About me
" There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you".
—Maya Angelou.
Welcome.
I'm Donna. I have worked in the field of mental health for over 25 years and I'm an experienced integrative psychotherapist.
My initial psychotherapy training began in the 1990s working with adults in Transactional Analysis at the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy. I hold a Master’s degree in Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and Counselling from Terapia/Middlesex University and I'm also a qualified social worker.
My therapeutic approach is trauma and attachment informed, grounded in relational and humanistic modalities. I’m particularly curious about how past relationships and early experiences shape our present feelings, thoughts and behaviour patterns.
I describe myself as a deeply sensitive, engaging practitioner, committed to creating an open and welcoming practice that embraces all forms of expression and diversity and I honour the unique narrative each person brings to therapy. I hold a safe space for clients to explore meaning in their personal challenges, and when it feels right I will also offer opportunities for creative expression when sometimes words alone might not be enough. I also like to integrate body awareness into my practice in ways that resonate with each individual.
Modern living can lead to chronic stress, causing harm to the nervous system when it’s not properly nurtured. I believe healing occurs within safe and healthy relationships - including the therapeutic relationship and our connections with ourselves, others, and the wider natural world. Through working together, my aim is to help you feel genuinely heard, seen and valued.
I look forward to working with you.
Training, qualifications & experience
I'm an accredited UKCP psychotherapist which requires me to demonstrate commitment to high quality practice which includes being fully accountable to complaints procedures, being fully insured, supervised and bound by confidentiality.
Alongside my private practice, I work as part of The Therapeutic Consultants (TTC) team of psychotherapists. TTC is a multi-disciplinary mental health organisation specialising in long-term psychotherapy with adopted children and adoptive families through the ASGSF initiative and also long-term psychotherapy with private families and children.
Social Work
I spent many years working closely with families, adults and children from a wide range of diverse cultural and social backgrounds. I worked in residential settings with looked after children, NHS community mental health teams and front-line child protection teams so I have a robust understanding of complex family systems and mental health, risk/assessment, service delivery and safeguarding knowledge, all of which feeds into my therapeutic practice.
Qualifications
MA. Child Psych. - Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and Counselling - (Children, Adolescents and Families)
DipSW - Diploma in Social Work (Children and Families)
Cert.TA - Psychotherapy (Adults)
I enjoy expanding my learning and am fully committed to regular CPD.
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.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Special Areas of Interest and Research
Grief and bereavement, adverse childhood experiences, adoption and fostering, sexual abuse, disordered eating, stress and anxiety, depression, trauma, adult abuse and bullying, discrimination, BAME and wider cultural and neuro/diversity issues, sexuality, identity and gender issues, sex and relationships, anger, chronic stress, self-harm, addictive and compulsive behaviours, viral CFS, ME and chronic long-term physical health challenges, menopause/mid life themes, organisation and work-based challenges, transpersonal, philosophical and existential life themes.
Therapies offered
Fees
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I charge £65 for 50 minute face-to-face and online sessions.
When I work
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