About me
THERAPIST
I am a UKCP registered practitioner based in Ayr. I began helping people in 2000. Some had medical diagnoses like depression, anxiety, CPTSD or addiction, while others may have struggled with something that did not seem to have a name.
The therapy I offer is an integration of humanistic and psychodynamic practices. Which means, I am interested in what it is to be a person in a world of others, and in how things outside of awareness may affect us. I believe common symptoms often have deeper causes, and you may speak of this with me.
BENEFITS
People come to therapy for individual reasons. Maybe your usual ways of coping no longer seem to work, or perhaps a question about yourself has grown too important to ignore. Modern life may feel hurried, or it can fix us in certain roles. Counselling and psychotherapy let you unknot the specifics of your experience - whatever challenges you - through conversation together.
This allows you to speak and feel heard; to discover new insights and opportunities within yourself; to be able to notice, feel and live with more emotions; and to gain control and make meaningful experiences
WHAT TO EXPECT
If you feel being in therapy for a while could benefit you then please message me about initial sessions. The first time we meet is the opportunity to discuss what brings you to therapy, and if it feels worth carrying on we can arrange a regular time each week. Therapy takes time, and the steady weekly schedule helps to establish a reliable place to talk.
My consulting room in conveniently located and has a gentle flight of stairs. For those unable to attend in person, remote sessions can be made available. My fee is between £45-£65, which we arrange when we meet, and I then invoice monthly for all sessions (including the first).
Training, qualifications & experience
After becoming a professional psychotherapeutic counsellor, I went on to develop my capacity with further training in interpersonal neurobiology. Since then, I have become increasingly interested in psychoanalysis, a field I continue to develop professionally in through a wide range of CPD. If you want a human approach to counselling which offers a psychoanalytic slant on things, I am placed to offer that. You may wonder if what you bring to therapy fits here but I am ready to welcome those questions and explore them with you.
I Have Helped People With Things Like:
- Mood and emotional disturbances
- Stress or grief
- Problems related to work, illness or society
- Development and adversity
- Difficulty in relationships with others
- Identity questions
- Doubts about meaning and purpose
- Choices
- Repeating life patterns and habits
- Hope for recovery
My Credential
- UKCP
- Higher Accredited Professional*
- Integrative Counselling (BA hons) via University of Worcester
- Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling (80 hours) via Counselling Tutor
- Enhanced Disclosure Barring Certificate
- Interpersonal Neurobiology (100 hours) with Bonnie Badenoch via PCPSI (ongoing)
- Further training to work with complex trauma (CPTSD), domestic abuse, attachment theory, prescribed drug dependance and via the psychoanalytic approach.
*I am a Professional Accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, as a counsellor/psychotherapist, and a Higher Accredited Member of the UK Association of Humanistic Psychology Practitioners, as a psychotherapeutic counsellor.
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.
UKAHPP is a national accrediting organisation for all those who apply the theories of Humanistic Psychology in their work. The UKAHPP is an independent member organisation of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the UK Register of Counsellors. The Association is made up of a number of different membership classes e.g. Associate Members, Affiliate Members, Full Members, each with different requirements for entry. Full Members may use the initials 'MAHPP' after their names, and have undergone a rigorous accreditation procedure relevant to their discipline. All members of the Association of Humanistic Psychology Practitioners must commit to acceptance of the UKAHPP Code of Ethical Principles, the UKAHPP Code of Practice, the UKAHPP Ethical Review Procedure and the UKAHPP Complaints Procedure.
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.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. 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
I have a particular interest in helping people who experience a nameless difficulty getting by or along with others. Especially where the reasons for this are confusing or without apparent cause.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£45.00 - £65.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
My fee is £45-£65 per session, to be arranged individually.
I suggest booking an initial session to give you chance to discuss what brings you to therapy. There will be opportunity to address any of your questions or concerns here as well. And this is where we could talk about the practical aspects of how therapy might proceed, such as fees and appointment schedules. We can carry on this conversation if needed.
Therapy itself takes time, so think about coming once or twice a week for a while.
When I work
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Further information
My practice room is situated in the centre of Ayr, South Ayrshire, close to local car parks and the bus station. It is accessed via one gentle of stairs.
Continuing in regular therapy would mean:
- Your weekly, ongoing spot will be set aside just for you, at a regular time.
- Appointments will be for 50 mins
- It’s confidential (there are some legal exceptions we’ll discuss)
- I will give you plenty of notice when I take annual leave
- We can discuss when to end therapy and plan to stop at a suitable time
- We will review this agreement periodically and address any concerns as they come up
