About me
I am a Person-Centred Therapist and have been in practice now for over 13 years. I truly believe in the power of therapy and see it change people's lives. Although making that first contact can sometimes feel daunting, I will offer you a non-judgmental space, which will enable you to feel listened to. Often people come to see me when they feel they can't carry on thinking and feeling the way that they are. Something doesn't feel right anymore; they feel lost and misunderstood.
I truly believe that everyone can benefit from counselling at some point in their life. We look after our physical well being, by eating well and exercising but often neglect our mental well being.
The power of working therapeutically cannot be underestimated and can be very freeing if we take a leap of faith. Whatever has led you to consider counselling, sitting with a non judgemental person can be very healing.
Most of our life we avoid feelings, experiences and situations, and repeat our patterns without even realising we are doing so. Counselling can help explore why we are the way we are, understand our self better and enact change. This ultimately leads us to feel less helpless and more in control of our life and choices.
How I work
I work in a Person Centred model of therapy, believing the client has all the answers within, and needs the right conditions to enable change to happen. Often feelings of anxiety, low mood or a change in someone's life brings them to therapy. Usually, the negative feelings build over time, and coping by pushing it down helps to get through day to day life. Then you may feel overwhelmed and like your not coping. Therapy helps understand this process more clearly.
I also draw on CBT techniques and Transactional Analysis theory if appropriate, which has been enhanced by further training.
What issues can I work with?
People come to see me for a vast array of things from anxiety, relationship issues, low self esteem, adhd, depression, stuckness, loss and bereavement, trauma, work related issues, addictions, social anxiety, health anxiety, trauma and anger management. I also work a lot with people diagnosed with ADHD or recognise traits.
Training, qualifications & experience
My Training and Experience
My training as a therapist was done at the highest level. I hold a PGDip in Counselling and Psychotherapy Level 7 from John Moores University. I have also a certificate in CBT and 101 Transactional Analysis.
Level 2 - Counselling Concepts
Level 3 - Counselling Skills
I have worked within the NHS supporting people with cancer diagnoses, and or their family members. Working with people to try and understand their diagnosis and how to move forward. Often a life changing event like a cancer diagnosis is the catalyst to look within and understand ourselves better. In fact any event can be the catalyst for change. I have further training in grief, loss and bereavement.
During my work in private practice I have dealt with a vast array of presenting issues - what I find as a counsellor is the presenting issue is what brings people to counselling, but the discoveries about themselves is what they take away. Gaining more self awareness, and understanding.
Usually the trigger for counselling is when things have become too much, everything feels entwined and counselling helps to unpick it all. It still amazes me how little people know themselves, and how many of their interactions are automated, and coming from an subconscious place. Exploring the self and seeing people realise and understand their life better, is a very powerful experience to watch and support. We take all the pieces of the jigsaw and build the picture together. This process can be really rewarding and liberating.
Being a therapist becomes a way of life, and I continuely look to improve my understanding and skills by engaging in continuous professional development, I have further training in :
- Addiction COUNSELLING CPD
- Gabor Mate - Compassionate ENQUIRY CPD
- Carolyn Spring's -Working with SHAME CPD
- Carolyn Spring's - Working with TRAUMA CPD
- ADHD - Certification COURSE CPD
- Loss, Grief and Bereavement TRAINING CPD
- Women's Aid - Working and tackling Domestic VIOLENCE CPD
- Wyndy Dryden - Single Session THERAPY CPD
- Janine Fisher - Working with Trauma CPD
- Working with suicide and self harm CPD
- Working at Relational depth - Mick Cooper
- ADHD
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I have in depth knowledge and experience of ADHD and it's impacts on life.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£45.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My sessions are 60 mins long. I do offer a discount on block bookings of 5 sessions for £215- this works out £43/ session. You can decide after the first session if you would like to do this.
I truly believe that counselling should be accessible, sustainable and affordable to all, and try to price my fees in according with this ethos.
Further information
Whilst as a Person Centred Counsellor I can work with any issue in therapy, my areas of interest and specialism are: Anxiety, Trauma, Loss and Bereavement, ADHD, Childhood Trauma, Anger Management and Relationship Issues, Stress.
I particularly like working with men who find it challenging to come to therapy to start with. These are the people I see most benefit from it and change quickly. It can be a cathartic experience talking to someone who will listen and not feel judged. Often, people begin therapy when there is a sense that they cannot continue living the way that they are.
We begin the work of building the jigsaw of their life, and understanding how "everything" is linked.
I also offer and run a 6 week ADHD program for women who have a diagnosis or identify with traits. Please see my website for more details or get in touch.
