About me
I am Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist (NCPS), an accredited Supervisor (BACP) and a trainer with twenty-six years of experience of working with diverse issues in the NHS, universities, schools, private practice and volunteer agencies.
I work with couples, people in family relationships and individuals.
I work online, as well as in a light and comfortable bespoke therapy room in my garden in Horrabridge where I aim to offer a service that meets your therapeutic needs, as well practical ones (as in how often and when to meet).
People who have come to me for counselling have had many different experiences.
- You may feel angry, scared, sad, depressed, anxious, stressed or lonely.
- You may be grieving, have a lack of confidence, a difficult decision to make, difficulty sleeping, concerns about sex or experience of abuse.
- Your problems may be with relationships, family, work or school.
- You may be feeling that life has taken the wrong turning and at a loss as to which direction to go.
- You may be feeling unseen and unheard.
When you come to me you can talk about and work with your individual needs. I can help you
- Understand difficult emotions
- Better accept and understand yourself
- Make sense of your circumstances
- Work out your own options
- Move on better equipped to cope with the future
I offer you time and a confidential space where you can feel safe talking to someone who listens to your point of view, who accepts who you are, who doesn’t tell you what to do and who will not discriminate against you.
I will listen deeply, though not be shy to offer thoughts that occur to me along the way.
I liken counselling to being on a journey. Perhaps you are lost, or don’t like the road you have been on. Maybe you wonder what other roads are out there. It might be that the ride has been very bumpy or traumatic even. Counselling offers you a chance to stop, see how you are feeling and what you might need. If I see something on the map, I might point it out to you if I think it could be helpful – but very much for you to take or leave!
I call myself a Person-Centred counsellor, yet integrate much from many different approaches. Having an additional training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) allows me to offer a possibility of a combined approach if you and I feel it might be useful.
I also work with two people in a relationship. This can be a family relationship, a romantic/sexual relationship, a marriage, a partnership or a friendship.
Difficult emotions and some conflicts between two people are part of a normal relationship. Sometimes relationships undergo more serious blocks, failures and ruptures.
You might be experiencing
- Arguing
- Difficulties in communicating
- Feeling unseen or unheard by the other person
- Feeling a difference between you than can’t be gapped
- Feeling incompatible
- Feeling lonely in your relationship
- Sexual problems
- Divorce and separation
- Feeling a conflict in values
- Feeling resentful, angry and blaming
My aim as a counsellor is to facilitate
- Communication
- Listening
- Understanding
- Empathy
With these four components, and time and space, what is happening in the relationship becomes clearer. A better mutual understanding and acceptance can be found. This fosters the chances of finding the right solution for both individuals, which may or may not be to continue your relationship.
"If we do not change the direction we are going, we are likely to end up where we are headed."
-Chinese proverb.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have worked as a counsellor in:
- volunteer agencies
- schools
- universities
- GP practices
- in private practice
I am registered and accredited with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). Being accredited by the BACP means that:
- I abide by their code of ethics
- undergo regular supervision
- continue to add to my knowledge
- keep my training up to date.
I am a registered Specialist Supervisor with the BACP
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Advanced Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred Supervision
Counselling for Depression (CfD)
Person-Centred Relationship Counselling
Relationship Counselling for Depression
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
BA (Hons)
Teaching specialisms include Person-Centred Theory, Self-awareness, Personal and Professional Development and working at Relational Depth.
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Up until very recently I have been lecturing on the degree course in Counselling and Psychotherapy at Plymouth Marjon University. I joined the programme 2018 just as the degree was about to start its first academic year. This meant writing lectures from scratch, creating content on theory, research and practice. I’ve loved the teaching and the relationship with the students and staff.
I have been a founder director of Counsellors South West, set up by a small and dedicated group of GP surgery counsellors which has grown to cover the Plymouth, Teignbridge, South Hams, Tavistock and West Devon areas. It was a privilege to fight for Counselling’s place in Primary Care, helping NHS commissioners understand the value of counselling.
I have qualifications in:
- Working with Couples
- The Person Centred Approach to Relationship Counselling
- Couples Therapy for Depression.
My experience as a supervisor includes:
- Working with counsellors-in-training while completing their placements at GP surgeries
- Supervising counsellors and professionals working at organisations such as Broadreach, The Zone, Haye Mill counselling service in Callington, Counsellors Southwest CIC, Xenzone and Plymouth Hospital's Trust Occupational Health
My experience includes supervising counsellors and professionals working at organisations such as Broadreach and The Zone, Haye Mill, Counsellors Southwest, Kooth, Plymouth Marjon University, Derriford Hospital Occupational Health, The Margaret Jackson Centre. I also supervise counsellors/psychotherapists working in private practice. Not only do I supervise counsellors and psychotherapists, but I also supervise other professionals such as health workers, social workers, mental health occupational therapists, specialist mentors in higher education and addiction support workers.
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.
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.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer the first session at half price, as this session could be seen as a session for you to decide whether working with me is right for you. It is important that you find the right counsellor for you, and you may want to see how it feels working with me and others before deciding.
For one-to-one counselling, I charge £70 per hour.
For relationships, I charge £80 per session and due to the nature of the work the sessions work better if they are 70 minutes.
I charge £70 per hour for supervision, and £90 for 90 minutes of supervision. I offer a free half-hour chat with people considering working with me as their supervisor.
I charge half price for cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice.
I charge full price if no notice is given for a cancelled session.
