The Albany Centre

03/09/2025

A message from our founder Jon:

"If you'd told me as a child that I would one day speak on stage to hundreds of professional delegates, I'd have said you were crazy. I was shy, and much more comfortable in a 1-to-1 interaction. Fast forward a few decades and a large part of my living comes from training large groups - sharing my experiences of human connection to help people understand themselves better in relation to their worlds.

It's a practice I've developed to the point where I was able to stand up in front of an audience at TEDx St Albans last year and deliver a talk the has gone on to receive nearly 40,000 YouTube views so far. As a result, there are more exciting things in the pipeline as I support that young version of myself to understand the joy of spreading a word that inspires people to live authentically for themselves.

If you're looking for a keynote talk for your event, or for insight and commentary in the media, get in touch. I can't wait to craft something that speaks to your audience."

Join Jon Wilson Cooper as he shares his personal development journey, delivering insights and inspiration designed to captivate and motivate any audience.

02/09/2025

The newest celebrity news (Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bon Jovi have announced the arrival of their baby girl by adoption this week) seems like a good opportunity to highlight the importance of good support for families impacted by both the joy and the challenges of adopting a child.

It's surprising how many people are affected - you probably know someone, without even realising it. From adopted children and adoptive parents, to siblings and wider family, plus those for whom becoming an guardian was not a choice but a necessity - there is a big need for compassionate support.

Our diploma in adoption counselling at The Albany Centre gives comprehensive training to already qualified counsellors to ensure that when anyone is in need of specialised emotional support throughout their adoption journey, they can find someone who understands. Click through to find out more about this training and how you can add more skills to your practice.

https://thealbanycentre.com/courses/post-graduate-diploma-in-adoption-counselling/

31/08/2025

Celebrating our 14th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

29/08/2025

27/08/2025

This time last year, our director Jon was building up to delivering a TEDx talk with TEDx St Albans. It's a remarkable process of coming together as ordinary people with interesting ideas to share then with the world (Jon's so far has had over 38000 views).

If you haven't got your ticket yet for this year's we highly recommend it. You'll have a fun day, and come away with at least one perspective changed.

Speaker spotlight!! 🎤🌟

Introducing the voices behind TEDx St Albans 2025! 🙌 These speakers are ready to challenge perspectives, ignite ideas, and leave you inspired long after the event.

Meet Erica…

💡A crypto and cybercrime expert, Erica breaks down what you really need to know to stay safe in the digital age. Her TEDx talk will focus on what you need to know to keep yourself safe online. 🔐

26/08/2025

Thinking about training in counselling?

If you’ve ever found yourself the person friends turn to, or if you’re curious about how people think, feel, and grow, a counselling course could be a rewarding next step.

Counselling training isn’t only for those who want to become professional counsellors - it can deepen self-awareness, improve listening skills, and help you support others more effectively in work and life. It can even improve your relationships.

If the idea has been sitting at the back of your minding you'd like to explore further, take a look at our Professional Diploma in Counselling. For those who've completed an introductory skills course, we're currently taking applications for a September start. Please share:

Train to be a Counsellor

19/08/2025

How much are you worth?

I've written an exploration of why we get so caught up in what we earn (understandable) and how that blurs the lines on how we think of ourselves in general (risky). Our value in the world is different to the financial value we're capable of earning, and it's essential not to confuse the two. Some of the lowest paid individuals provide indispensable services.

My advice is therefore to be careful of falling into the trap of rating yourself according to your income; your value and how much you have in the bank are not the same thing. As I often say to my cats, they lounge about and don’t earn a penny but are hugely valuable to me and my family!

Have a read if this makes you think...
https://lnkd.in/dW_qekNp

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

13/08/2025

LIFE CHANGING

That's what one of our students at The Albany Centre said about his time with us on the Foundation Certificate in Counselling skills. There are just a few days left to grab a place on this course, starting again in September.

If you know anyone who's thinking about personal growth, please share this post.

One evening a week, plus one Saturday a month. To find out more, follow the link in the comments.

12/08/2025

August Newsletter -

We created EepURL as a trackable shortening service for Mailchimp's built-in Twitter integration. At the time, we opened it up to the public, because we felt there weren't enough monkey-based URL shorteners out there.

12/08/2025

A really good read for anyone engaging with AI for emotional support!

Looking for backup, I turned to an AI chatbot for relationship wisdom. It took my side. It was only when I challenged the bot's biases — and my own — that we had a communication breakthrough.