About me
I am curious and welcoming to every person I see in front of me, whether you're looking for support for ADHD, Relationship or LGBTQ+ issues, Fertility or anything else. I am fascinated by every individual story and will meet you with warmth, friendliness and open mindedness. Hopefully my personal and professional understanding of all kinds of lives and scenarios can help us explore together what will help you.
I have over 20 years counselling, psychotherapy and coaching experience, focusing on relationships and families of all kinds, life stages/transitions, infertility, and neurodivergence. I am currently seeing individual adults only, looking at a wide range of issues from personal identity, creativity, career and personal development to managing major life transitions, grief, loss and rebuilding.
I am an interactive, friendly and personal therapist who hopes to build a warm, supportive relationship with you. I do not have all the answers, rather I help you find your own answers and strategies and aim to find new ways of looking at situations so together we can come up with options and support you in the best way for you.
I have a particular interest in working with people who are creating their lives and themselves outside of their comfort zone, or away from social norms. Whether you are starting over after divorce, dreaming of an unconventional career change, choosing to live with more than one partner, exploring your gender or sexual identity, I can help you create a life that suits you and is not prescribed. I hope to help you know yourself and become as happy and accepting of that as possible, whatever and whoever you are.
I have specialist fertility training, am accredited with the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA) and have over 10 years experience helping people who are struggling with the fertility journey. This includes the full spectrum of family arrangements, from single women starting a family using donor sperm to those in same sex couples, those considering surrogacy or adoption and transgender people considering their fertility options prior to medical transition.
Following my masters degree in Artificial Intelligence and Philosophy I am increasingly curious about using AI safely and ethically as a therapeutic tool and can work with you on maximising its effectiveness, as well as supporting people who have a problematic or over dependent relationship with it
BACKGROUND AND APPROACH
I draw on a wide range of approaches including systemic, solution-focused, CBT, person centred and coaching oriented ideas and techniques. I work flexibly - most of my sessions are fortnightly though some are weekly, monthly or even less frequent including standalone sessions. I try to work around irregular routines where possible and am currently working remotely, either online or on the telephone.
I have worked with a wide variety of private, NHS, fertility and Relate clients, been a secondary school counsellor, provided short term GP-referred counselling, worked with parents in a primary school, with homeless people looking to reconnect with their families and provided telephone CBT to survivors of road accidents.
I aim to work as inclusively as possible and have worked and trained in GSRD (Gender Sexuality and Relationship Diversity) and LGBTQI+ issues. A large part of my work is with ADHD and autistic clients (diagnosed and self id). I am ADHD myself with many neurodivergent family members so have a personal interest and understanding of many common issues including late diagnosis, diagnosis in women and parenting and I have supplemented this with additional training. (Please note I am only seeing adults at this time)
I have a particular interest in non-traditional relationships and alternative family structures including ENM/CNM, polyamory, platonic co-parenting, elective/non-elective single parenting and Living Apart Together. I have experience of the particular dynamics and challenges that these relationships face and aim to work with every individual by understanding the unique way in which you operate, rather than making any traditional assumptions or judgements.
As a therapeutic coach I can offer stand alone coaching or bring a coaching approach to counselling which looks at making practical changes, clarifying goals and focussing on the positive.
Training, qualifications & experience
- MA Philosophy and AI (New College of the Humanities - Distinction. Dissertation: Applying the Capabilities Approach to human flourishing in a future technological world)
- BACP Accreditation
- British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA) Accreditation
- Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (University of East London - Distinction)
- Advanced Diploma in Life Coaching (Learning Curve - Distinction)
- Advanced Certificate in Systemic Practice with Families and Couples (Institute of Family Therapy - Merit)
- Graduate Certificate in Couples Counselling (Relate / University of East London)
- Qualification as a Relate Counsellor (Relate)
- BSc (Hons) Psychology with Philosophy (2:1)
Specialised Relate training in :
- Counselling Young People
- Domestic Violence & Abuse
- Mental Health
- Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
- "Sexually Speaking" - Awareness and practice with issues of sexuality
- LGBTQI+ Inclusion
- Gender Dysphoria
- Asperger's Syndrome and the Couple Relationship (prior to the dropping of the diagnostic term "Asperger's")
Other training:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - Dr Richard Sears
- Advanced Course in Infertility Counselling (BICA)
- Bisexuality (Pink Therapy)
- GSRD Therapy (Pink Therapy)
- Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) - Meg-John Barker (author of the BACP's Diversity policy)
- Autism in the therapy room
- ADHD: Current research and practice
- Implications and Support counselling for fertility clients
- Teaching Mindfulness Skills
- Working with Men in a Fertility Setting
- Narrative Therapy
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£40.00 - £100.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
*I currently only have availability on Tuesdays*
My standard individual session rate is £70 for 50 minutes.
I have a limited number of low cost sessions available for those who struggle to pay this. This can be for any reason - I will not ask you for proof of income. I offer one slot a week at £40 and two at £55.
I offer one off sessions for couples, co-parents or families undergoing fertility treatment for £100 per hour. This can be HFEA regulated implications counselling or general support and exploration. I can also write an implications counselling report to your fertility clinic if they request proof of the session (£35)
When I work
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