About me
Welcome
Thank you for checking out my website. Starting therapy can be daunting, so hopefully we can make this first step less mysterious or confusing. I hope the information here can enable you to decide if choosing me as your therapist is the right option.
Re-find yourself
I genuinely believe that you are the very best expert in you. Unfortunately for many, we grew up and continue to live with far too many negative external judgments and influences. Counselling enables you to re-find who you truly are, when those influences and judgements are recognised and their power reduced. Re-discovering who you truly are and developing meaningful relationships are the foundation of the healing you can achieve in therapy.
My Clients
My clients come to me for various reasons, but I have particular experience in providing mental health support for anxiety and life stresses, as well as issues related to sexuality and identity, including all variations of the LGBTQI+ family. Many of my clients also open up about addiction, trauma, and abuse. Additionally, through City & Coast Counselling, I can offer guidance and coaching to parents of troubled and distressed adolescents.
Trauma Informed
I work with clients in a 'trauma informed' approach. Perhaps in the past a behaviour or thought helped you survive when things were tough? Perhaps you have pushed away a genuine, nourishing part of yourself to cope with life? Re-discovering who you truly are and developing meaningful relationships are the foundation of the healing you can achieve in therapy.
Anti-Discriminatory Practice
I am absolutely committed to anti-discriminatory practice. To support all diversity including, but not limited to age, class, cultural, disability, gender, neuro-diversity, race, religion, socioeconomic standing and I am fully LGBTQI+ affirmative.
Training, qualifications & experience
Your Safety
Whatever your reason for seeking therapy, my primary role at City & Coast Counselling is to keep you safe and supported. Whilst I will be alongside you in this journey, you have complete freedom about what you share and we will work entirely at your own pace.
As a registered member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy MBACP (418650), you have full access to their Complaints and Ethics support.
Qualifications
I hold a Diploma in Integrative Therapeutic Counselling, a Diploma in Residential Childcare and ongoing Continuous Professional Development in Trauma, Pre-Trial Therapy for Survivors and working with Clients disclosing sexual abuse, assault and rape.
Professional Therapeutic Experience
- Integrative Therapeutic Counsellor: City & Coast Counselling, St Leonards-on-Sea.
- Integrative Counsellor: Counselling Plus, Hastings
- Addiction Counsellor: East Sussex Recovery Alliance (ESRA)
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
LGBTQI+
As a cis gay man, I often feel that the most important aspect of growing comfortable in our queer skins is to recognise exactly who we are, not who we are expected to be. I believe that the LGBTQI+ family should never be constrained by other people’s expectations. I strongly feel that we are the very best experts in who we are, what we want and how to live genuinely. Unfortunately for many, we grew up and continue to live with far too many external judgments and influences. Sometimes, even from within the LGBTQI+ community. Together, I hope we can help you unpick who you truly and genuinely are.
I am fully sex positive and kink affirmative, including with poly and non-heteronormative relational dynamics. I am also unconditionally accepting of all a-sexual and Ace Spectrum identities. I strongly support the right of transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and gender-questioning clients to self-identify.
CHEMSEX
Chemsex usage within the LGBTQI+ community is incredibly diverse and complicated. Some may see Chems as a tool for sexual liberation, community and belonging, others may see this as a public health emergency and addiction nightmare. I believe that Chemsex is an incredibly complex and contradictory dynamic. I therefore offer an unconditionally non-judgemental stance on Chemsex. What does that mean? Hopefully, it means that you can trust me to listen carefully, without bias and not jump to conclusions. To provide a safe space for you to consider all possible options and to enable you to find the right pathway for you.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
I currently have in-person availability in St Leonards-on-Sea and Online availability throughout the UK. Contact me for an initial 15 minutes free of charge telephone call, which allows us time to decide if we should work together. I will explain how our time together can be beneficial and answer any questions you may have.
Further information
Locations
I work in Central London, Hastings, and at St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex, providing mental health support through City & Coast Counselling. We can meet online or in person, and I also offer walking therapy in local parks and beaches. I work with adults of all kinds on a one-on-one basis, and I also volunteer with the community-based low-cost therapy service Counselling Plus in Hastings.
I currently have in-person availability in St Leonards-on-Sea and Online availability throughout the UK.
