, and happily delegating future problems to my future self."
"The Transitions Group workshops were very satisfying and comforting. They kept my "run-away" feelings somewhat grounded resulting in a sense of calm and well being at the end of the sessions.”
What I liked about the workshop was the sense of shared challenges and meeting others feeling similar. There was no one right answer but identification of specific potential challenges for TCK's. Some of the tools to use to frame challenges, particularly the timeline exercise I will bring home and use.