Alan W. Sparkes

Personal history

Early on in life I realised that I wanted to use my desire to help others as a profession and chose to train as a psychotherapist. I started training at 28yrs of age and started my initial practice working in co-counselling and in what was Hackney Bereavement Services. I ran a private practice in North London, taught psychology undergraduates at Middlesex University and also taught & facilitated groups of teachers as well as osteopaths at the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy.

My initial training was 4yrs of Transactional Analysis (TA) psychotherapy at The Metanoia Institute in West London. As well as these 4 years of Transactional Analysis training, I have a BSc Hons Degree in Psychology and am a Masters Practitioner of NLP. I have a Diploma in Contemporary Psychotherapy, an integrative, outcome solution focussed approach strongly influenced by the work of Milton Erickson. I currently have a private practice in Hove (when face to face is possible) and offer online psychotherapy and counselling. I also currently work for The Terrence Higgins Trust as a counsellor.

A modern approach to counselling and psychotherapy

My approach, training and practice is in Contemporary Psychotherapy an integrative and outcome oriented approach intended to organically facilitate recovery, growth and healing¹. As a therapist it is my aim to be accurately adaptable to the unique experience and functioning patterns of the client, tailoring my approach to the uniqueness of each person. Contemporary Psychotherapy focuses not just on personal history, but especially on the immediate needs of the client and their short and long term well-being, concerning the client’s management of their condition or situation, recovery and personal development, for now and in the manageable future.

This approach with is strongly influenced by the work of Milton Erickson. I could write thousands of words on types of therapy and different schools - but the different schools of thought and my methods of practice are not often of interest to you the person seeking help - you just want to be helped. That is the aim of Contemporary Psychotherapy - helping you to change and heal in harmony with your own unique sense of self. It is an integrative approach that utilises your natural resources and is tailored to fit you rather than imposing a specific framework.

Therapy is for everyone

Although therapy is not affordable for everyone, I aim to make my practice as accessible as possible to anyone seeking help. The therapy service I offer does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sex and sexual orientation. My aim is to work with a wide range of clients and actively acknowledge my privilege and its impact in the therapeutic relationship.

Support & change

Making changes is not always easy. Everyone needs focused support from time to time. If we are fortunate and connected to people around us, these natural networks can help us through difficulties and you probably wont seek counselling or therapy. But our thoughts, feelings and behaviours can sometimes be at odds with what we believe we should be feeling, thinking and doing.

Whatever those difficulties are, if you are reading this then you are probably seeking change.

I offer a safe therapeutic and healing space for you to help connect the dots and find new, inner resources to bring that change into your life.

Get in touch for online psychotherapy and counselling