About me
Life can become difficult for many different reasons. You may be feeling anxious or overwhelmed, finding relationships difficult, living with the effects of childhood experiences or abuse, or simply feeling that life has never seemed to make sense in the way it appears to for other people. Whatever has brought you here, counselling offers the opportunity to pause, reflect and begin to understand yourself differently.
We all have a unique story, shaped by our relationships, our experiences and the ways we have learnt to cope with life. I believe that when we begin to understand ourselves with curiosity and compassion, rather than judgement, new possibilities can emerge.
To me, counselling is simply one person sitting alongside another, trying to make sense of those experiences together. My role isn’t to tell you what to do or to have all the answers but to help you explore. Sometimes that means looking at what is happening in your life now. Sometimes it means understanding how the past continues to influence the present. Often, it is simply about having someone alongside you who is genuinely interested in understanding what life has been like for you.
Part of my practice is supporting adults whose lives have been shaped by childhood experiences, trauma, abuse and coercive control. We all develop our own ways of coping with difficulty and painful emotions. Sometimes these ways of coping become themselves a problem holding us back. We can be left feeling bad about ourselves, anxious, insecure in our relationships. Counselling offers a way to accept ourselves and change, to make sense of the experiences that have shaped our life and become the person we can be.
I also work with many neurodivergent adults, particularly those with ADHD.
Many of the neurodivergent people I work with did not come to counselling because they were looking for an ADHD specialist. They came because they felt overwhelmed, struggled in relationships, found everyday life exhausting or had spent years wondering why life seemed harder for them than it appeared to be for other people. As we worked together, understanding their neurodivergence became one part of making sense of their experiences.
Alongside my professional training, I also have lived experience of ADHD. I know that every person’s experience is different, but I hope this enables me to offer an additional understanding of some of the challenges – and strengths – that can come with being neurodivergent. Whether you have a diagnosis, are waiting for an assessment or are simply beginning to question whether ADHD might be part of your story, I will offer you understanding, support and acceptance.
I work integratively, drawing on different counselling approaches according to your individual needs. More important than any particular model of counselling is the relationship we build together. Feeling understood and accepted creates the foundation from which change can happen.
I offer face-to-face counselling from my practice in Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset, as well as online counselling across the UK. I also offer a free introductory conversation so that we can meet, talk about what has brought you to counselling, and decide whether we feel we could work well together.
Visit my website for more information and please feel you can phone, text or email me to find out more.
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling from Iron Mill College and am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), working within its ethical framework.
Before establishing my private practice, I worked as a counsellor with HELP Counselling in Wiltshire and Wessex Cancer Trust in Bournemouth. I also undertake regular supervision, continuing professional development and personal therapy to support safe, ethical and reflective practice.
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
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sessions are 50 minutes once a week. Regular weekly sessions help us keep momentum and allows me to be there to support you if you find the issues difficult to talk about.
The number of sessions needed depends solely on each client. In our first meeting we will identify your goals and whether there is a short or long-term issue. However, further issues often come out during the course of therapy so we will review progress regularly to ensure we are both happy with the direction we are taking.
I charge £50 for each 50 minute session. This is usually paid by bank transfer on the day of each appointment but I can discuss alternative arrangements if necessary.
When I work
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I offer sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and a limited number of weekday evening sessions. I offer face to face sessions, and also work online and by phone.
