About me
I offer two distinct services, but they work together:
For parents: I offer time to think about your child, your relationship and what may be happening underneath difficult behaviour. Together, we can make sense of patterns, reduce overwhelm and find thoughtful ways forward. I’ll think with you about the theory behind behaviour so there’s a clear plan with strategies to use.
For children and young people: I offer play therapy and psychotherapy to help them express feelings, understand themselves and process experiences that may be difficult to put into words. I have years of experience of working with highly traumatised and anxious children and young people. For me, this means I’m careful to make sure children feel understood and heard; I want children to feel confident that they can learn to manage their behaviour and express feelings safely.
I work with children, young people and families by gently looking beneath the surface of behaviour to understand what a child may be trying to communicate. Psychodynamic thinking helps us consider how feelings, early experiences and important relationships shape the way a child manages worry, anger, sadness, separation, change or conflict. Sometimes children show their distress through behaviour because the feelings underneath are too big, too confusing or too hidden to put into words.
With parents, I offer a calm space to think together about what may be happening emotionally between you and your child. We may notice repeated patterns, moments that feel particularly difficult, or ways old feelings can be stirred up in family life. This is not about blame. It is about making sense of what is happening so you can respond with more confidence, steadiness and understanding.
With children, I use play, creativity and conversation to help them express feelings safely. Play can show us important emotional themes: worries about being left, feeling out of control or needing to be in control, anger, loss, fear or needing closeness. Over time, these feelings can be understood rather than simply managed. My aim is to help families feel more connected, less stuck and better able to understand the meaning behind behaviour.
I also think carefully with parents about how therapy is held. Children and young people need a private, trusting space, while parents still need appropriate involvement and support. I aim to keep this balance clear, respectful and helpful so everyone understands how the work will be shared.
Training, qualifications & experience
I’m a registered member of BACP, with a Masters in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Counselling (three-year course), and post graduate qualifications in Therapeutic Play Practitioner (PTUK), Advanced Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Children’s Accelerated Trauma Therapy.
For twenty years I've worked with children in residential and fostering homes and have lots of experience supporting young people and staff teams.
I write and deliver my own training to suit the needs of caring organisations and often provide consultancy to staff working with looked after children.
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
£45.00 per session
Additional information
Sessions with children and young people £45.
Parent sessions are £55 (I recommend three sessions as a minimum).
Further information
I offer two distinct services, but they work together:
For parents: I offer time to think about your child, your relationship and what may be happening underneath difficult behaviour. Together, we can make sense of patterns, reduce overwhelm and find thoughtful ways forward. I’ll think with you about the theory behind behaviour so there’s a clear plan with strategies to use.
For children and young people: I offer play therapy and psychotherapy to help them express feelings, understand themselves and process experiences that may be difficult to put into words. I have years of experience of working with highly traumatised and anxious children and young people. For me, this means I’m careful to make sure children feel understood and heard; I want children to feel confident that they can learn to manage their behaviour and express feelings safely.
Together, these services help families reconnect with hope, understanding and emotional confidence.
