About me
A bit about me:
Hi, I’m Abi. I’m an accredited, trauma-informed, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Supervisor. I’m trained in a range of therapeutic approaches, which means I can adapt the way we work to suit you rather than expecting you to fit a particular model of therapy.
At the heart of my work is a person-centred approach and a simple belief: you are the expert on you. My role is to bring my experience, training and curiosity to the relationship, while respecting that you know your own life, experiences and inner world in a way that nobody else can.
How I approach therapy:
Therapy is a journey you are choosing to share with me. My role is not to tell you which route to take or which path to follow, but to walk alongside you — helping you notice the things that may have been overlooked, pushed aside, or simply never had the space to be acknowledged.
Starting therapy can feel daunting. You may worry about what you will have to talk about, or whether exploring difficult experiences will feel overwhelming. I will never expect you to share anything you are not ready to share. We begin wherever you are, and work from there.
I believe that our experiences, particularly those from childhood and our early relationships, can shape how we understand ourselves, other people and the world around us. In therapy, there is space to explore those experiences without judgement, but we don’t always need to rely on words alone. I often work with metaphor, imagery and the felt sense — paying attention to what is happening emotionally and physically, as well as to the story being told.
Many of the people I work with have experienced significant or enduring trauma, which can continue to echo through relationships, self-worth and the ways we learn to protect ourselves. Strategies that once helped us survive or cope can sometimes become difficult to live with, contributing to anxiety, depression, distress or a sense of feeling stuck.
There is no predetermined route through this work. Sessions are led by what you need, with space for curiosity, reflection and sometimes simply being with what is there. We work collaboratively, and always at the speed of trust.
What next?
I’m very happy to have a no obligation chat over the phone or Zoom to find out more about what you are looking for and for you to check that you feel comfortable with me. To arrange this please drop me an email or select a preference from the options at the top of the page under ‘Book an intro’ call’.
Training, qualifications & experience
I began working with private clients in 2013, following several years volunteering with a counselling charity in Gloucestershire. Since then, my work has developed particularly around trauma, long-standing emotional distress, relationships and the ways our earlier experiences can continue to shape how we feel about ourselves and relate to others.
I am trained in a number of therapeutic approaches and my work is trauma-informed and person-centred, drawing on principles from Internal Family Systems (IFS). I have a particular interest in complex and relational trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression and patterns of coping that may once have been protective but have become difficult to live with.
Alongside my private practice, I spent nine years working with a charity challenging disabling barriers. For five of those years I worked one-to-one in the community with people experiencing significant isolation related to physical health, mental wellbeing or neurodivergence. This experience continues to inform the accessibility and flexibility of my therapeutic work.
I have undertaken specialist training in online and telephone counselling and now work with clients both in person in Stroud and online across the UK.
I am also a qualified Clinical Supervisor, providing supervision to other counsellors and psychotherapists.
I am an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work within the BACP Ethical Framework. I am also a member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and a Certified Trauma-Informed Therapist.
I continue to undertake regular professional development and have completed hundreds of hours of additional training throughout my career.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I also have specific additional training in:
- Boarding School Syndrome with Joy Schaverien
- Coercive Control and Narcissistic Abuse with Christine Cocchiola
- Narcissistic Abuse (ongoing) with Dr Ramani Durvasula
- I am a Certified Trauma Informed Therapist, with training in PTSD, CPTSD and Vicarious Trauma
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 - £75.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer a limited number of reduced cost sessions for those on low income and counselling students requiring therapy hours.
When I work
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Further information
My practice is inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming and GSRD-affirming, and I welcome clients of all genders, sexualities, relationship structures and ways of processing and experiencing the world.
I am a Certified Trauma-Informed Therapist and have undertaken extensive additional training in trauma, attachment and the ways early experiences can continue to influence our relationships, self-worth and ways of coping in adulthood.
My specialist training and professional development includes Boarding School Syndrome, gender-affirming therapy, coercively controlling relationships with Dr Christine Cocchiola, and narcissistic abuse specialist training with Dr Ramani Durvasula. I have also undertaken Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).
My work is person-centred and integrative. I draw on a range of approaches, including attachment theory, somatic and felt-sense work, metaphor, imagery and creative methods, particularly where experiences may be difficult to reach or express through words alone.
My practice is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), and I draw on IFS principles throughout my therapeutic work. I do not, however, hold a formal IFS qualification.
I have additional professional training in online and telephone counselling and work with clients both in person and online. I am also a qualified Clinical Supervisor, supporting the work and professional development of other counsellors and psychotherapists.
I continue to undertake regular professional development, allowing my practice to evolve as my experience and understanding deepen.
People come to me for many different reasons. These may include anxiety or depression, low self-confidence and self-worth, loneliness, family or relationship difficulties, emotional abuse, dissociation, neurodiversity, or the lasting impact of difficult and traumatic experiences. I also offer LGBTQ+ counselling within my wider GSRD-affirming practice.
You do not need to know exactly what is wrong, have a diagnosis, or be able to neatly explain why you are struggling before getting in touch. Sometimes knowing that something does not feel right, or that old ways of coping are no longer working for you, is enough.
