About Me

I am Karen Nolan, an experienced psychotherapist based in Greater Manchester.  I am BACP registered.

I work with individuals and groups and have special interests in ADHD, anxiety, childhood trauma, group dynamics, dreamwork and creativity.

As a psychotherapist, my focus is very much on you as a person, as well as the difficulties you wish to bring to therapy. However, some of the areas I work with most often are:

  • Confidence and self-esteem.
  • Issues of identity and belonging.
  • Work-related stress, burnout and creative block.
  • Life events and transitions including redundancy, bereavement, illness and divorce.
  • Return to work following a traumatic incident or long-term absence.
  • Childhood trauma and abuse.
  • Relationships.
  • Loneliness.

Qualifications and Training

I hold an Advanced Diploma in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy from the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy in Chorlton, South Manchester  This is a level 7 qualification and required 600 hours of in-person training over four years, 100 hours supervised clinical practice and weekly personal therapy through out the training.

I am trained to work with transactional analysis from an integrative perspective. This allows me to draw on a range of theories and techniques, tailoring my approach to match your needs and preferences.  Find out more about how I work here.

I am continuing with advanced training in transactional analysis, under the supervision of an experienced transactional analyst. I am also undertaking advanced training in group psychotherapy with the Institute of Group Analysis.

Additional training and CPD I have completed includes:

  • IGA Diploma in Groupwork Practice
  • Certificate in Attachment Theory and Practice
  • Foundation in Art Therapy - short course
  • Creative Writing in the Therapeutic Encounter - short course
  • Therapeutic Journaling - short course
  • Therapeutic Photo Walk - short course
  • Working Therapeutically with Interpersonal Violence and FGM - short course
  • Diploma in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)

I am trained in ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills.

My additional qualifications include a post graduate diploma in human resource management from Salford University and a NEBOSH certificate in occupational health and safety. Also, I have a degree in modern languages from Leeds University..

Ethical Practice

I am a registered member of BACP (the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and abide by their code of ethics and professional practice. If you would like to check my credemtials my BACP registered member number is 379686 you can also find me on the BACP Therapist Directory.

I am insured and attend regular supervision.

I’m working towards full accreditation with BACP and registration with UKCP.

Committed to anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice, I have an inclusive approach and work with people from diverse ethnic, cultural and faith backgrounds. I take care to create a therapeutic space that feels safe and affirming and where themes of identity, intersectionality, difference and othering can be explored and thought about. As mentioned above ADHD and neurodiversity are amongst my areas of special interest and working with clients who identify as neurodivergent forms an important and valued part of my current practice.

Experience

I have worked as a psychotherapist since 2015 and set up my private practice KN Psychotherapy and Wellbeing in January 2017. I have experience providing individual and group psychotherapy and conducting therapeutic dream-sharing groups.

Currently, I work mostly online, which provides the opportunity to work with people from across England and Wales and sometimes further afield.  I have worked with clients based in London, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, Merseyside and South Wales.  I have also supported clients returning to the UK following a period working or studying overseas.

In addition to online work, I do offer indiviudal sessions in-person in Wigan, WN3 and Bolton, BL1. and conduct some in-person groups at an arts venue in Wigan, Lancashire.  However, in-person spaces tend to fill up quickly.

As well as working as a therapist in private practice, in the past, I have volunteered for a national organisation offering short-term counselling to frontline workers.  And while studying transactional analysis, I volunteered as a trainee psychotherapist with a low-cost therapy clinic in Manchester.

In terms of broader mental health experience, I have volunteered as a support worker with a mental health charity, which provides residential care for people with severe and enduring mental health dififculties. I was also a volunteer with Samaritans for several years..

Before becoming a psychotherapist, I had a successful career as a senior manager, specialising in employee relations, organisational development and change implementation. I held a number of senior management roles in public sector, non-profit and commercial organisations. As a result, I have first-hand experience of the challenges of working in fast-paced, high pressured environments. I have developed expertise and knowledge in organisational stress, conflict resolution, mediation and change management.

During my career I have studied and worked in many different places. I lived for a time in Canada and in Italy and I have worked in Doncaster, Bolton, Cheshire and Manchester. I have enjoyed being part of diverse, vibrant and creative communities and appreciated the opportunities to experience the rich variety in language, art, culture, social-history and traditions this brings.

Creative Practice

I am deeply interested in the creative process and value the use of creative approaches such as journaling, mark-making and photography in supporting my own wellbeing, as well as in my therapeutic work with others.  Recently, I completed a short experiential training in the therapeutic photo walk.  As part of my continuing professional development, I am further exploring therapeutic photography and look forward to integrating this learning into my personal and professional practice.  If you would like to know more about my work in this area, or how we can make use of photography or other creative techniques to support your therapy and wellbeing please enquire. 

As part of my qualification in transactional analysis, I undertook a phenomenological research project looking at spiritual awakening through the lens of transactional analysis (TA). This led me to read widely on life script, self-awareness, autonomy, purpose and physis. Physis is the term used  by Eric Berne, the founder of TA, to describe the creative life force that acts as a drive towards growth and self-actualisation.   These concepts continue to inform and shape my work and my personal development.

I have a long-standing interest in dreams and the creative potential of dreams.  Dreamwork has become a central part of my current practice and reearch.  I offer Creative Dreamers groups online and in-person, where I hold a space for you to explore your dreams in the company of others, through sharing, dialogue, mark-making and poem-making.  I welcome enquiries about my work with dreams and you can find out more here.