Julia Sinclair - Professor of Addiction Organisation Name: University Hospital Southampton
Mirek provided in-reach to our team at Southampton hospital where he was highly valued by patients and colleagues alike.
Reliability: Very Good Aptitude: Excellent Integrity: Excellent Client Interaction: Excellent Initiative: Very Good Quality Of Work: Very Good Teamwork: Very Good
Viv Burgiel - Clinical Supervisor and Line Manager Organisation Name: The Society of St James in Southampton Service: Drug & Alcohol Recovery Service in Southampton
Mirek is a man of exceptional integrity and intelligence. He is conscientious in his attention to responsibilities. Mirek wrote and delivered several psycho-therapeutic 12 week group sessions for our substance misuse clientele. His groups were very well attended for the 5 years or so, he delivered them. He is an excellent counsellor whom I have recruited to several counselling services I have established. He is one of the best staff I have had and, if I had a role for him, I would employ him today.
Reliability: Excellent Aptitude: Excellent Integrity: Excellent Client Interaction: Excellent Initiative: Excellent Quality Of Work: Excellent Teamwork: Excellent Report: Writing Very Good
Dean Latona - Psychosocial Treatment Manager Organisation Name: The Society of St James in Southampton Service: Drug & Alcohol Recovery Service in Southampton
I have worked with Mirek Kudzia for over 10 years in drug and alcohol services. Mirek is an extremely knowledgeable member of staff with a wealth of experience. He is a very competent group facilitator, key worker and counsellor.
Mirek works in a thought provoking, kind way but has the ability to challenge clients if he feels they need it. Mirek is very organised, punctual and a good team player.
Mirek is someone that likes to learn and advance himself, he is constantly researching and looking at ways to improve his skills & knowledge.
I wouldn’t hesitate in employing Mirek again in the future.
CLIENTS
JACKIE 'I am writing to express my gratitude to the staff at New Road Service and in particular to ... Mirek, my counsellor. I am now for thirteen months sober and owe thanks to those who offered me the way and means to beat my problem with alcohol. A big thank you to all that helped me to get my life back!'
GABI 'Great therapist!!! Just few sessions helped me to manage my stress and anxiety. Would definitely recommend'.
NORMA 'Thank you so much for helping me to process my negative feelings. You gave me an opportunity for a deeper level of healing resulting from your therapy. (...) I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me space to see my personal impact on my relationship and truly appreciate the work we have done together. It has been a positive and quite enlightening experience. I do tend to confront life head-on, but I will take away from this a valuable lesson to use in other relationships ... Thank you so much for your honesty and sharing your thoughts with me. I truly believe in beginnings and endings and it is with mixed emotions, bittersweet, that I say goodbye but please know that I am leaving knowing and understanding that there is a healing process going on inside me and in time to come, maybe inside of Michael. Thank you Mirek I wish you all that you wish for yourself and your future'.
HENRY (name changed) 'Sessions with Mirek has helped me great deal to learn about myself and discover who I truly am. He is very good at listening to what others have got to say and he has tremendous amount of knowledge. Therapeutic work with Mirek is carried out in relaxed atmosphere and makes you feel at ease.'
KAREN (name changed) 'I came to see you in February 2020, and this visit changed my life. (...) You talked to me about Alcoholic ADHII/THIQ and it was the explanation and understanding of what this means by you that made all the difference. I came to the realisation that I just had to completely stop drinking alcohol totally, there was no middle ground. At that time I was initially quite stunned with that realisation, but the time and care you took to explain the process of alcohol absorption, and in my case inability to absorb, it made a huge difference to my acceptance.
Part of our sessions was looking at all aspects of my life and changes I wanted to make, and I did my homework at the time and made a list! I looked back at the list and in a nutshell this is what I achieved:
- I have lost 4 STONE in 2020 (with the help of a nutritionist, so also became much more healthy!) - I started playing the ukulele and re-joined a singing group I used to go to (both virtual now!) - Came off of antidepressants and blood pressure medication - Self care was lacking and I started doing regular yoga in lockdown, and also more cardio exercise.
We did also talk about aspects of my family/parents that had a bearing on my alcohol consumption, and this also led me to have a better understanding and acceptance of my relationship with them, and I have since done quite a bit of reading about some aspects of this that has really helped me.
I drink cordial and sparkling water instead of alcohol, or even alcohol substitutes and only very, very occasionally think about alcohol, but then remember the benefits of an alcohol free life!
I hope you're well, and I want to say such a BIG thank you to you for your help Merrick. Best wishes Karen'
BETH (name changed) 'Mirek has an amazing way of building a professional relationship and friendship and I couldn’t have wished for a better therapist. It is difficult as a woman that has been assaulted by a man to gain trust and feel comfortable talking about experiences with another man, but Mirek really made me feel valid and helped me re-gain trust in adult men. His depth of knowledge is outstanding, and I felt like the sessions were really tailored to myself and my personality. I cannot thank you enough!'