This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
As an Art Therapist, Jungian Sandplay Therapist, Bereavement Counsellor, Trauma Informed School Practitioner, Trainer, Spiritual Director and Artist, I have many years of experience working with young people and adults particularly within the field of psychotherapy and the arts.
Art therapy works 'when words are not enough!'
When clients come to see me perhaps feeling incredibly stressed, anxious or generally struggling and aware that life is not in balance, the first thing I do is to reassure them that they do not need to have any artistic ability or talent in order to benefit from art therapy. I also want my clients to know that everything that is shared in this therapeutic environment is totally confidential.
At my private studio in Yorkshire. I work with clients of all ages and aim to make the experience both stress free and as relaxing as possible. To assist in this, I have a wide range of creative materials available for clients to work with to express inner emotions and feelings, using pencils, paints, pastels, collage materials and clay.
Often times clients may feel drawn to experiencing Sandplay Therapy, which I also offer. This therapy is particularly invaluable where the client feels unable to use the creative materials available and instead choses to create an unspoken story or to express a mood or feeling within the sandtray. The client selects from hundreds of miniature objects available, those items which attract them most. These objects they place into the sand tray to illustrate what they cannot find words to express.
The overall aim of the therapies I offer is to enable my clients to process the difficult issues that hold them back from realising their full potential in life, in a safe and confidential setting.
As you will see on this website, I also offer spiritual direction in addition to a range of training courses and workshops including training in schools to respond to and ease the increasing levels of trauma and stress demonstrated not only by pupils but sometimes by staff too. Do have a look at my other pages on this site.
If you would like more information please contact me. If face to face sessions do not work for you I offer zoom sessions.
Training, qualifications & experience
Education - beginning with the most recent
- Diploma: Trauma Informed School Practitioner (Institute for Arts and Psychotherapy Islington London)
- Diploma: Spiritual Direction (Maynooth University)
- MSc. Art Therapy (Queens University Belfast)
- Jungian Sandplay Advanced Trainee (BISS: British and Irish Association Sandplay)
- B.A Hon’s Fine Art (Staffordshire University Stoke on Trent)
- BTEC Diploma - Art and Design (Staffordshire University Stoke on Trent)
- Cruse Bereavement Counselling Training (Belfast)
- Foundation Certificate in the Therapeutic and Education Application of the Arts - UKCP (Institute for Arts and Psychotherapy Islington London)
- Counselling Certificate Cauldon College Of Further Education (Stoke on Trent Staffordshire)
- Youth Work Training Y.M.C.A (Hanley, Stoke On Trent
For the past 22 years, I have been the Art Psychotherapist in St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon, Northern Ireland. I have a busy practice within the school setting of 1400 students. My work with 11 -18 year old in school cover many complex issues that our young people are dealing with, resulting in issues around low self-esteem/confidence, self-harm, suicidal ideation, eating disorder, alcohol and drugs misuse to name but a few. Alongside the one to one work, I have developed a transition programme for first year students as they move from primary to secondary education.
This foundation stone enables students to develop a greater understanding in managing to navigate their emotional, psychological and mental health through various workshops within the psychoeducational programme which I developed and facilitated.
1st Year: Transition from Primary to Secondary School: Find, Follow and Connect on the ‘Yellow Brick Road’. This programme draws on the Wizard of Oz.
2nd Year: Developing Resilience, Role Models and Dealing with Difficult Situations this programme draws on the movie ‘Eddie the Eagle’
3rd Year: Teenage Brain Under Construction. This draws on neuroscience and Dan Siegel’s theory around the ‘Hand Brain’
(I have developed and created all the material for these workshops and each workshop is a full day).
Alongside the psychoeducational programme for students, I have developed an extensive training for teachers which encompasses a whole school approach to being Trauma Informed (Please see Trauma Informed Training Programme on the website or request a brochure) This programme can be adapted for Community groups, Counselling Organisations, and Corporate Settings.
- Prior to taking up the permanent counselling role within the school setting, I provided an art psychotherapy service and some training of staff in facilitation skills to various organizations across Northern Ireland including; Contact Youth, Cruse Bereavement, Inspire (wellbeing, ability, recovery), WAVE, Social Services in the Northern Board Area, Care in Crisis, Learning for Life (drug and alcoholic unit), Probation Northern Ireland, the ADD NI Support Centre and Stepping Stones NI.
- Over the years I have created various workshops mainly for women in relation to personal and professional development.
- I have a small private practice for adult clients who avail of one-to-one sessions and some group work in art psychotherapy and sandplay therapy. Through my adult practice, I work with clients who present with complex needs and difficulties. Some resulting from trauma’s associated with the troubles of N.I, sexual abuse, victims of domestic abuse, drug and alcohol misuse, brain injury and those who are seeking career changes, marriage breakdowns etc.
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 HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£40.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
When I work
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