About me
We are all influenced by the people in our lives and the experiences we have had both past and present, all of which serve to shape and define us. Sometimes we need help in understanding how the culmination of these factors can get in the way of being able to live life fully and with ease.
Maybe you're looking for relief from the pain of anxiety or depression. You could be struggling with life changes or loss. You may want a better relationship with yourself and /or those closest to you.
I offer a non-judgemental space in which I can help you to explore your feelings, beliefs and patterns of behaviour. We can journey together into your inner world, make sense of your difficulties and create ways of coping, healing and thriving.
I may invite you to think about things differently or offer an alternative perspective. This is always done with an attitude of unconditional acceptance. I bring warmth, empathy and a sense of humour. I can be challenging where necessary whilst being supportive and compassionate.
I work relationally which means the quality of the therapeutic relationship we form is extremely important in terms of promoting healing. I am influenced by humanistic, person centred and psychodynamic approaches. This supports a flexible way of working that honours and values client uniqueness. In simple terms, at the core of each approach are the central issues of how we relate, to ourselves, to others, to our past experiences and to our ever evolving sense of self. I often include psycho-education and tool giving in my work.
Considering the origin and development of distress can be helpful in terms of deciding what can be changed to ease discomfort, equally focussing on the here and now may be what is needed.
I work extensively with anxiety, depression, long standing emotional distress and challenging family relationships. I specialise in ADHD and Autism, Addiction (alcohol, substances, porn and sex) and sexual abuse.
I offer neurodivergent affirming and LGBTQ+affirmative therapy.
I offer short term counselling (typically 8 sessions) and long term therapy for those wanting to explore more deep seated and complex issues.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a qualified and experienced Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. I hold a BACP Accredited Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.
I have worked in private practice since 2019. Since qualifying, my professional development continues in multiple directions, including neurodivergence, trauma informed practices, poly-vagal theory and internal family systems.
Trained in yoga and mindfulness teacher I to draw upon these practices to inform my work.
Prior to becoming a counsellor, I worked as secondary school teacher, leader and behaviour consultant for 20 years.
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
£75.00 - £90.00
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
My appointment fees are:
£75 for weekly appointments, £80 for fortnightly/twice a month appointments and £90 for Saturdays.
I ask for payment monthly in advance . I offer a free 20 minute phone or zoom introductory call.
When I work
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Further information
Please contact me initially via email or text. I will get back to you within 48 hours. If you don't hear from me within this time frame please check your junk mail. Once we have made contact, we can arrange a mutually convenient time for a free 20 minute introductory zoom or phone call.
During this call you can ask me any questions you may have about how I work or therapy in general and we can discuss practical details. Should you choose to proceed, we can arrange your first session.
The first session has an assessment style. I will ask you questions about your personal history, why you are seeking counselling at this time and what you hope to achieve from it. We can also assess mutual suitability i.e whether I am the right therapist for you. if we're both happy to proceed, we will agree the scope of our work together.
Sessions are 50 minutes long and take place once a week at the same time, day and venue. After an initial 8, once a week sessions, I can offer more flexible appointments i.e bi-monthly, once a month or drop in.
