This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Understanding how counselling can help you
We live in an ever complicated world where we seem to be constantly bombarded with messages of wellness that often conflict with the way we are able to navigate the world. We are constantly being told what is good for us in a very universal way without first exploring who we are, what we have experienced and what we need to thrive.
There seem to be things in life that happen frequently to us, repetitive patterns that appear in our relationships, the way we behave, the way we think of others and, I think most importantly, the way we think about ourselves. These patterns can often be healthy and impact our life in a positive way, however, there are also patterns that are negative and become harmful to ourselves and those around us.
How we will work together
In order to make sense of this I offer an integrative approach to counselling, meaning that I utilise humanistic and psychodynamic frameworks that allow us to explore your personal history and patterns of relating in a deeper more meaningful way.
Our work together, first and foremost, involves building our relationship so that we can safely and compassionately be curious about your life and the things that have impacted you. We will take into account your patterns of relating and your personal history, exploring both your significant human and societal relationships in order to achieve growth and understanding. I will work at your pace, with you always being in charge of the direction of our work. You hold the most information about your life, and know the most about what you have experienced and how you relate to people. My role is to help you find the keys to the knowledge and experiences you have kept locked away, to unlock it with you, and be your companion as we put it together in a way that helps you make sense of where you find yourself right now.
My core beliefs and values for our counselling relationship
I believe that for a counsellor to be truly empathetic we must advance our awareness and understanding of difference and diversity. An intersectional lens is necessary to recognise how power impacts different groups in different ways and to identify the power we hold as individuals. When we work together, it is important for us to consider the systems of oppression you exist in, whilst considering the identities and characteristics you inhabit. For instance, when working with female clients I will recognise patriarchy, for those racialised as Black/Brown, I recognise racism, and for those who have neuro-divergent brains, I recognise ableism. We can then consider the trauma of this oppression, or the power we hold, alongside your personal relationship experiences. This knowledge enables us to see you wholly and to validate your lived experience in a more informed way.
Training, qualifications & experience
My professional history and counselling qualifications
I am a firm believer in fairness, inclusion, equity and compassion and have spent my entire professional life being guided by these values. I have 23 years’ experience of working within communities, whether that be as a firefighter (2001 – 2022), mentor for looked after young people, high risk mediator for young people experiencing conflict and victimisation within inner city areas, anti-racism educator in schools, educational departments and businesses, and as a volunteer bereavement counsellor at my local hospice.
- CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Introduction to Counselling Skills
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
£65.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Each session is £65, online or in person, and is a 50 minute counselling hour. Online sessions can be done through, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facetime and WhatsApp. In person sessions will take place in my therapy room located in SE20. The amount of sessions you have will be determined by your needs and what you want to achieve through counselling. We will schedule regular reflective sessions where we consider what we have learnt, what goals we have achieved, and whether there are things you still wish to explore or not.
I look forward to joining you on your journey.
Further information
How we begin
The process starts by us having a free telephone consultation where we will explore your needs and reasons for seeking out counselling as well as exploring whether what I offer fits with your needs. If you agree to counselling together we can meet online or in person and we will spend the first session exploring your needs further, any questions you may have and to again consider whether you feel I am the right fit for you.
