About me
Introduction
You may understand why you feel the way you do, yet still feel emotionally stuck. Or perhaps you simply know that something needs to change, even if you're not sure why. Whatever has brought you here, therapy offers the opportunity to make sense of your experiences, better understand yourself and work towards meaningful change.
My Philosophy
Many people come to therapy believing there is something "wrong" with them. One of the first things we often discover is that they are not broken. Many emotional and psychological difficulties can be understandable responses to difficult life experiences, even when they no longer feel helpful or make sense to us. I believe it is important to understand you as a whole person and your experiences within the context of your life, rather than focusing only on symptoms or diagnoses.
Through therapy, many people come to realise that they make sense. As we begin to understand your experiences, your thoughts, feelings and ways of coping often begin to make more sense too. From there, we can begin working together towards meaningful change.
Starting Where You Are Now
Some people come to therapy for the first time, not knowing where to start. Others have had therapy before and found it helpful, yet still feel that something hasn't fully shifted. You may understand yourself better, yet still experience the same emotional reactions, patterns or sense of feeling stuck.
Whatever your starting point, therapy begins where you are now. Together, we can build on what you may already know, whilst exploring what may still need attention, working at a pace that feels right for you.
My Areas of Special Interest
I work with adults experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties. My areas of special interest are trauma, attachment and dissociation.
Trauma can take many forms. It may relate to childhood experiences, single or repeated distressing events, or sometimes the things that didn't happen rather than the things that did. For others, it may be the accumulation of more subtle experiences that have gradually shaped the way they see themselves, relate to others and respond to the world.
Our earliest relationships can have a lasting influence on how we see ourselves, relate to others and experience the world.
Dissociation can also be part of this picture, ranging from feeling detached or disconnected through to more complex dissociative experiences.
My aim is always to understand your unique experiences and tailor therapy to you.
How I Work
No two people are the same, so I don't believe therapy should be either. My approach is collaborative, flexible and tailored to your needs, because what helps one person may not be right for another.
Talking and developing insight can be an important part of therapy, but we often need more than insight alone. Where appropriate, we may decide to integrate approaches such as EMDR and Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) to help process experiences that continue to affect you today. The approach we choose will always be guided by your needs, goals and readiness.
I see therapy as something we do together. You are the expert on your own life and experiences; my role is to bring psychotherapeutic knowledge, experience and specialist training to help us make sense of what is happening and decide how best to move forward. We will regularly review how therapy is progressing and adapt our approach where needed.
Over time, many people find they understand themselves differently, feel less overwhelmed by the past, feel better about themselves, and feel more able to live the life they want in the present.
Free, no obligation, 20 minute call
Finding the right therapist is an important decision, and it's okay if you have questions before deciding whether to begin therapy. If you'd like to know more about how I work, or whether I might be the right therapist for you, please feel free to get in touch. We can discuss what you're looking for and whether I'm the right person to help.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and hold a Master's degree (MA) in Psychotherapy and a Bachelor's degree in Counselling and Psychology. I have been working in private practice for over ten years, supporting adults with a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties.
Alongside my core psychotherapy training, I have continued to develop my practice through further training in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), together with continuing professional development in trauma, attachment and dissociation and regular clinical supervision.
While psychological theories and therapeutic models can be valuable, I believe they should always help us understand the individual rather than expecting the individual to fit the theory. Every person has a unique story, and my aim is to understand yours so that, together, we can decide which approaches are most likely to help.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
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
£65.00 - £90.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
*Optional free 20 minute telephone consultation.
Please note, I work on a sliding scale depending on income. Fees are also calculated by the office I am working in or if I usually work from home at the time of appointment
Woking (Mondays 1pm until 10pm, Tuesdays 10am-3pm and Fridays 10am until 8pm).
£75-85 for a 50-minute session, or, £150-£170 for 90-minute session
Guildford (Tuesday 5pm-9pm, Thursday 1pm- 9pm).
£80-£90 for a 50-minute session, or, £160-£180 for a 90-minute session.
Video sessions
Tuesday or Wednesday daytime when I'm working from home: £65-£75 for a 50 minute session, or, £130-£150 for a 90-minute session. Video sessions when I am in one of the offices are charge at the respective office rates above.
Covered By Health Insurance?
I am a registered practitioner with BUPA, AXA PPP, Cigna, Allianz Healthcare Worldwide, WPA, Aviva, Healix and Vitality Health. I can also provide invoices for clients to claim back fees from other healthcare providers- please check with your individual healthcare provider as each provider works differently.
Concessions
Limited concessions may be available for those on low wages or have financial difficulties, please call to discuss prior to the initial consultation.
When I work
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Further information
I offer both short-term and longer-term therapy, depending on your individual needs and what you would like to achieve. Sessions are available in person in Woking and Guildford, online throughout the UK, and internationally where appropriate.
In addition to standard 50-minute sessions, I also offer 90-minute sessions and therapy intensives where appropriate. These can be particularly helpful for some people undertaking trauma-focused work or for those who would benefit from longer sessions. We can discuss together whether this type of work would be suitable for you.
EMDR and Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) can be integrated into therapy when we feel they are likely to be helpful. If you'd like to learn more about these approaches, you're welcome to visit my website, where you'll find further information about EMDR, Deep Brain Reorienting and trauma therapy, or read my article on Deep Brain Reorienting within this profile.
