About me
My name is Mel and I am an integrative psychotherapist working in Preston. I offer both short- and longer-term therapy for individuals experiencing difficulty in their lives.
I know the decision to try counselling can be a difficult one, so here is a little information about what it is and how it works:
Therapy works by providing a safe, non-judgmental and confidential environment in which you can explore your experiences, thoughts and feelings. This helps to increase your personal awareness and understanding of what has happened or is happening in your life as well as its impact on you. It can therefore help you to make sense of your life, increase your feelings of empowerment and choice and help you to feel better about yourself. Having someone to listen without judgement can also be hugely healing in itself and has been shown to improve self-esteem.
Integrative psychotherapy is a form of counselling which draws from a number of different theoretical and evidence-based perspectives, including person-centered, psychodynamic, humanistic and existential models as well as current research and neuroscience. Put simply, integrative psychotherapy helps a person explore their life from a variety of angles in order to gain a compassionate perspective of themselves as a complex human being within the context of their life and experiences. As an integrative psychotherapist I would use these different knowledge pools to guide my work with you, however this would always be in a way which meets your individual needs and goals and which, most importantly, feels ok for you - at your time and pace.
I believe that we deserve to thrive in life, rather than just surviving it. Thriving means:
- Experiencing more than just suffering day-to-day
- Having a sense of freedom and choice
- Developing better relationships with ourselves and others
- Discovering personal meaning and purpose
- Developing personal resilience and effectiveness
Therapy is a great step towards achieving these things.
Contact me with any questions you might have about counselling and how it might work for you, or to book your free 20-minute phone consultation.
Training, qualifications & experience
PGDip Integrative Psychotherapy - University of Central Lancashire
PGCert Advanced Counselling Skills - University of Central Lancashire
BSc (Hons) Psychology - University of Liverpool
I currently also practice in the NHS, helping clients with a range of issues including anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, and relationship issues.
I also have experience working with individuals and groups recovering from addiction and dependency issues.
Member organisations

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)
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

Accredited Register Scheme
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
Additional information
Free 20 minute phone consultation available to all new clients.
Session fees are £40.
Daytime and Evening Appointments Available.
Location near to Preston City centre. Accessible by bus or car.
When I work
Daytime and evenings