About me
Outdoor therapy in Sheffield and the Peak District
You might not know what you need, only that you want things to change.
When clients come to see me, they often feel like they’ve tried everything. They are living with overwhelming emotions and it’s exhausting. Having to hide how you feel can be lonely.
I offer a trauma informed space in Sheffield and the Peak District to explore what is shaping your reactions and to support you in finding your own ways forward. Working together outside can be more than just walking and talking, although that is part of it. It's a chance to let the natural world be part of the therapy process.
I work with how your experiences connect, rather than treating each issue in isolation, drawing on specialist training in trauma, autism and ADHD and eating disorders.
What is ecotherapy?
Ecotherapy involves working with nature, and your relationship with it, as part of the therapy. Working outdoors gives you an opportunity to think and process in a different way that can feel slightly less formal. There isn’t really a right way to process, or to explain what’s happening for you. The important thing is that you feel able to communicate in a way that makes you feel understood. Being outdoors, and moving in the outdoors, facilitates that.
Being connected with nature is very grounding. Being in nature can help the focus to move away from thoughts and feelings that make you feel trapped, and help you to be more in the present.
Sometimes for me being in nature is an escape, but I've also found that it can give me a way to connect with what is happening in my life and to process things. I take comfort in the scale of it; sometimes I feel empowered in nature, and sometimes I feel very small. In my therapy work, nature offers an opportunity to work in a different way.
What I work with
Most of us can’t neatly describe what we’re struggling with in just one headline. Often, there is more than one thing going on, and we need to look at the whole picture.
Autism and ADHD
Being outdoors can help calm your nervous system, and also takes the pressure off making eye contact or filling the silences. Many people with ADHD, autism or AuDHD find their brains are calmer when they’re doing something active. I adapt sessions to suit neurodivergent needs, making practical adjustments around eye contact, imagery, movement, interests, fidget tools, or breaks when helpful.
Trauma
I work with trauma and abuse, borderline personality disorder (BPD) and traumatic grief.
I work at a pace that feels safe and manageable, to help you reach a place where you feel more in control. Creating a space where you feel safe is the foundation of this. You don’t have to go into upsetting detail to work through trauma. A lot of the work happens in the present: noticing how your body reacts, what sets it off, and what helps you feel steadier. Being outdoors can be a really helpful way to ease into this. Moving, noticing what’s around you and spending time in places that feel calm can help you build a sense of safety.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are often about control, but underneath that there is often a lot of fear. Working outdoors can give you the opportunity to connect with your body in a different way.
You don’t need a diagnosis, a crisis, or one single defining event for what you’re going through to be worth exploring here. Counselling is not about where you start from, but about finding a way forward that feels right for you.
How I work
The work we will do will be active. We'll work together. As well as talking and reflecting, that might include trying things out together, or practical, creative or somatic work, so therapy feels like something you are part of rather than something that happens to you. As we talk, we notice what’s happening for you and respond to it together, giving you the chance to explore and develop new ways of responding and loosening old patterns.
Where helpful, I can bring in strategies from a range of approaches, including CBT, ERP and DBT, as well as grounding techniques such as focussed breathing and sensory grounding.
Therapy isn’t a quick fix. Meaningful change takes time. The first steps are about building trust and getting a sense of what feels safe and helpful for you, so we have a steady foundation to work from. Together we will work to develop a toolkit to support you now that you can continue to draw on in the future.
Location and practicalities
I mainly work from two locations.
One is a large area of parkland in the city. This is made up of different landscapes including woodlands, water and grassland, as well as various wildlife. It is a public space, but it’s also large enough that it’s possible to find a quiet space to be reflective in peace.
The other is in the Peak District, approximately 10 miles from the city. This has a slightly wilder feel to it, and is often very quiet during the week. The terrain is quite hilly and rocky in places. It is accessible by train and bus, and has parking.
Both locations have a café, so in colder weather there is always a possibility of getting something warm to drink.
Outdoor sessions run throughout the year. Spring, summer, autumn and winter each bring their own element to the work. We’ll still go outside if it rains, and even in colder weather.
Outdoor sessions in Sheffield are an hour long. Sessions in the Peak District are a little bit longer, one hour 15 minutes, to give us a chance to get away from the car park and more into the countryside.
Outdoor therapy sessions are generally a weekly commitment, as I have relatively few outdoor slots.
As well as working outdoors, I have a therapy room in Sheffield.
Getting started
We'll start where you are, and develop a way of working that feels right for you.
I offer a no cost 30 minute initial consultation by phone, Zoom or face to face. You can contact me by email, telephone, WhatsApp or text to arrange this. During the consultation we’ll talk about what’s going on for you and I’ll explain how I work. You can then take time to decide whether you would like to work together. There’s no pressure, but I’d be happy to hear from you.
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold a Princes Trust Level 5 diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapeutic Practice (NCPS-accredited) and have the following specialist training:
Ecotherapy
- Taking Therapy Outside - Understanding Therapeutic Practice in Outdoor Natural Spaces | Centre for Natural Reflection
Eating disorders and ARFID
- Diploma in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders | National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED)
- Advanced Diploma in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders | NCFED
- Certificate in Practitioner Skills in Eating Disorders and Nutritional Interventions | NCFED
- BPS-approved Autism and Eating Disorders | Disordered Eating (ARFID) – National Centre for Autism and Mental Health
Working with neurodivergence
- ADHD in the Therapy Room – a Neuroaffirming Approach | Aspire Autism Consultancy
Sensory Awareness and Regulation | National Centre for Autism and Mental Health (BPS approved)
Emotional regulation and complex mental health
- Working with Personality Disorders Level 3 | ABC Awards & Certa Awards)
- Community Mental Health and Psychiatry Level 4 | ABC Awards & Certa Awards)
Somatic techniques
- Certified Level 2 EFT Practitioner | trained by Ashley Meyer
Alongside my counselling work, I have several years’ experience providing emotional support in a crisis through volunteering with Samaritans, and a good working knowledge of Sheffield mental health services.
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.
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£70.00 - £85.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
The fee for a counselling session is £70 per hour.
Sessions can be 1 hour or 1 hour 15 long, depending on where we are meeting (longer time allows for moving a bit further in the Peak District), at £70 x 1.25 = £87.50.
The fee for working with eating disorders/disordered eating is £85 per hour. For more information, see my website.
I may be able to offer discounted rates for low-income clients or those in receipt of benefits. Please contact me directly to discuss this.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early morning | |||||||
| Morning | |||||||
| Early afternoon | |||||||
| Late afternoon | |||||||
| Evening |
Further information
As a member of BACP and NCPS, I adhere to their ethical frameworks and engage in continuous professional development and regular supervision. This ensures I stay updated with new therapeutic approaches and maintain a high standard of work.
Sessions are usually weekly, but I can adjust as needed. I primarily offer in-person sessions but can accommodate online appointments for accessibility reasons.
