Testimonials

"Thanks for listening and for your non-judgemental support.Thank you for doing a great job.I know this is my first step to a positive change, and change to my perceptions, knowing I can deal with things better."

"I have been living with mental health issues for many decades.My idea of who I was supposed to be had left me conflicted, angry and feeling like I was drowning under the weight of expectations imposed on me via the environments I grew up in and then continued to impose them on myself .I was expected to be a certain way and that would be reinforced through physical and verbal violence.Knowing a cycle of high points and low points could not continue I sought help and guidance from Phil.He came highly recommended and deservedly so.Phil was fantastic at listening, his knowledge on the male brain and social pressures was enlightening and really helped me understand not just myself but the people around me.Effectively giving me tools I can use every day to build on the calm and happiness I now have in my life.Phil has been a terrific help and I would urge anyone who has ever felt like I have to see him."

"Amazing counselling, always leads you to the outcome you know is there , helps you understand the changes you need to make even simple small ones , that help in so many ways , phil helped me find the light , and I'm never sitting in the dark again."

"I had 6 sessions with Phil recently...before counselling I felt totally overwhelmed.I made no sense of the experience I went through.Phil is a very easy going guy, very easy to talk to, and non-judgemental during sessions.He made me see things in a clear and different light.I now feel so much better having counselling."

"Before starting my sessions with Phil I had attempted suicide, couldn't get over the past and it was always effecting my life, friendships and relationship.I had reached the end of my road and not seeing any future.once I started my sessions I straight away was able to deal more with day to day activities and was close to stop going because I felt a little better but I kept going because I was still on my journey to what I was going to become and I am so glad I did, each sessions I learnt something new about myself and that I wasn't as broken as I originally thought.By the end of my all my sessions my mood had lifted, I was happy and the wall at the end the road was torn down and now my life has a long road full of opportunities.The amazing thing is I haven't changed any major things in my life but how I now think and deal with them.I cannot thank Phil enough for not only giving me my life back but a reason to live."

"Phil appeared to be skilled in the two areas I was having problems with (coming to terms with my sexuality and substance misuse!these being linked).By the time I saw him, my problems had escalated to involve my employer and the police.Phil helped me through the worst time of my life.He was professional, kind, non-judgemental and I enjoyed our sessions.He helped me understand myself better and helped me face the future with confidence.If any of my problems are what faces you, I doubt you could make a better choice."

"Phil is warm, genuine and easy to talk to, and my sessions with him helped me both to cope with a stressful transition, and to make positive changes in my life.I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Phil (in fact, I've already done so)."

"I think everyone should have counselling.It's changed my life in ways I never thought it could."

"Seeing Phil gave me a better understanding of my situation and helped me see I was totally stressed, and angry at the whole wide world.Now I have learned to relax and look at life differently."

"I was so nervous but Phil really helped me to relax.He listened to me in a way that I have never been listened to before."

"A man of my age doesn't open up very easily to strangers, but after the first session I felt like such a weight had been lifted from my shoulders."

"I see Phil monthly for clinical supervision.He works ethically, with honesty and integrity!and is friendly and approachable.I would recommend him to other counsellors/psychotherapists who are looking for a clinical supervisor."

"Phil has been a very supportive supervisor.I was extremely nervous to start seeing clients as I am a trainee counsellor but with the help of him I feel so much more confident.He is easy to talk to and very helpful and he also has been very flexible with his schedule.If I ever have issues with an appointment we have booked he will try his best to fit me in at a more convenient time."

"Phil has been my supervisor through my counselling training and subsequent counselling position in further education.Phil is very supportive and professional.I feel that I can be honest about my work and areas that I feel need improvement or exploration without being judged.I leave our sessions feeling like I have moved forward, knowing what my best next step might be.Phil is knowledgeable about the ethical framework and current legal issues and is happy to recommend where I might find information I need/might be relevant to my exploration.I am very happy to recommend him to other people as he has been invaluable to me."

"Phil delivered a full day session for multiagency professionals in Bristol.Phil was able to create a bespoke programme that reflected the learning needs of the participants and made a lasting impact to practice in the area relating to the needs of boys and young men."

"Phil's course was my first in this subject area and I found it really helpful and enjoyed the experience a great deal.It gave me a lot of confidence to learn more about the topic."

"Really informative and amazing training.Was great to get an understanding of the specific barriers men face and how to support men in practice."

"Phil created an excellent bespoke training package for a large defence organisation.The training was pitched at exactly the right level, it was insightful, well produced and expertly delivered.This sort of training is essential for educating people, braking down stigmas and creating an environment where people can be free from guilt and have the courage to disclose and seek help.I would highly recommend Mr Mitchell, both as a counsellor and to meet training needs in this subject."

"Phil did a presentation at my workplace to over 70 professionals on the abuse of boys and men.It was excellent.Pitched brilliantly to dispel some myths and his insights on how to identify and best deal with it were illuminating.I hope to work with him again."

