Amber Group

The Amber Group is a full member group of the Independent Practitioner Network, or IPN. The group meets regularly for support and peer supervision in order to "stand by each other's work". The members are based in Derbyshire, Nottingham and Staffordshire.

The Independent Practitioner Network

The Independent Practitioner Network exists to further and support good and empowering practice which is open about its aims and underlying principles. It seeks to assure clients that Network members can provide and sustain a suitable environment for the work they offer and are able to communicate clearly their particular form of work to each other and to the public.

The Network seeks to develop a culture of openness, mutuality, support and challenge within and between its member groups.

Member groups are committed to fostering evaluation and accountability through an ongoing process of self and peer assessment.

Each group takes responsibility for resolving problems which may emerge in the practice of its members, including issues raised by clients. It accepts that its membership of the Network stands of falls by how it carries out this responsibility and is, therefore, prepared to have its process examined, supported and challenged by other groups and to do the same in return.

The Network specifically favours diversity and ecological complexity and has no commitment to any particular model of therapy, therapy training, or therapeutic relationship.

Each individual belongs to a group or ‘cell' which has links to other groups within the network (link groups). Each area has a regional contact person.

Code of ethics

We strive to recognise and acknowledge the power, responsibility and influence we have in the therapeutic relationship. We are committed to the physical emotional and spiritual well being of the client and of ourselves and aim to establish a safe space by:

1. regularly examining our motives, methods and models and our ability to sustain our support of the client.


2. continuing our own personal and professional development.


3. getting support and supervision in our own peer group or other and possibly additional supervision elsewhere.


4. communicating aspects of our own process that are relevant to the therapeutic relationship. We are willing to use what is coming up in the relationship to reflect on ourselves and our practice.


5. recognising the importance of congruence, truthfulness and equality between client and therapist.


6. safeguarding the client and ourselves from exploitation by setting boundaries which are appropriate to each individual or group. This may involve the negotiating of agreements / contracts at the start of the therapeutic relationship.


7. keeping client's material confidential apart from supervision. There might be specific circumstances in which we might feel it necessary to pass on information to relevant authorities, in which case we would discuss this with the client.


8. seeking to influence the legal and social structures in order to provide a broader, holistic, healing environment for the client and practitioner.

In addition, we strive not to discriminate against any client on the basis of race, sexual orientation, religion, gender, or class.

Current Members

Jean Bond - Emotional Education Facilitator

Tim Jennings - Systemic Family Therapist

Regina Dengler - Massage Practitioner, Pregnancy and post-natal massage, Aromatherapist, Reflexologist, On-site Massage and Lymphoedema therapist

Margaret Cowgill - Hypnotherapist and Yoga teacher

Logan Parumal - Relate Counselor and University Lecturer in Nursing Studies, currently undertaking a PhD

Angella Ryan - Psychotherapist (UKCP registered), Counselling Psychologist , Clinical Hypnotherapist,, Yoga therapist, Family therapist (trained in USA), PhD

Barry Coleman - Hypnotherapist, Counsellor

Next Meeting Dates

Sunday, 7 March at Atlow, 10 for 10.30 start

Sunday, 18th April in Nottingham, 10 for 10.30 start

Sunday, 16th May in Yoxall, 10 for 10.30 start

Complaints procedure

If the client considers that the practitioner is contravening the code of ethics or has any other complaint against the practitioner. they are encouraged to follow the procedure outlined below:

1. The regional contact person can be the first point of contact for a client who wishes to raise an issue. They can give information about the group the therapist is in.


2. From this contact the client has information to make a choice about who to contact for a first discussion of the issues themselves. The person chosen (cell group member or link group person) can help the client to identify the issues if it is not clear and what they might want and how they would like to proceed from this point.


3. The client is strongly recommended to have face to face contact with the regional contact person, cell group member or link group member, since this has been shown to work much better within mediation circles. This may not be practical in the first instance. and the client may just need to be heard.


4. From this point on the procedure needs to fit the situation. There could be further discussion, mediation meetings, the therapist could be contacted etc. What happens next is up to the client, the cell group and their links to decide.

Link Groups

We are linked with with the Bindweed and the Burley Group.