About me
Compassionate counselling for teenagers (11+), adults (18+) and older adults.
Life gets messy. We get scrunched up. That’s a heavy weight to carry. But you don’t need to go it alone.
Let's create a fit that’s just right for you, where you can talk openly -however knotty and hard to explain things may be.
I'll work hard with you, adapting to your needs, to help you find your own route through the difficulties you're experiencing.
No issue is too big or too small.
Your time, your space. To be heard, understood, supported, seen.
How I work
At the heart of my practice is trust, sensitivity and the understanding that our relationship is key.
With warmth, sensitivity and challenge we can explore what is going on and what it means for you. We’ll work at your own pace and find the approaches that works best for you. I won’t offer you advice or easy answers. Rather I will listen very carefully, without judgement, to help you make better sense of things and find more peace with your past.
The process is unhurried, dynamic and provides an opportunity to help break cycles that can otherwise feel very stuck. It should lead to meaningful and long-lasting changes – clients often tell me it’s the best investment they’ve ever made.
You're in good hands.
If you feel ready to get in touch, I’d be delighted to hear from you. Please contact me, using the Email Me button at the top of the page.
I aim to get back to you within a few hours.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have over 500 clinical hours working with adults and young people, alongside 20+ years as a secondary school teacher and film producer, so I have some real-world experience to bring to the table.
These are some of the areas of my experience and expertise:
Self Worth
• Exploring how you view, treat, and understand your own needs
• Finding your own voice from a lifetime of external influences
• Getting to know yourself
• Finding self-acceptance, including your insecurities, imperfections and “mistakes"
Identity & Internal Pressures
• Self-identity, self-criticism, low self-confidence and low self-esteem
• People pleasing and perfectionism
• Anxiety, social anxiety, intrusive thoughts and panic attacks
• Unwanted thoughts, isolation and overwhelm
Neurodivergence & Identity:
• ADHD, AuDHD, and neurodivergence and how these might shape your sense of self.
Relationships
• Problems with making or maintaining relationships
• "Stuck" relationships, toxic friendships, coping with being bullied or ostracized
• Parenting and parental alienation
• Twin and sibling relationships
Distress and Trauma
• Coping with painful memories
• Stress, anxiety and depression
• Persistent negative thoughts and feelings
• Life crisis and life purpose
Life transitions
• Approaching end of life
• Preparing for a "good death"
• Managing traumatic grief
• Finding steadiness through loss, grief and bereavement
Qualifications
- Level 7 Post Graduate Diploma (Distinction) in Humanistic Counselling at York St John University
- Certificate in Therapeutic Skills and Studies - Metanoia Institute, London
- PGCE (11-18 years)
- BA (Hons)
Recent training
- The Biology of Loss: How to Foster Resilience When Attachments Are Impaired
- Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry in Action
- Treating Trauma with Internal Family Systems Therapy
- The Inside of Autism - The Autistic Advocate
- Sand Tray Therapy
- Play Therapy
- Domestic Abuse and Mental Health
- Safeguarding
- Exploring suicidal risk with clients
- SPEAK Prevention of Suicide
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Trauma: Understanding and Recovery (working safely with trauma)
- Trauma and the body (Polyvagal)
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Online and Telephone Counselling
- Mindfulness
I am fully ICO insured, indemnity and public liability. Additionally, I am registered with both the BACP and the Information Commissioner's Office, and hold an enhanced DBS certificate.
As a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I work within their Ethical Framework, and am committed to offer the highest level of confidentiality and professional therapeutic care, consistent with the law and BACP codes.
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
Working with Twins
As a twin, I have a special interest in twin relationships and it is not uncommon for twins - or parents of twins - to reach out to me for therapeutic support.
I am experienced in supporting twins explore ‘twin issues’ throughout the lifespan. I also support parents of twins explore the joy and challenges of raising twin children.
Twin work is often located around themes of:
- Co-dependence and healthy coupling
- Over-dependence
- Comparisons and favoritism
- Jealousy and envy in the twin relationship
- ‘Roles', rivalry and conflict
- ‘Splitting’ or finding independence
- Separation difficulties
- Unhappiness, disappointment and loneliness when rifts or ruptures in the twin relationship occur
- Difficulties with relationships outside the twinship
- Twin loss – through death or estrangement
I also work online with twins living in geographically different locations around the world.
"Earth Time"
If you're like me and love being outdoors, and find that your feelings and emotions can be reflected in nature and the changing seasons, I offer "Earth Time" - outdoor therapy from my home in the beautiful Thirsk countryside.
Working outside gives us the opportunity to sit together looking out on open countryside. Occasionally, birdsong will punctuate the air and moorhens will likely sprint across the garden in summertime.
Please contact me if you are drawn to the idea of nature as part of your therapy.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 - £90.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I work face to face and online, and offer weekly 60 min sessions or 75 min sessions.
60 minute sessions - £65 per session.
80 minute sessions - £90 per session
My Teen/Young Person rate is £70 per session. Sessions are 50 minutes long.
Reduced rate - blocks of sessions.
Concessions offered for trainee and qualified counsellors and Post 18 students,
I also offer a reduced block rate (6 weekly sessions) to try to ensure that counselling is as accessible and affordable as possible. Blocks are paid for fully in advance by bank transfer. Please ask for more details
Please note - all sessions must be paid 24 hours in advance by bank transfer.
Practical details:
Located in central Thirsk (YO7), I can see you in person or online, wherever you are. I also offer telephone sessions.
Sessions are usually weekly, as this offers continuity and helps to support us as we build a strong therapeutic relationship. We usually agree a frequency and book a set of sessions so that your preferred time is kept for you.
Further information
I'm a big fan of mindfulness – knowing what’s on your mind and developing an ability to be present in the moment without your inner critic chattering away. This allows you to develop a quieter mind and not let self-destructive impulses cause damage to you and others. Most of my clients find they can start mastering this within a few sessions.
Sometimes, when it's hard to find the words to explain what's going on, I might suggest creative activities to help you express yourself. Drawing, using Nesting Dolls, working with sand, different objects or emotion cards are some ways of working that can help support you to explore your feelings, reactions, emotions and experiences.
What now?
I offer a free initial phone call, so we can talk through your needs and requirements. Following this initial consultation, you should come away with a feeling for how we might work effectively together.
If you feel ready to get in touch, I’d be delighted to hear from you
Please contact me, using the Email Me button at the top of the page.
I aim to reply to all messages within a few hours.
Please check your junk and spam folders for a reply.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm wishes,
Cath