"After attending Phil's brilliant 2-day course I commissioned him to provide training to a range of agencies and professionals in my borough.The feedback on these courses (webinars) has been exceptional, and Phil's passion, knowledge and information has resulted in many of the delegates commenting on how they will now change their practice as a result.Thank you, Phil."

"Fantastic two-day training course.Would have returned again and again to listen and learn.Can't begin to put down what I have taken from this course.Everyone who works with children and young people should attend.Highly recommended."

"I have just had a training session with Phil.What an inspirational speaker.It is nice to see boys and men being recognised as being vulnerable/at risk and in need of support.I have seen too many times people dismiss the needs of men and boys simply because of the gender bias.Thank you so much Phil for being an advocate."

"Thank you for your presentations.It was fantastic to meet with you and I must say some of the best training I've been on.So important and worthwhile.I'm taking loads from your training."

"Thoroughly enjoyed this training.It's certainly helped me to view risk differently and Phil's knowledge and passion shines through.I have already started to disseminate throughout my organisation and confident that better outcomes will result."

"I attended Phil's two-day training event on the 4th and 5th March 2020 and I couldn't recommend it enough.  Within one day of being back to work I was already utilising his knowledge challenging professionals within a child exploitation meeting...."and would this be different if he was a girl?"  Phil has given me the skills to be able to confidently talk about the risks and behaviours within a situation and to ensure everyone considered what was right for the child irrespective of their gender.This training has reignited my passion and built upon my confidence when working with boys.Phil's passion and knowledge made the training so relevant and meaningful!I enjoyed every minute!"

Can I just say that I found the training excellent.I am finding much of what you were saying is happening with the boys I am working with, and its increasingly frustrating that in 2019 professionals still have the attitude that boys are tough and must be involved in criminal activity.

I would like to thank you for the course I attended.The way I now look at victims, particularly boys and young men has changed tenfold.

"Thank you for your training last week – the message and education you offer is so important.Already I have highlighted two further victims of CSE that have been under reported possibly due to their gender and so it's already affecting change in a positive way!"

"I just wanted to drop you line about your "identifying, engaging and understanding boys and young men" training this week in Derby.I attended the course because I have no experience in that field and what I have learnt over the last couple of days has been invaluable, especially in relation to engaging with males.The exercise we did yesterday afternoon with the Facebook profiles was really hard hitting for me.I've always known that it's really hard for survivors to talk about their abuse but until yesterday I didn't realise just how hard and difficult it is.Even after that exercise, unless you are a survivor yourself, I don't think anyone can understand how difficult it is.Thanks for the advice you provided about approaching non recent male survivors.I have already shared your advice with my colleagues working on that investigation.I also loved your teaching style.Your power point slides were very fancy and you yourself are very engaging and interesting.The mixture of the exercises, knowledge checks, learning and facts was spot on.I did not want the course to end!"

Phil gave an amazing talk on grooming and CSE in boys for our recent event, and he was incredible!I've never heard such a passionate and thought provoking talk.Will definitely be asking Phil along to future events.Highly recommended!

"Welcomed training about raising awareness of boys vulnerabilities....it is amazing how many professionals are still surprised this this happens.Excellent and always great fun."

"After I had attended Phil's training a year ago on 'CSE Identifying boys', I knew this was something every professional that delivers public services should attend.The training is informative, engaging and Phil has an absolute wealth of knowledge on the subject.I was so impressed I asked Phil to not only come and do a training day for public services across Central Lancashire but to do 2 days training including 'How to engage with boys'.The feedback from professionals was excellent, Phil certainly leaves you with your eyes wide open and better informed.I can honestly say this is the best Professional Development Training I have attended and would whole heartedly recommend Phil to anyone and everyone, what he doesn't know about this subject isn't worth knowing".

"What a heart-breaking, thought provoking and hard-hitting presentation.The content, the pace and the interaction were all handled in such a way that everyone in the room was included and felt safe and able to participate.The whole team at Service Six and the conference delegates said that the presentation was real and relevant for our work to safeguard children from child abuse and sexual exploitation.It highlighted that we all need to work together as we all have specific duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and that everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.Thank you and we look forward working with you in the future again."

"The training was excellent and a reminder of how boys and men can be just as much at risk of sexual exploitation as girls.The risk assessments need to reflect the risks and differences but in a non-bias way that eliminates all gender inequality when dealing with male rape victims/survivors.Excellent delivery of training for the ISVAs and much appreciated Phil, we hope to see you again soon."

A wide range of professionals came to Birmingham to learn more about CSE where boys and young men are victims.The feedback on Phil's learning day was great, with 100% of delegates rating it good or excellent."

"Phil's brave testimony and expert insights helped our schools understand an element of CSE that is often overlooked.Everyone went away inspired and challenged, but well equipped with practical ideas to identify boys at risk and take action that will keep children safe from harm."

