David Poynor - Counsellor BACP Accredited
About Me
I created Cherry Orchard Therapy after graduating as a Person Centred Counsellor. My journey into personal counselling began in my early twenties as a volunteer within a community support charity but it was around 10 years later that I completed my formal training.
I have always been fascinated by human interaction and spent many years working within theatre. For me, the real joy of performance was found within the study of the spoken word; understanding a character by how they communicate. While volunteering for a charity to support people struggling with substance addiction, I decided to begin my training as a counsellor. As a part of my training I experienced personal counselling as a client. Through my own therapeutic process I learned firsthand how effective counselling could be; I began to see how my perspective, behaviour, relationships and thoughts were changing as a direct result of personal counselling.
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I have experienced the effectiveness of Person Centred Therapy. In my counselling practice I strive to create a non-judgemental, honest and understanding environment that is ideal for positive personal development.
Training and Further Study
I studied Person Centred Counselling at Lewisham Counselling and Counselling Training Associates. I graduated with a distinction grade on the Higher Professional Diploma Course (Level 5) and was thrilled to be named as the winner of the award for outstanding development in my graduating year.
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During my training I co-authored the research paper, ‘Peoples experience of viewing images of violence through the media, the impact upon them and how this may inform psychotherapeutic practice’. In 2019 I went on to present at the BACP Research Conference in Belfast.
Since completing counsellor training, some specific areas of study have been addiction, LGBTQ+ counselling, suicide, shame, bereavement and compulsivity. I have also studied Existential and Cognitive Behavioural Counselling. These models have informed my practice but the principles of the Person Centred Approach are always at the core of my work with clients.
"We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy. Yet listening, of this very special kind, is one of the most potent forces for change that I know."