About me
When life events, feelings, recent or past traumatic events become overwhelming, it can feel so hard to cope with things on your own and often hard to reach out to family or friends. But you don't have to do it all alone, we all need a bit of help sometimes and change is possible.
By offering you a safe, confidential, non-judgemental, empathetic space where you can talk freely and explore your thoughts, feelings and patterns, with someone who is trained to help you make sense of any issues or concerns, we can work together at your own pace, to find out what you need to make the changes you want.
As a veteran who has served almost a decade in the military and also many years in the corporate world, I really understand how life events, both personal and professional, can cause stress, anxiety, depression, panic and trauma responses. I feel passionate about helping people work through trauma and PTSD whether it's recent events or a long time ago, supporting them to move forward to live a happier and more fulfilling life.
"Trauma is not what happens to you, it’s what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you. Trauma is that scarring that makes you less flexible, more rigid, less feeling and more defended." (Dr Gabor Mate)
Using an integrative counselling approach means I can offer various theoretical approaches tailored to suit your needs, but you and what you need are at the centre of the therapy.
Training, qualifications & experience
- CPD Certificate in Advanced Memory Reconsolidation & Flash Technique
- CPD Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling
- CPD Certificate in Shame & Trauma Informed Practice
- CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- DBS Checked
I have specialist training and experience of working with trauma and PTSD, including with survivors of sexual assault, sexual abuse, domestic abuse and historic child sex abuse.
Client issues I have worked with include: anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, flashbacks, night-terrors, panic attacks, sleeping issues, EUPD, anger issues, self-harm, alcohol / drug abuse, eating disorders, low self-esteem / confidence issues, shame, sadness, loneliness / isolation, sexual issues, relationship/communication issues, disconnection, body image issues, loss and grief.
As a trauma informed therapist, I use the Trauma Informed Model and I am also trained in the Flash Technique (FT).
FT is a recently developed and minimally intrusive therapeutic intervention for reducing the distress associated with traumatic or disturbing memories. Unlike many conventional trauma therapy interventions, FT does not require clients to consciously engage with the traumatic memory. This allows traumatic memories to then be processed, without having to connect with the overwhelming feelings of trauma.
FT can help children and adults of all ages and can help with many presenting issues including but not limited to, anxiety, OCD, mild and severe dissociation and depression, as well as trauma.
Working in private practice on the outskirts of Aylesbury, I have created a light therapy space from my conservatory room at home, accompanied by my therapy companion dog, who is small, quiet, friendly and hypoallergenic. I have a side access for face to face clients where parking is available and I am qualified and experienced in offering online sessions via Zoom.
In addition I work for a sexual assault and abuse support services charity that covers the Aylesbury Vale and Milton Keynes areas, working with survivors of sexual violence, domestic abuse, domestic violence, coercive control, rape and historic child sex abuse.
Member organisations
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. Therapists registered with the Association fall into a number of different membership categories such as Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP and Registered Member MBACP (Accred), each standing for different levels of training and experience. MBACP (Accred) and MBACP (Snr Accred) members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.
Registered members can be found on the BACP Register, which was the first register to achieve Accredited Voluntary Register status issued by the Professional Standards Authority. Individual Members will have completed an appropriate counselling and/or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but will not appear on the BACP Register until they've progressed to Registered Member MBACP status.
All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure. 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
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer an initial 15 minute phone consultation which is free of charge.
This gives you an opportunity to tell me a little bit about what has brought you to therapy and for me to share what I can offer you. Our therapeutic relationship is key to any therapy, so it gives us a chance to see if we would both like to work together.
When setting up our initial 15 mins consultation, in order to respect your privacy and until I understand your preferred methods of contact, I will respond to you in a way which reflects your initial contact to me, i.e. if you email me, I will email you back, if you call me and leave a message, I will call you back.
After that the sessions would last 50 minutes and ideally be weekly as this consistency and frequency tends to support building trust and a good connection, which really helps the therapeutic process. However, this can be negotiated based on your needs and availability.
I do offer a limited number of concession rate sessions which we can discuss in this initial call.
Fees can be paid via BACS, bank transfer, or cash (if in person). Payment is required within 24 hours prior to the appointment or at the beginning of the session (if in person).
Whilst I understand that unexpected events can change our plans at the last minute I do request 24 hours notice of session cancellation. Without this notice I charge a full session fee of £50 to cover my costs.
Availability
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Sessions after 8pm are available via zoom only.
Further information
When setting up our initial 15 mins consultation, in order to respect your privacy and until I understand your preferred methods of contact, I will respond to you in a way which reflects your initial contact to me, i.e. if you email me, I will email you back, if you call me and leave a message, I will call you back.