Biographical Outlines

Des was born in Ipswich in 1951 after leaving school, he served for 12 years in the British army (Royal Signals). Then as an electronics engineer, working mostly abroad  - from Iceland down to the tip of Africa and from America across to India.

Ten years ago he decided to change his career, joining the Ipswich hospital as a health care assistant. During this time he attended various short courses on topics from HIV/AID’s to childhood sexual abuse, before moving on to start his intensive Counselling training in 2000.

He now spreads his time between electronics, part-time work at the local Psychiatric hospital as a health care assistant and Counselling. Des sees private clients as well as working at The Iceni Project as a Counsellor dealing with people who have been affected by substance misuse.

Des is currently studying for his Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling.

Katie was born in 1959 in Ipswich, Suffolk. Straight from school into General Insurance where she worked for 18 years, before having a complete career change to move into the caring profession in 1993.  Katie started this new career in a nursing home for the severely mentally ill.

In 1994 Katie completed a 6 months introductory counselling course and served on the ministry team at her church for 7 years, which gave her the opportunity to start using her listening/counselling skills.

After 3 years of working with the mentally ill, she then moved into General Medicine as a health care assistant on the busy admissions ward at Heath Road hospital. At this time she also started work at St. Elizabeth’s Hospice, gaining more experience with the terminally ill.

In 1998 following short courses Katie commenced her concentrated Counselling Training, starting with the Certificate in Counselling Skills and Certificate in Counselling Theory at Suffolk College. Whilst there she also took the opportunity to study different religions to gain a greater understanding of the diversity in cultures to aid her in her Counselling work.  December 2000 saw Katie completing her Advanced Certificate in Integrative Counselling and a month later also her Certificate in Bereavement Counselling through CRUSE.  February 2001 – April 2001 saw her obtain the specialist Certificate course for Practitioners Skills for Eating Disorders in London and obtaining her Diploma for this in September 2001. Prior to this in May 2001 Katie completed her Diploma Training external assessment to gain her Diploma in Integrative Counselling. 

Katie returned to work in ‘adult mental health’ at the local Psychiatric Hospital in November 1999 as a health care assistant. In addition to this Katie started a placement at The Iceni Project in July 2000 as a Counsellor, working with people who have been affected by substance misuse (either directly or indirectly). Although, after looking at the needs of the client’s produced and facilitated group work courses in Personal Development (Assertiveness Skills and Self-esteem Building) and has prepared an Anger Management Course, for when Iceni receive the funding needed to run this as they are a charity. She has also started facilitating a women’s therapy group at the centre. She also sees private clients and has completed over 450 hours of counselling practice with clients.

She is also a member of the steering committee for PACS (People Abused as Children in Suffolk), who organise Training Courses for therapists who work with adult survivors of abuse. Katie is currently studying for her Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling/Foundation in Integrative Psychotherapy.

Des is married to Katie and they have one son age 21, although as he has now left home, their only live-in companions (apart from each other) are three dogs and one cat.