About me
First and foremost: I will listen to you without judgement. I invite you to simply come as you are.
I am trained in both psychodynamic and person-centred approaches. Simply put, this means that we can explore your early life and family dynamics that have been internalised and how they may play out today, as well as other unconscious patterns. This also means that I attend to what arises in the here-and-now between us, and that I will strive to create an environment where you experience empathy, as well as an unconditional acceptance towards you and whatever you may bring. I will also tell you how I feel impacted by you, or any words or images or feelings that come to mind whilst listening to you.
I also have an interest in existentialist psychotherapy, which focuses on how we make meaning of our experiences and lives in general. This approach may help you to explore key facets of what it is to be human (such as death, isolation, freedom and meaninglessness), and to evaluate your world and your place within it.
The combined approaches I have trained in means that I work relationally. This means that our relationship is what will drive change, or as the existentialist psychotherapist Irvin Yalom put it, ‘it’s the relationship that heals.’ Rather than offering direct advice, solutions or tools, I will meet you where you are at, offering a collaborative approach where we can explore together. If it feels right, we can also work creatively in sessions with art materials or with writing.
Training, qualifications & experience
I work one-to-one with adults and also offer therapy in French. I offer weekly or fortnightly sessions. While I am happy to accept enquiries from anyone who is interested in what I have to offer, I have particular experience of working with new parents, men struggling with issues around masculinity, neurodivergence, grief, relationship difficulties and existential crises or identity issues.
I also have a particular interest in working with individuals who have left religions, or high-control groups or organisations. I also have experience of working in the prison service, and welcome enquiries from anyone who has been impacted directly or indirectly by this. I also enjoy working with counselling trainees.
I hold a Doctorate in Psychotherapy and Counselling from the University of Edinburgh, a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy (COSCA Accredited) from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Psychology of Mental Health from the University of Edinburgh.
My doctoral research focused on what it's like for a member of Alcoholics Anonymous to leave, and challenged discourses A.A. purports around what it means to be an alcoholic, alcoholism as an illness, and how this has shaped societal understandings of alcoholism and addiction and its treatment.
My Masters research focused on adult grooming behaviours that are exhibited at the beginning of coercive or IPV relationships and how one may become enmeshed in such a relationship.
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
£70.00 per session
Additional information
I offer some concessions for those who may need it and struggle to access counselling otherwise. Please contact to discuss further and note these are limited and not guaranteed.
Further information
Our first session will be spent getting to know you and what brings you to therapy. I will ask you about what brings you here, any previous experience with counselling/psychotherapy, what we will be working together towards, your childhood and family relationships, medical history, current lifestyle and questions related to risk. You are also welcome to ask me questions about how I work and what I offer.
I offer a free introductory call also.
