About me
Parenting can be can be tough, right!? I’m sure I am not the first person to say this and I am sure that I won’t be the last.
In today’s day and age parents and young people are facing unprecedented demands. Parents are experiencing financial stress ( which may be job related) and child rearing and parenting challenges. Whilst our children and young people face many transitions from school to puberty, whilst managing the demands and dilemmas of social media.
These demands can often compete and conflict causing stress for parents and young people which can result in challenging, frustrating, and painful interactions for everyone involved. I have first hand experience of these demands in my own personal life and see similar challenges faced by the families that I work with. I want to say that help is out there, you are not alone.
I am a qualified and experienced systemic psychotherapist with 20 years of experience of working with children and families in different settings, including CAMHS, NHS, Local Authorities and Charitable organisations. I am passionate about supporting families through challenging times. I work with individuals, couples and family groups.
"an entire family can be changed through the efforts of one person" Mary Bowen
I am particularly experienced in working with children, young people and their families who have Special Educational Needs and those who have had traumatic life experiences.
What can you expect from me
- An initial (no obligation) telephone consultation to understand your situation and how we can work together to address your needs.
- Online Therapy via Zoom/Teams
- Time to connect, explore and understand challenges in a safe accepting non-judgmental space.
- A warm, compassionate and solution-focused approach where everyone has the space to speak and to be heard.
- Support to identify shared goals that will improve the quality of life for you and your family.
- Confidential, professional approach focused on you and your family.
What challenges can we work on together?
My approach and experience can be used in a number of change related areas including, but not limited to;
- Family communication and resolution of conflict.
- I work with children and adults who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences (ACE's) ( physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect)
- Anxiety
- Mental health difficulties / diagnosis within the family
- Child issues and self harm
- Support for Foster Carers and Children and YP who are experienced in the care system.
- Childhood challenging behavior
- Working with children, YP and their families who are experiencing challenges due to Special Educational Needs (SEN)
- Parenting/ co-parenting / Carer challenges
- School related issues
Where do I work?
I work across the North East of England, I am happy to make arrangements to see you close to your home in a mutually agreeable location.
If you are not based in he North East of England please do not hesitate to call as we may be able to arrange working via Zoom/Microsoft TEAMS
Please feel free to contact me to have an informal discussion about your needs and how we can work together.
Training, qualifications & experience
- MSc Systemic Family Psychotherapy
- PgCert Systemic Psychotherapy
- Foundation Systemic Family Therapy
- PgD Profound and Complex Learning Difficulties
- BSc (Hons) Psychology and Criminology
- Certificate- Narrative Exposure Therapy NET (TRAUMA)
- Adult teaching cert
- CPD Complex Trauma (Children, Young People and Adults)
- CPD Working with Nightmares and dreams
- CPD Working with Sexual issues in Systemic Psychotherapy
- CPD Domestic Violence
- Parents as Partners Group Leader
- Cert Solution Focus Brief Therapy
- Therapeutic strategies for Supporting pupils with SEN
- ABA therapy-Autism
- Mindfulness and NLP
Member organisations
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.

UK Council for Psychotherapy
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Accredited register membership

Accredited Register Scheme
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 am a founding member of Calm Together, a therapy business with a focus on supporting families and schools through challenging times.
Please visit the Website at : CalmTogether.co.uk for more information.
Therapies offered
Fees
I encourage families to contact me directly so that we can discuss what it is you need and how I work. If it feels like a good fit for you then we can arrange a face to face/ or online meeting.
I offer initial assessment session in which we can decide the number of sessions, the frequency of sessions and who will be attending. It may be that the focus of the work will be a particular individual or a combination of individual and whole family.
Fees starting from £50 per session for individuals, and £65 per session for couples and families.
I offer concessionary rates for low income families, children with SEN (One Plan), LAC and foster carers.
I also offer reduced rates for clients who block book sessions after the initial contracting and assessment sessions.
Concessions offered for
Further information
I am a registered member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and follow their guidelines on confidentiality, code of ethics, and good practice. I am also registered with the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT).
I am a member of the British Psychological Society (MBPs)
I hold a current enhanced disclosure certificate and full professional indemnity insurance.
Please feel free to contact me via email, telephone or text message. A gentle reminder that I will not always be able to answer my calls due to my working context, I would encourage people to leave a brief message with your name and contact details and I will get back to you as soon as I am able.
Warmly
Arlette