About me
There are many other therapists available - why choose me?
In my experience, we often come to therapy when we feel stuck in a way of living which is becoming increasingly difficult and painful to sustain. Perhaps you have some of the following thoughts and feelings:
- my life is simply surviving rather than thriving.
- my future seems more scary than exciting.
- my self esteem is fragile and I worry too much about what others might be thinking about me.
- I wonder if I'm 'normal'.
- my personal relationships feel like a battlefield or a prison.
- I find it hard to trust myself and others.
- I have a harsh inner voice, frequently criticising and belittling me.
- my past is full of painful memories and emotions, and I can't seem to move on.
- I am struggling to let go of behaviours and attitudes which I know don't serve me well.
- I've lost meaning, purpose or passion in my life.
- there's a hidden life within me, yearning to be free.
- my true self has gone missing, somewhere along the way.
If any of this resonates with you, my innovative existential approach to therapy will provide you with a safe place in which to explore and process any trauma in your past; pain in the present and anxiety about the future. Helping you to bring the real you out of hiding and find a more joyful, peaceful and authentic way of living.
Simply put, existential therapy provides an opportunity to explore what it means to be alive and to find a way of living at peace with ourselves and all the challenges and opportunities life presents - before it's too late. In the words of Brazilian poet Mario de Andrade, 'Each of us has two lives. And the second one starts when we realise we only have one.'
Within a non-judgemental and adult-to-adult therapeutic relationship, I will encourage you to practice self-acceptance and to examine issues and feelings you may have been avoiding for too long. Reflecting my belief in Irvin Yalom's view that, 'The act of revealing ourself fully to another and still being accepted may be the major vehicle of therapeutic help.'
What will it be like, working with me as your therapist?
Each of us is unique and different - in all our ragged glory - and therefore I don't offer a 'one-size-fits-all' or 'tick box' approach to therapy. Working collaboratively together, we will have an opportunity to move beyond the superficiality that characterises so many of our day-to-day social interactions, to build a bespoke therapeutic relationship full of kindness and compassion; honesty and challenge; tears and smiles. There is no judgement in my therapy room - nothing is off limits - and you will be free to share experiences and give voice to thoughts and feelings you have been unable to express elsewhere - an experience which often feels very cathartic.
Many of my clients welcome this opportunity to work at 'relational depth', in a way that can feel very different from any previous experiences of therapy. Here is some recent feedback:
- you are the only person who is interested in the truth.
- it feels good to be challenged without being criticised.
- as hard as this is, it is so much easier knowing I am not being judged.
- you are interested in me as a person, not just my trauma.
- I have only felt comfortable allowing myself to be vulnerable in the therapy, due to the environment you create.
- you are the only person who has ever believed in me.
- together, we opened a door to my soul.
Why I might not be a good fit for you.
My approach to therapy might not be the right one for you if you are simply looking for tools to manage surface level anxiety and any associated behaviours and attitudes. Such tools and techniques can be very helpful in providing short-term relief but, in my view, only address the symptoms, rather than the underlying causes. In contrast, I will work with you at a much deeper level to see if we can identify what you are really anxious about, which may be very different to what presents on the surface. Working in this way often takes us back to formative experiences in childhood and adolescence.
Who do you work with?
I am open to working with almost anyone aged 18 and over - individuals and couples. I don't currently work with people with a diagnosed personality disorder, including Borderline Personality Disorder and Dissociative Identity Disorder.
My current clients range in age from 21 to 67, with about 40% under the age of 30. There is a roughly 50:50 balance of men and women. About 70% of clients work with me online and about 30% in-person. Both approaches are equally effective in my experience.
I enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and with different personal characteristics and identities to my own. Many clients have told me they find it therapeutic to work with someone who is different from them eg in age, gender, sexuality or cultural heritage.
Very occasionally, I will decide that I don't have the right skills and experience to start working with someone who has submitted an enquiry. In these rare situations, I may be able support you access support from someone better suited to your needs.
How do I take things further?
If you have read this far and decided you would like to get in touch with me, you have two options:
- book an initial session. This can usually be arranged within a week and there is no obligation to have more than one.
- book a free introductory video/audio call to give you a chance to find out more about me and my approach. This can usually be arranged within a few days.
Training, qualifications & experience
In addition to my formal training and professional experience, my approach to therapy is informed by my own 62 years of life; in all its light and shade, sadness and joy. I have had my share of troubles and disappointments and believe this enhances my ability to offer you compassion and empathetic understanding. As Bob Dylan wrote, 'In your teardrops I see my own reflection.'
I have a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and have been working with clients since 2020. I am an accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society and a signatory of the ERNI (Emotions are Not Ilnesses) Declaration.
I have particular expertise in working with people who have experienced significant trauma, including physical, psychological and sexual abuse.
When working in this area, I share Jean Paul Sartre's view that, 'Freedom is what you do with what has been done to you.' I will support you to safely explore past trauma and any associated feelings of shame, guilt, anger, blame or unworthiness. And help you find ways to release yourself from any control the past still exerts on your present and future.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Freedom anxiety (very common but largely unrecognised)
- Therapy for therapists
- Therapy for creatives
- Adulthood for beginners
- Being a twin
- Being an only child
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£37.00 - £63.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer two payment plans to individual clients:
- a fully flexible 'pay-as-you-go' rate of £63 per session.
- a monthly subscription of £220 which entitles you to a regular session each week, equivalent to an average of £50 per session.
I also offer a discounted PAYG rate of £45 per session (£160 on subscription which is equivalent to an average £37 per session) to people on a low income or who are unemployed; trainee counsellors and young adults aged 18-25.
Whichever payment option you choose, I provide full 60-minute sessions, not the 50 minute 'therapy hour' offered by some practitioners.
When I work
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