"Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."
-Robin Williams from Dead Poets Society
From a young age, I was interested in human nature, the power of our emotions, the body, mind and spirit connection, the purpose of life and how our state of mind influences our quality of life. I grew up in Sheffield where I enjoyed learning, sports and friendships. I currently enjoy trying to play my guitar and playing football. I am married with a Son, Daughter and Boston Terrier dog named Rumi.
In the first part of my adult life, I pursued a successful career in the business world working in Sheffield, Nottingham and London. I found myself receiving promotions at an early age. However, these promotions did not bring me happiness. In fact, I found I had more questions. I had all I thought I wanted, yet I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t content.
As time passed and I learnt more about myself and began to recognise areas of life in which I wasn’t fulfilled. Through my own therapy I realised the answers I wanted started within me, and couldn’t be found in promotions, wealth or the external world. I was reminded of the Oscar Wilde quote “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all”.
This changed my life and I found passion with aligning my life decision to my core values. I find my learnings in psychotherapy to be a way of life and a vocation. I find satisfaction in being of service to others. I find meaning in helping others heal.
For many years, I blended my work in Private Practice as a Psychotherapist with a Corporate role. During Covid my two worlds were brought together where I held the position of a Corporate Mental Health Influencer where I lead the charge in creating a more emotionally aware, responsible and nurturing workplace culture. From Jan 2022 my focus moved solely to Private Practice working with the individual psyche and personal transformation.
Advanced Training
All my training was undertaken at a world-renowned leader for Transpersonal Psychotherapy training at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (“CCPE”) in Paddington, West London. The stringent training requirements offered through a mixture of intellectual, creative, personal and the work experience was life-changing for me.
- Foundation Certificate in Counselling & Psychotherapy Jan 2011 to Dec 2011
- Post Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Counselling & Psychotherapy Jan 2012 – Dec 2015
- Workshop and Group Facilitation Jan 2016
- Diploma in Transpersonal Couple Counselling and Psychotherapy Jan 2018 to Dec 2018
- Certificate in Adoption Support Counsellng July 2022 to Oct 2022
Prior to training as a Psychotherapist, I received a first-class honours degree in Accounts and Management Control at Sheffield Hallam University from 1996 to 2000. In between 2000 and 2002 I received a professional qualification as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and in 2012 I received a Fellowship. Throughout my life, I have maintained a curiosity and a desire to learn and grow as my life unfolded. This moved me away from the intellect of Accounting the business sphere and towards the personal of the therapy world. Currently I marry the two together by offering Psychological Wellbeing service, consultation and strategy to corporate entities whilst also offering therapeutic service in private practice.
Matt Vickers BA hons, FCA, Psych Dip, Couples Dip
Final Thoughts
For a poetic take on life the ‘Guest House’ by Rumi captures an aspect of my life philosophy better than I could describe
