About me
Hello, my name is Paula. I am originally from Ireland and have relocated here to Liverpool.
I am an accredited Psychotherapist and Counsellor, holding professional membership with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP).
I believe that when people are offered compassion and acceptance, they begin to understand their challenges from a different perspective, recognise their own strengths and develop greater confidence in their ability to cope.
Alongside my psychotherapy training, I have a background in genetics. This has shaped my awareness of the interconnectivity between us and nature. Following this, I moved into Social Care practice, with 5 years’ experience working in Homelessness and Addiction services. This work has deepened my commitment to trauma-informed care and has shaped my understanding of people, distress and resilience.
I use a person-centred integrative approach to therapy – this means I draw from various therapeutic modalities to fit the unique needs of each client. I see therapy as a collaborative process led by what feels most important and supportive for you in the moment.
Person-centred therapy focuses on creating a supportive space where you can talk openly about whatever is going on in your life. You don’t need to have the right words or know where to start - we begin wherever you are.
This approach trusts that change happens through being heard and understood, rather than being told what to do. You set the pace and decide what we talk about, with a shared intention of nurturing greater self-compassion, clarity, and confidence to move towards changes that feel safe and manageable.
My main approach to therapy is person-centred however, I may pull from somatic, mindfulness, DBT and psychodynamic-based approaches to help you gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, emotions and relationships.
Training, qualifications & experience
- MSc Psychotherapy and Counselling.
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Training.
- An Embodied Approach to Working with Trauma.
- IDAS Sexual Violence Essential Training.
- 5 years’ experience in Homelessness and Addiction services.
I am a member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to their ethical framework.
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
Fees
£65.00 per session
Further information
I offer a free 15-minute introductory phone consultation to find out a bit more about what difficulties you may be experiencing and answer any questions you may have about therapy.
