About me
About me and what I can offer to you:
My approach is warm, genuine and collaborative. I aim to create a space where you can pause, feel safe, heard, seen and in control; a place where you can reflect and make sense of what you’re experiencing and talk openly about whatever is troubling you. We will work at your pace and focus on what feels most important to you, rather than trying to fit you into a particular way of working.
Counselling can help you to regain a sense of calm and control and begin moving forward. I also offer a place free from judgement - where growth, empowerment, a deeper understanding of yourself, your experiences and what you need are possible.
Life can sometimes feel overwhelming, confusing or simply difficult to navigate. You may be struggling with something specific; past issues, relationships, stress, feeling stuck, motivation issues, work, worries about the future or perhaps you’re not quite sure what’s wrong but know that things don’t feel as they should. You may simply want to understand yourself better and feel more able to move forward. Whatever brings you here, we can start exactly where you are.
Together, we can explore the experiences, relationships, thoughts and feelings that may be affecting you now and develop new coping strategies.
At times, it may be helpful for me to introduce practical approaches such as mindfulness, grounding or other techniques to support you between sessions. Where appropriate, we can explore these together alongside the deeper work of understanding your experiences.
Counselling with me is about having the time and space to talk openly with someone outside your everyday life, to understand yourself a little more clearly and reconnect with your own strengths, resources and inner wisdom. If you’re considering getting in touch, you don’t need to have everything figured out before you make contact. We can start where you are and take it from there. I look forward to hearing from you.
Training, qualifications & experience
I became a therapist after spending over twenty years working with people in a wide variety of demanding environments, including national charities that provide complex emotional support to individuals facing very difficult circumstances, for example, when a loved one goes missing. I have also worked for Action for Children supporting families and young people through a range of complex issues. Through this work, I saw first-hand the powerful impact therapy can have in helping people to heal and reconnect with themselves and with others - it can truly be a lifeline.
I have a BSc (Hons) Degree in Psychology and a Level 7 PG Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. My Psychology training and time spent as a Psychology Assistant is also integrated into my work. I’m a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and I’m committed to working ethically and professionally.
Since qualifying as a therapist and currently working for The Derbyshire Addictions Advice Service (DAAS) as part of the Derbyshire Recovery Partnership, in their BACP-accredited counselling team, I’ve had the privilege of supporting many clients on their own unique journeys, helping them to grow, heal, and flourish. I have developed a trauma-informed and integrative approach. This means I draw on different counselling skills and techniques to meet the unique needs of each individual client.
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
£55.00 per session
Additional information
- Sessions are charged at a rate of £55, paid in advance via Bank Transfer
- Alternative payment methods can be negotiated if required
Further information
What to expect:
I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation, giving us an opportunity to talk briefly about what brings you to counselling and to see whether we might be a good fit to work together. It’s also a chance to discuss any reasonable adjustments or adaptations that could help you feel more comfortable and supported during our sessions.
Our first session will give you the space to talk about what you would like to explore in therapy and what you hope to gain from the process. We can also discuss how we might work together, as well as practical matters such as confidentiality and the counselling agreement.
Sessions are one hour long, and we can discuss how often you would like to attend therapy to best suit your availability and needs.
