About me
We sometimes feel that there is something wrong with us because we cannot cope with life, our emotions feel overwhelming or we feel disconnected from ourselves and others.
Perhaps you've spent years feeling that something is wrong with you. Maybe you've tried to cope, push feelings away or convince yourself that you should be over what happened. Ignoring your emotions does not mean they go away, unwanted emotions are like lightning: they will ground themselves somewhere, often expressing themselves in undesirable ways. I believe many of your struggles make sense when we understand them in the context of your life. Together, we'll explore your experiences with curiosity, compassion and care so that you can begin to understand yourself differently. When we begin to understand our past and the context of our lives, we often discover that there is nothing "wrong" with us at all: our minds and bodies are responding in very human ways to what we have experienced. And when we understand why we behave or react the way we do we can start to make the positive changes we need.
What happens when you contact me?
Getting in touch with a therapist for the first time can feel daunting, particularly if you're already feeling overwhelmed. You don't need to write a long explanation or know exactly what you need help with. Simply send me a message and tell me a little about what's bringing you to therapy, or you can just ask to arrange an initial session if you're not sure or would prefer not to say.
We'll arrange an initial session where we can meet, talk about what's happening for you, I'll explain how I work, answer any questions you have and discuss the practical arrangements, including fees and session times.
If you’d like to speak to me before arranging an initial session then I’d be happy to arrange a free of charge 10 minute phone call should you wish to ask any specific questions or simply hear my voice.
There is no pressure to commit to ongoing therapy after that first conversation and everything we discuss will be confidential.
I offer both face-to-face sessions in Maidstone and online therapy. Your initial session will cost £60.
About me.
I'm an experienced, BACP registered Psychodynamic Counsellor and Psychotherapist in Maidstone, with additional training in trauma-informed counselling. I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, anger, bereavement and other emotional difficulties. I also have experience working with clients with an existing diagnosis including personality disorders (such as Borderline Personality Disorder) and eating disorders.
I trained in Psychodynamic Counselling at Highgate Counselling Centre in London, where I completed a Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling. Since qualifying, I have continued my professional development through additional training.
How I work.
I work from a trauma-informed psychodynamic approach.
Psychodynamic therapy is interested in the connections between your past experiences, your emotions, your relationships and the way you experience yourself today. Sometimes we develop ways of coping that were necessary or helpful at one point in our lives but become difficult later. We might push feelings away, struggle to trust people, become overwhelmed by emotions, repeatedly find ourselves in difficult relationships, or feel that we have to stay in control all the time. These patterns can be difficult to understand when we're experiencing them from the inside.
Therapy provides a space where we can slow things down and become curious about what is happening. Together, we can explore feelings, experiences and patterns that may have been difficult to make sense of on your own. My role isn't to judge you or tell you how you should live your life. I'll listen, reflect, ask questions and, when it feels appropriate, gently challenge or explore things that may help you see yourself and your experiences differently. The aim is to develop a deeper and more compassionate understanding of yourself and the experiences that have shaped you and in turn find a version of you which isn’t held back by your emotional past.
I offer both short-term focused therapy over 12 sessions and longer-term open-ended psychodynamic therapy.
Short-term therapy has a defined focus and agreed end point and can be useful when you want to work on a particular issue or difficulty.
Longer-term therapy doesn't have a predetermined end date. Instead, we continue our work until you feel that you have reached a point where you are ready to bring therapy to a close.
If you're unsure which approach would be most appropriate for you, we can discuss this together.
Sessions are weekly and last 50 minutes.
I offer therapy face-to-face from my practice in Maidstone and online via video call. My practice is based in Maidstone town centre, and online sessions can provide greater flexibility if travelling isn't practical or you would prefer to work from home.
I work with adults aged 18 and over, including young adults and older adults.
Taking the first step.
You may have been thinking about therapy for some time. You might still be unsure whether what you're experiencing is “serious enough” or whether therapy could actually help. You don't need to have everything figured out before you contact me.
If something in your life isn't making sense, you're struggling to cope, or you simply feel that you don't want to continue feeling the way you currently do, you're welcome to get in touch.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling from Highgate Counselling Centre
- Certificate in Counselling Skills from Highgate Counselling Centre
- Trauma-informed Counselling from The Open University
- Mentalizing and Mentalization Based Treatment with Adults (MBT Adult): An Introduction from Anna Freud Centre
- Qualified Mental Health First Aider
- Registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Our initial session will be charged at a flat rate of £60.
I offer a concessionary rate for those who may be struggling to finance weekly therapy.
When I work
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