"I attended the training with you yesterday.Can I start by first of all thanking you for a fantastic day and for the best training session I have been on for a long time."

"It couldn't have been more prevalent to have Phil Mitchell in Bedfordshire for National CSE Awareness Day!Delivering training to practitioners for our first CSE- Boys & Young Men Seminar.Thank you for supporting Bedfordshire Phil and raising awareness on CSE Boys & young men."

"Fantastic feedback from the delegates on Phil Mitchell's training today on CSA/CSE issues for boys.A very knowledgeable and engaging trainer."

"Phil presented to a diverse audience of professionals from police, social services, education, probation and health.His presentation was extremely informative and engaging and he challenged everybody in the room to think about how gender-bias could affect decisions they make in their professional lives and how these should be re-considered in order to better safeguard boys and young men.I don't hesitate to recommend Phil – the style, content and delivery of his presentation are all excellent."

"I attended Phil's session and wanted to say how brilliant it was.As a police officer with over 26yrs experience i know how slow we can be to recognise signs that we should be spotting.Your honesty and openness struck a chord due to a family issue that I haven't managed to deal with yet but I'm now hopeful.Thank you."

"I thought that the session was very helpful and made me aware of the gender bias that exists."

"Phil's extensive experience and passion for what he does shone through, which is reflected in how practitioners rated his presentation, as ‘excellent' or ‘good'.His authenticity is a key factor in making his presentation so highly respected by all those that have attended."

"Phil is an extremely knowledgeable & passionate speaker!the way he talks about his personal experience is engaging & informative.The feedback we received regarding Phil's attendance at our conference was excellent, this show's his dedication & commitment to raising awareness on CSE with Boys & young men as well as the impact this has on victims."

"Phil shared his expertise and knowledge at a regional learning event in the north east of England recently.If you have the opportunity to attend one of Phil's training sessions I would absolutely encourage you to do so.This is an extremely challenging topic and Phil manages to incorporate both his professional and personal experiences to create an excellent teaching and learning environment.Phil has a unique delivery style which kept all in attendance engaged throughout the day.Phil's energy and passion shone through and the excellent feedback he received was a testament to his hard work and commitment to raising awareness of male sexual abuse and male sexual exploitation."

"Passion, expertise, practice based knowledge, personal experience, Phil's training incorporates it all!his sessions are engaging and professionally delivered and they leave his audience feeling well informed and better equipped to understand and respond to the needs of boys and young men affected by grooming and CSE.He is a joy to work alongside and his training comes highly recommended."

"Phil is an experienced practitioner and trainer and draws on his extensive work as a qualified counsellor, front line practitioner and service co-ordinator in the field of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to inform his practice.He will champion people's rights and ensures that he keeps them central to the support and the services they are receiving.Phil is a strong advocate for young people and ensures that their voice is heard on both an individual and collective level.His training is informed by real life examples and situations and Phil is an engaging and knowledgeable trainer.Phil is passionate and driven about his work and always gives 100% in everything that he does."

"Phil is passionate and highly knowledgeable about male sexual abuse and exploitation.He is a skilled and engaging trainer, delivering information and increasing awareness around this sensitive topic in a manner which is accessible.His personal warmth and genuineness are key factors in making his training sessions so highly respected by the wide range of professionals who have attended.I regularly recommend his training to other professionals, as I believe it is an essential area of learning for all of us."

"As a busy professional it can be difficult to find the time to attend training, however this is one trainer who deserves your attention.Phil's extensive knowledge and experience brought this training to life and his passion was unquestionable.All topics explored throughout training were engaging (gripping at times) and delivered through a variety of learning styles including opportunities to network with other professionals.This training encouraged me to re-assess best practice within my setting in order to ensure a more inclusive way of supporting males.Thank you Phil."

"Phil is passionate and knowledgeable about male sexual abuse and exploitation.He is an engaging trainer who holds the attention of all those present in the room throughout the duration of the course and his materials are of high quality.I always learn something new from him and would highly recommend him to others.As project coordinator for BLAST Yorkshire, he has made a significant difference to a large number of young men and their families, as well as increasing the skills and knowledge of professionals working with them."

"Having attended training with Phil, I would highly recommend it.Phil showed great skill in presenting a challenging topic in a way that was accessible and highly engaging.The training was of high quality and Phil's extensive experience and passion for what he does shone through.I'd say it was essential training for anyone working with young people."

"I cannot recommend this training enough.It is powerful, emotive and brought to life by Phil's delivery and enthusiasm'

"Phil is a very engaging, informative and thought provoking trainer.I believe the feedback from delegates is the measure of the true effect and impact of training.Feedback is always a repetition of adjectives such as fantastic, excellent, brilliant, which speaks volumes.The significance for me is the delegates declared enthusiasm to challenge attitudes of gender stereotype in regards to male victims of CSE, because without challenge there will be no change."