About me
As a Person-Centred counsellor and psychotherapist, I believe we can all reach our true potential, given the right conditions. However sometimes, when we encounter difficult or painful life experiences and relationships, we lose our way. I believe there is an explanation for how and why we find ourselves at certain points in our lives. By exploring key events and relationships we can start to make sense of our own story, accept who and where we are, and grow.
" The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change." (Carl Rogers, On Becoming a Person: Therapist's View of Psychotherapy)
The therapeutic relationship is at the heart of my practice. I offer acceptance, warmth and understanding. Sometimes we need someone to see things from our perspective to help us feel seen and heard, before we can move on. Your experiences are valid and you are important.
I will be honest and genuine with you. However your story unfolds during our work together, there is no judgement. Life is messy; we make mistakes, hurt ourselves and sometimes we hurt others.
Therapy is not a straight line of progression; the natural Ebb & Flow can sometimes feel like one step forward and two steps back. I can't do the work for you, but I can be by your side to support you, offering a compassionate safe space. Have faith in yourself and the therapeutic process.
I am qualified in both counselling and psychotherapy:
Counselling: assisting you to unpick and explore your story. This may be short term work focusing on information that is known to you in your conscious mind (we call this explicit information).
Psychotherapy: digging a bit deeper and peeling back the layers to uncover the 'unknown' material bubbling away in the subconscious mind. This is often longer-term work (we call this implicit information).
As a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I follow their Ethical Framework and I am bound by confidentiality.
Why Seek Out Therapy?
We often associate counselling with coming to terms with trauma, sadness, anger, loss or difficult events or emotions. However, therapy can be so much more than that:
- At times we may feel 'stuck', repeating circumstances or conversations in our mind on a loop, or notice events or dynamics repeating themselves within different relationships. Sound familiar? By exploring our story in a safe, confidential space, we can unpick what may be holding us back, process, heal and move on. By seeing things from a different perspective, we gain understanding, raise our self-awareness and move towards acceptance.
- Implementing life changes can be tricky and may require some preparation for them to take hold. Explore why the change is important, the difference it could make to your life and barriers you may encounter. This can help us to move closer towards a positive outcome and implementation.
- At times we may experience a general feeling of dissatisfaction we don't understand. We tell ourselves we 'shouldn't' feel this way, yet we spend our lives twisting ourselves out of shape, trying to live up to the expectations of others, and sometimes lose our way. Therapy can help us to explore our feelings, needs and behaviour so we can relearn ourselves and find our way back to authentic living.
- Perhaps you want to invest in yourself? Therapy can be about self-exploration and self-care. How well do you know yourself? What do you stand for? What makes you tick? Perhaps there is something specific you wish to explore, a decision you are struggling with, or an area of personal growth you're keen to make. Therapy can enlighten and enhance. Although I can't give you advice, I can support you and facilitate your exploration.
- Accepting life transitions that are out of our control: changes in our relationships, bereavement and loss, illness, career worries, adolescence, infertility, pregnancy, menopause, and getting older are just a few examples of challenges that may impact our lives or those we care about
Life can be difficult. It's ok to reach out. Please take that as an invitation to get in touch if you're struggling, feeling isolated, or thinking about personal growth and well-being.
Therapy is an investment in yourself. You don't have to put your life on hold; There is another way, and it starts with you. Your needs and wellbeing are important and so are you, so please get in touch.
I encourage all clients to consider the outcome or goal of therapy they would like to achieve.
Who do I work with?
Everyone. The question is... am I a good 'fit' for you? I'm not 'the expert' on your life. My role is to assist, support and facilitate. We work collaboratively in a safe, unhurried, compassionate space. During our sessions, I'm here only for you.
I'll try to give you a flavour of some of my client work. I seem to do well with clients experiencing low mood/depression and sometimes this includes self-harming and suicidal ideation.
I often work with survivors and sometimes perpetrators of abuse (including parent alienation and family estrangement). Many of my clients are survivors of childhood sexual abuse and violence.
I will work with sexual offenders or anyone who might be experiencing distressing or intrusive thoughts or worried they might hurt another person.
I get a lot of enquiries from clients wanting to explore sexual issues. I have not specialised in this area, but I'm comfortable doing this work and will do my best to put you at ease.
Many of my clients come into therapy to explore relationships and how they connect with others. It's not uncommon to have shakey boundaries in our relationships, particularly if we are lacking in confidence or feeling insecure, lonely or unloved.
The nature of the therapeutic relationahip in itself is healing. For some.of my clients, learning to connect to another person is 'the work'. It may be subtle at first, but clients often mention feeling more at peace, respected, significant and heard.
When working with couples, it's important to recognise that although counselling can enhance and improve our relationships, we might also come to realise that our differences are unreconcilable. As your therapist, I'm not here to choose sides, but support all parties to unpick and explore their feelings and behaviours, and offer therapeutic intervention when communication becomes difficult.
I am keen to welcome those experiencing health difficulties, disabilities, and terminal illness to my practice. I understand that acceptance can be a bumpy road and am comfortable doing this work with you.
My Background:
I was born and raised in Cornwall. I started my career working with elderly men with special needs and complex mental health issues.
A few years later I relocated to London to work for an NGO advocating for sexual and reproductive health, family planning, abortion, gender-based violence, FGM, STI/HIV/AIDs and youth rights.
As my family grew, I returned home to Cornwall. I spent several years as a stay-at-home mum and then several more juggling single parenthood, whilst working for small businesses. I decided to retrain as a counsellor after watching the difference it made to the life of someone I love, and I feel truly blessed to do this work.
My practice, Ebb & Flow Counselling, is overseen by a clinical supervisor, as per the BACP Ethical Framework.
Pricing
For individuals, I offer a 60 minute sessions:
Face to face £65, or online (Zoom or WhatsApp video calll) £50
For couples: I offer a 1 hour 15 minute sessions:
Face to face £85, or online for £70
Please ask me about concessions if you are experiencing financial hardship.
If you would like to find out more, please get in touch.
Thank you.
Training, qualifications & experience
- StopSO COFRA 121
- Menopause Awareness Training
- The Fundamentals of Working with Couples (COSRT)
- CPCAB Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling L5
- CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling L4
- Agency work, Counselling for Social Change (present)
- Agency work, Georgia's Voice
- Internship at Lifetime Therapy, Cornwall's premier psychotherapy and counselling practice
- CPCAB Counselling Studies L3
- CPCAB Counselling Skills L2
I am a member of the BACP and therefore my practice is overseen by a clinical supervisor.
I seek out regular opportunities for continued professional development and have my own personal counsellor which facilitates self awareness and personal growth. I am a self reflective practitioner.
I have contributed to the Huffington post, Patient Link and The Daily Mail and welcome further enquiries from the press and media.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 - £85.00
Additional information
I offer a free initial telephone conversation to anyone wondering what working together might be like. There is no obligation to book further sessions. Please feel free to get in touch for a chat.
Individual counselling (60 mins) - £50 for Zoom sessions, £65 for in person sessions.
Couples counselling (75 mins) - £75 for Zoom sessions, £85 for in person sessions.
I offer a limited number of reduced cost counselling sessions each week @£35 per 60 mins. I have a short waiting list in place for these slots, please let me know if this is of interest.
When I work
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