Rachel Herbert

After dedicating over 15 years to raising a family, I retrained and qualified in a field I feel deeply passionate about - people and their wellbeing.

I am a fully qualified CPCAB Counsellor and Mental Health Professional, committed to helping individuals understand themselves and navigate life’s challenges with compassion and integrity.

I bring both professional training and lived experience to my work, offering maturity, perspective, and warmth.

At Rising Hope, I believe everyone has the capacity for growth, healing, and change—sometimes they just need a safe place to begin.

My Therapeutic Approach

I am an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, which means I draw on different therapeutic models to meet each client as an individual. While I am trained in approaches including CBT, attachment-informed therapy, ACT, and psychodynamic theory, my core modality is Person-Centred therapy.

This means our work is grounded in empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard (non judgemental). I believe that healing and growth happen within a genuine, collaborative relationship, where you feel accepted and understood. Integration allows flexibility, but the therapeutic relationship remains central research consistently shows it is one of the most important factors in meaningful change.

Area's I Can Support You With:

Anxiety and stress
Depression and low mood
Trauma-informed work
Relationships and attachment patterns
Loss, grief, and bereavement
Self-esteem and confidence
Workplace stress and life transitions

Qualifications

I am a fully qualified CPCAB Counsellor and Psychotherapist with a strong
foundation in therapeutic counselling and a wide range of practical experience
across community, voluntary, and clinical settings.

Professional Qualifications
I have completed comprehensive training through the CPCAB framework, which includes:
 CPCAB Level 2 – Counselling Skills
 CPCAB Level 3 – Counselling Studies
 CPCAB Level 4 – Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
 CPCAB Level 5 – Psychotherapeutic Counselling (current)

This training has provided me with a strong ethical, theoretical, and practical
grounding, enabling me to work safely, reflectively, and effectively with clients
experiencing a wide range of difficulties.

Clinical & Voluntary Experience

Alongside my formal training, I have developed extensive experience working with people from diverse backgrounds and life circumstances.

Volunteer Prison Counsellor – Choices
I work as a volunteer counsellor with Choices, a charity offering professional counselling and compassionate support to women facing challenges around pregnancy, loss, and parenthood. This role includes working with women both in prison and in the community, providing trauma-informed counselling within complex and emotionally sensitive contexts.

Counsellor – The Wellbeing Therapy Hut Ltd
I have worked as a counsellor in a community agency practice, offering therapeutic support to adults.

Crisis Line Volunteer – SOS Silence of Suicide
I volunteered on a suicide crisis helpline, managing shifts and supporting individuals in acute distress. This role strengthened my skills in risk awareness, emotional containment, and compassionate listening under pressure.

Long-Term Community Volunteering – Smiles2Smiles
For over ten years, I have volunteered with Smiles2Smiles, a local charity supporting individuals and families experiencing financial hardship. This long-standing involvement reflects my commitment to community care, social
responsibility, and supporting wellbeing beyond the therapy room.

Bringing Experience into the Therapty Room

I bring together professional training, extensive supervised practice, and rich life experience. Having dedicated many years to raising a family before retraining, I offer maturity, empathy, and perspective alongside clinical skill. My work is guided by compassion, integrity, and a deep respect for each individual’s story.

I believe that people heal and grow when they feel genuinely understood—and it is a privilege to support clients in that process.