Brent Bereavement Services
Paulo Pimentel - paulopimentel@bbsonline.org.uk
Paulo is the Co-ordinator of BBS - Brent Bereavement Services, which he joined in 1998 & BSH - Bereavement Services for Hounslow since 2001, working with sudden and traumatic death and loss, often resulting from murder, suicide or accidents. He was the Project Director of 7 July Assistance Centre (a project of BBS) for four years, a Centre which was established to support the bereaved and survivors of the London bombings of 7/7/5 and the first of its kind in the UK. He manages the services, which are provided by 70+ highly skilled volunteers, staff and supervisors as an organic and holistic service aimed at the needs of the clients. He has been a tutor on Counselling & Psychotherapy courses and provides training and consultancy in supporting bereaved adults and young people. He also works as a trainer in general bereavement awareness for the voluntary sector, teachers, nurses and social services staff. He worked in the travel industry before returning to college, where he studied Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy. He is working with partners on European Union funded projects and the USA to further enhance awareness, better practice and support for the bereaved, and victims of terrorism and other major disasters.
Patrcia Connolly – patriciaconnolly@bbsonline.org.uk
Patricia is the Deputy Co-ordinator of BBS - Brent Bereavement Services and BSH – Bereavement Services for Hounslow. She supports Paulo Pimentel in his role as co-ordinator of BBS & BSH. She does assessments and referrals for both services and facilitates, supports and co-ordinates all volunteer counsellors and supervisors. She also recruits new volunteer counsellors and organises ongoing professional development workshops. In addition to this she assisted in the development of the Children’s Service in both BBS and BSH. Patricia Connolly is a UKCP accredited Psychotherapist in private practice, her work over the past 10 years has specialised in bereavement. This has involved the development and promotion of psychological support for cancer patients, their families and for those receiving palliative care. Part of this work has also included the facilitation of both support and bereavement groups. Patricia has also offered supervision at Roehampton University on the post-graduate Intergrative Counselling Psychology/MSC course.
Jo Best – jobest@bbsonline.org.uk
Jo joined 7th July Assistance as Psychological Services Manager in November 2005, later becoming Services Manager, coordinating the provision of practical and emotional support to those affected by the London bombings. She recruited and managed the counselling team and support staff, also providing training and peer support, facilitation of support groups, consultancy and event planning. Once established 7th July Assistance provided similar provision of services to 16 other terrorist incidents and disasters occurring both in Britain and overseas.
Jo’s introduction to working in a support capacity came through her training as a counsellor and five years experience as a bereavement counsellor working in a humanistic existential model.
Prior to working for the 7th July Assistance team Jo was with Victim Support, working in Outreach and Community Projects. Responsibilities in this role involved helping victims of violent crime, such as domestic violence, GBH or racial attacks.
She received training in working with domestic violence, male and female sexual assault, drugs and alcohol, working with children and honour killings. Additional roles included membership of the domestic violence forum, the murder review panel, vice chair of the local crime prevention group and a member of the diversity panel.
Jo is a member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (MBACP), the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, (CIPD) and she has a Diploma in Integrative Counselling.
Raksha Patel – info@bbsonline.org.uk
Since 1996 Raksha has been the Administrator of BBS - Brent Bereavement Services and more recently BSH - Bereavement Services for Housnlow. She is responsible for answering queries, providing information, co-ordinating training courses and workshops, correspondence, book keeping and general enquiries. Maintaining and updating client files and volunteer details, and generally running the office when all others are busy on the different projects we manage.
Valerie Wise – v.wise@btinternet.com
Valerie is the founder of BBS – Brent Bereavement Services. She worked as a Mental Health Social Worker in the UK and USA before setting up BBS in February 1987 with two volunteers and a part time worker. However, it soon became apparent that BBS needed to be a larger service provision to support all the referrals, training and advice that were being requested. Through contracts with the council and health authority BBS developed into one of Brent’s most respected charities. After ten years Valerie decided to step aside to concentrate on other areas of her life, although she maintained the post of part time Development Officer for some years and is now an active Consultant, willingly giving her vast knowledge and experience to the team.
Ulla Andrews
Ulla is a UKCP registered integrative and transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist working with people of all ages. She holds an MA in Transpersonal Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy and is able to work with people in all stages of transition and at critical turning points. Ulla has been a Supervisor with BBS since mid 2008.
Josefine Speyer
Josefine is a UKCP registered psychodynamic/integrative psychotherapist, accredited through the Association of Humanistic Psychology Practitioners in private practice since 1985. A supervisor with BBS since June 2007, she has a Diploma in Holistic Psychotherapy and is currently on a supervision diploma course with the Society for Analytical Psychology (SAP). She is a co-founder and former co-director of the Natural Death Centre, a co-editor of the fourth edition of the Natural Death Handbook (Rider, 2003). She was a co-founder of the Befriending Network for which she developed a basic death education course. She gives talks and offers workshops and seminars for a wide variety of professional groups working with the dying and bereaved and also the general public.
Androulla Troisi
Androulla is an Integrative Supervisor and Counsellor of individuals and groups and her special area of expertise is children and adolescent work. She has over 30 years experience working in education, and is a Clinical Supervisor for a leading children’s charity working with adolescents. She has a Higher Diploma in Clinical Supervision, a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, and over 10 years experience working with loss and bereavement. Androulla has also worked in other areas including the Employee Assisted Programme (EAP)and is in private practice. She is a Senior Accredited Supervisor and Counsellor with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). She has worked with BBS since 1998 and been a member of the Management Committee as a Volunteer Representative prior to becoming a Supervisor.
Martin Weaver
Martin is UKCP registered Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapist. He is accredited through the Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy and Counselling Association (NLPtCA). Martin is Certified as an NLP Trainer through the INLPTA. He provides psychotherapy, counselling, coaching and supervision and is involved in several psychotherapy / counselling and supervision training programmes. He provides supervision services to the community based Bereavement Services for Hounslow and the 7th July Assistance Centre for people affected by terrorist activities. During his 11 years in the NHS he piloted the Primary Health Care Team development programme in the South West Thames region as well developing and implementing a Health Promotion Officers' training programme. He is a member of the Training Standards Committee, Co-Chair of the Experiential Constructivist Section and past member of the Registration Committee of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. In 2002 he completed the Post Graduate Certificate in the Supervision of Counsellors course at the University of Birmingham to develop his skills as a supervisor. You can find out more details about his supervision service here.
Management Committee / Trustees
Michael Moorhead – Chair
Frank Dooley – Treasurer
Derek Barnes
Lata Dhiri – BSH Representative
Lydia Khalil – Volunteer Counsellor’s Representative
Rita (Sandy) Price – Service User’s Representative
Patrons
Susan Winton-Lyle
Ken Livingston
The Bishop of Willesden
Sir Rhodes Boyson
If you wish to contact us please e-mail