About me
Counselling is for everyone
I know there's a lot that can hold us back from trying out counselling. I want you to know that it's not only for ‘mad’ people: you don't need some strange and huge problem to need to see a counsellor.
Counselling is for everyone - because it’s entirely ordinary to be confused, anxious and sometimes challenged by relationships, family life, and the direction of your life. So really the only qualification for going to counselling is to be a normal human being.
What’s it like?
There’s also the worry about the strangeness of it all…. talking with someone you’ve never met before, about your inner life. So why not talk to a friend? Here are some reasons to talk with me instead:
- I am properly trained to listen.
- It’s sometimes easier to talk to someone who has no prior knowledge or expectations of the big and important aspects of who you are.
- I will not judge you - I know how unusual and surprising we can all be - and whatever you want to bring to the counselling session, I’ll be able to work with in a caring way.
- I’m interested in, and motivated by, helping out with mental health.
Is it worth it?
Then there’s the cost. It’s comparable to the price of going out for dinner with friends, which is both a lot, and not so much. It really just depends on the value you place on it. The crux is this: counselling is valuable. Because so many of our problems come down to not having enough insight into:
- how our minds work
- what we want
- what we fear
- why we act the way we do
- why we are overwhelmed by certain feelings
The goal of my counselling is self-knowledge. By talking to someone who listens very carefully, over many weeks you come to deeper insights into your mind. Your patterns start to emerge, eg a particular way of approaching relationships or dealing with problems.
Knowing how to live well isn’t an instinct - we’re not born with it, it’s a skill. And one of the places you learn is in the counselling setting. It isn’t a sign of disturbance to go to counselling - it’s a sign of a proper commitment to mental health.
My approaches to this work
Outdoor counselling sessions. We all know that spending time in nature outside is healthy and healing - we know this both intuitively and through a strong base of research evidence. Moving counselling outdoors benefits from this power, and opens us up to learning from nature, the change and growth happening everywhere.
Online counselling sessions. Modern living has placed pressure on everyone, and online therapy sessions are an ideal way to fit therapy into a busy schedule. This approach proved itself during pandemic lockdowns, and there is now a strong evidence base that online sessions can be as effective as face-to-face, with the added benefits of being more convenient and flexible.
Whichever approach you choose, I will bring my utmost care to the work, my motivation to help with your mental health, my skills and training in listening to and understanding your experiences, and a commitment to work collaboratively with you to find the approach that suits you best. My Masters-level qualification focused on integrating the person-centred and CBT therapies in a personalised way for your needs.
Training, qualifications & experience
- BACP Registered Member (number 402720)
- Masters (MA) in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy from Roehampton University, London
- 6 years' experience in Counselling & Psychotherapy
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
£45.00 - £60.00
